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Betty, dead dog on a sleigh.

Betty the Stuffed Sleigh Dog

Field review by the editors.

Fennville, Michigan

Died 1937

Pet Cemetery.

The winter of 1937 was nasty in the upper Midwest. It trapped a bus full of tourists, or a few truckers (accounts vary) in Glenn, Michigan, forcing them to eat whatever was on hand, thus immortalizing Glenn as "Pancake Town." And it was in 1937, perhaps during that winter, that a seven-year-old dog named Betty died.

Betty in the rustic foyer of the restaurant.

Betty lived in Chicago with a lady with no children. The lady loved her dog, and when Betty died, the lady had her stuffed. When the lady died, she willed Betty to a niece named Kate. Kate worked part-time on the pie crew at Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant, a family-owned business that was decorated with old farm junk and goofy mannequins.

Kate kept Betty for a while, but she got tired of vacuuming the dead dog. She asked the Cranes if they'd like to take Betty. The Cranes said yes. And that is when Betty, fifty years after she had died, finally became known to the public.

Betty has become the mascot of Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant. She sits in a sleigh on the enclosed porch. A sign around her neck gives the sparse facts of her life. She is vacuumed once a year. And her new home is Fennville, just down the road from Glenn the Pancake Town.

Also see: Noble Dogs | Roadside Pet Cemetery

Betty the Stuffed Sleigh Dog

Crane's Pie Pantry

Address:
6054 124th Ave., Fennville, MI
Directions:
Crane's Pie Pantry. Two miles west of Fennville, on the south side of MI-89/124th Ave. Betty usually sits just inside the rustic entrance, but the staff sometimes moves her around. If you don't see her, ask.
Hours:
Daily 8-6 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
269-561-2297
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

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In the region:
Brass Grand River and Sundial, Grand Haven, MI - 33 mi.

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