Nappanee, Indiana unveils 30-foot climbable Hoosier cabinet replica to mark manufacturer's 150th anniversary

A 30-foot climbable replica of a Dutch Kitchenette has opened to the public in Nappanee, northern Indiana, as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Coppes Napanee, one of two companies still in existence that manufactured Hoosier cabinets more than a century ago. According to The Independent, the structure is built against a brick wall and features stairs leading to a loft overlooking Coppes Commons, the former factory site now operating as an indoor marketplace, artisan space, and museum.

Hoosier cabinets were freestanding workstations and storage units that consolidated kitchen functions into a single piece of furniture. According to The Independent, the designs enjoyed widespread popularity from the 1890s into the 1930s, but their appeal diminished after World War II as built-in, wall-to-wall cabinetry became standard in modern housing.

The cabinet took its name from its primary maker, the Hoosier Manufacturing Co., according to The Independent. At the peak of their popularity, there were 5,000 dealers selling the units nationwide, according to Mary Figueroa, curator of History at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, which retains four of the units in its collection.

Before the Hoosier cabinet, kitchen spaces relied on separate shelving, a solitary table, and a corner cupboard. The units featured built-in flour sifters and storage for goods such as flour, sugar, spices, and bread, and came with booklets of recipes. According to The Independent, they earned the nickname 'kitchen pianos' because all required items were kept within easy reach. Promotional materials reportedly claimed the product would 'strengthen your marriage' and 'make you more beautiful' by saving steps and time, according to Figueroa.

According to The Independent, Nappanee sits in Elkhart County, roughly 150 miles north of Indianapolis, an area recognised as a major U.S. center for recreational vehicle manufacturing, wood production, and the country's third-largest Amish settlement. Next door to the replica, Coppes Napanee continues to build custom cabinets.

The replica has been promoted as the world's largest Hoosier cabinet, according to The Independent. Wesley Mast, owner and president of Coppes Napanee, said the installation 'brings us another level of attention and branding and makes this place more of a destination than just a pass-through.'

• The exact date the replica opened to the public is not specified beyond 'last month' relative to the publication dates.
• The cost of constructing the replica is not established by either source.
• The designer or builder of the replica is not named in either source.
• Whether the replica has been officially certified as the world's largest Hoosier cabinet by any record-keeping body is not confirmed.
• Visitor numbers or public response data since opening are not provided.
• The identity of the second company still in existence that manufactured Hoosier cabinets is not named in either source.

1. New York Post — original — by Associated Press
2. The Independent — by Obed Lamy

Read the original at New York Post

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