The Ice House

Relax at this timeless and tranquil cottage, 10 paces from the lake, a short walk from the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, off the beaten path but close and convenient to the action. As soon you walk in the door, you can feel the solace of this house's old bones, even thought it's been lovingly updated with all the best amenities. Shipshewana Lake is a 202 acre no-wake fishing lake known for bluegill and crappe. Bring your pole, pull up a chair and fish from the pier or the shore.

This cozy cottage has everything you need to comfortably sleep 6 guests, or 7 if someone takes the couch. The house was “built” in 1900 as a summer fishing shack, and consisted of four walls, a roof and a floor. It wasn't “finished” until 2016, so it’s basically new construction, including a new foundation that's 16 inches higher than the original. Modern setbacks dictate that you build your house at least 40 feet from the lake, but since the house predates those rules, it’s about 10 feet from the lake.

It is well-insulated and virtually soundproof, and has central air and a high-efficiency furnace. There's a water softener and a reverse-osmosis drinking water system.

The roomy bathroom has a generous marble-top vanity, glass shower, tub and plenty of oversized plush towels.

The kitchen features microwave, disposal, pull-down sprayer faucet, gas stove, full size refrigerator, ample cabinet space and granite countertops. There’s a keurig and a drip coffee maker.

The large bedroom off the living area features a queen bed, dresser and large closet.

The bunk room has an IKEA bunk bed which is bolted to the wall, a dresser and a closet. All dressers and the stove are fastened to the wall for safety. There are cordless blinds throughout the house, also for safety.

The bedroom facing the lake features a queen Murphy bed. This room doubles as a front sitting room with chair and loveseat. Remove the love seat cushions and fold down the Murphy bed. There is also a closet in this room, along with a small fold-down desk.

The living room features a comfy couch, leather rocker and small lounger couch that folds out. There is free wifi, a TV, DVD player, and a selection of DVDs, puzzles and games.

A 20-foot deck spans the width of the house facing the lake, and there’s a fire pit in the lawn next to the lake. Bluegill and crappe are found close to shore. Wild turkeys and deer are known to frequent the area, which is popular with birdwatchers. There are blue herons, sand hill cranes, cormorants, grebes, swans, geese, red wing blackbirds, woodpeckers, songbirds of all sorts, catbirds, and if you're lucky, you may see a bald eagle circling over head. Enjoy an evening by the shore, watching the water and the fireflies, and possibly hearing an owl hooting in the woods across the street.

Was this house ever really an ice house, used to store blocks of ice cut from the lake, before the refrigerator was invented? Many locals stopped to ask this question when we were renovating it in 2016. "Was this the old ice house?" Although it old enough to have been an ice house, there's no evidence that it ever was. But the nickname stuck anyway!

Traveling to the area with a party of 14? Considering booking the Ice House and Hummingbird Cottage, which is one house over.

2024 Update: the lake is having issues with weeds this year. It is being treated, but it's not a quick fix. Kayaks are still available, and you might be able to get them out to the clear part of the lake. People generally don't swim; Shipshewana Lake is more of a fishing and bird-watching lake.