MANISTEE, Mich. (Great Lakes News) – One of the most unique buildings in Michigan happened to be the result of a happy accident.

The Bottle House in Kaleva isn’t a place to buy bottles or alcohol. It is one of the last remaining structures in Michigan that used bottles as a primary construction component.

MORE NEWS: Jan. 6 Protester Jake Lang Came to Dearborn Looking For A Fight; He Found Condemnation

John Makinen operated a bottling plant in Kaleva. The “happy accident” occurred when he noticed that bottled pop stored in his warehouse didn’t freeze during the cold, northern Michigan winters. It was by this observation that he discovered the insulating properties of his bottles.

That gave him an idea.

Makinen thought there just might be a use for the thousands of flawed and chipped bottles that were set aside during quality control inspections.

Mr. Makinen was an inventive man. He created a special cementing mixture that could be used to bind the bottles together into walls. With that process, he set about using more than 60,000 of his bottles to build his home which became known as the Bottle House.

The Bottle House is still there and is now the Historical Museum. The bottles are not visible since the walls are finished.

It all makes for a great day trip. Find out more at the Michigan Backroads website.

MORE NEWS: ICE Activity Briefly Puts Clarkston Schools on Hold