The bait shop is a private, separate house, with its own entry and parking. It’s very cozy and quiet. It’s a short walk south to the KU stadium, and a ten-minute walk to lovely downtown Lawrence. The house is perfect for a single person or couple. We recently added an outdoor patio area with a barbecue grill for your enjoyment! The Bait Shop was built 110 years ago for use as an actual bait shop. At the time, it was an isolated building, set apart from the center of town by a few blocks. In the 1970's, the Community Mercantile (now located at 9th and Iowa) opened its first location directly behind us, and the bait shop then served as a bakery for the Mercantile. Then, in 1994, Dan Rockhill purchased the property, built the "big house" (701 Alabama) as a spec house, and rebuilt the bait shop as a studio living space. Jennifer bought the properties in 1997, and when not traveling, has lived there since. The space is 450 square feet, a studio floor plan, with a private bathroom. It's very clean, bright, cozy and quiet. Guests are welcome to the house space, its porch, the patio area, and of course the parking spots! Because our dogs bark, it's preferred if guests aren't in the inner courtyard area. There is also a storage basement in the little house that isn't accessible to guests. Jennifer is always available to answer questions or to help should the need arise! Otherwise, we will totally give you your space and privacy. If you do have a question or need something, you are more than welcome to knock on the door of the big house, or just give Jennifer a call or text! Old West Lawrence, where the little house is located, was the first neighborhood in Lawrence. When William Quantrill attacked Lawrence in August of 1863, his troops came straight through Old West Lawrence. If you walk towards downtown on 7th street almost to Louisiana, you'll see a marker on the ground where three soldiers were killed during the raid. Catty-cornered from that is the former home of the mayor of Lawrence at the time, who escaped the massacre by hiding in a cistern behind the house. If you look up Quantrill's Raid on the internet, you'll find a lot more fascinating information about the rich history of this neighborhood! I love living in Lawrence because of the small-town feel. In recent years, Lawrence has developed significantly to the south and to the west, but the original neighborhoods--Old West, East, and North--along with downtown still feel very close and neighborly. It's very unusual for a town its size to have maintained the original downtown and adjacent neighborhoods as the center and soul of its culture and business. Lawrence is a friendly, busy place, and the downtown has fantastic shops, restaurants and bars. The local history museum and the Lawrence Arts Center are also must-sees! To the immediate south of the little house is the KU campus. The stadium and the Spencer Museum of Art are a five-minute walk from the little house, and the rest of the campus, especially the Campanile area, is lovely to walk through. The Natural History Museum is also a real treat. Walking to downtown and campus is very easy (15-minute walk at most!)—anywhere else you would want a car or Uber. Lawrence does not have public transit to write home about, but it is all walkable if you’re just staying in the downtown/campus area! If you’re looking to book my house, that is awesome and I’m happy to host. A few things to consider! 🍓 I’m not a slumlord, house flipper and I don’t have an Airbnb empire lol. I live here and do everything I can to make the house an awesome, beautiful place to stay. 🍾 I am local! 🍉 I don’t have a team of maids at my disposal, which is why cleaning fees are minimal. I want to keep it that way, so I appreciate respectful guests! 🍑 this house is not a good choice for more than two people. Please do not book if you plan on bringing more than one other person, or plan to have any sort of party! that is my LEAST favorite surprise 😂 🧀 if you’ve read all of this, done some soul-searching, and find that you can live within these parameters, I’m happy to welcome you! See you soon 🌸