Earl Young Mushroom Houses
Earl Young Houses
More than thirty fairy-tale stone houses built by architect Earl Young from lake stones. Their mushroom-like curved roofs are scattered through Charlevoix’s older residential district.
Earl Young had no formal architectural training. Starting in 1919, he built homes from local limestone boulders and Lake Michigan beach cobbles, with rolling, wave-like shingled roofs. The houses earned the nicknames “mushroom houses” and “gnome houses.” About 30 remain, clustered around Park Avenue and Clinton and Grant streets, including the Half House and the Mushroom House. Most are private residences, so you can only view the exteriors from the street. The visitor center offers walking maps, and paid guided tours are also available.
Opening hours
All day (exterior viewing only)
Nearby sights
- Charlevoix
- Charlevoix South Pier Light
- Castle Farms
- Fisherman's Island State Park
- Thorne Swift Nature Preserve
- M-119 Tunnel of Trees
- Harbor Springs
- Bear River Valley Recreation Area