EXPLORE EARL YOUNG’S MUSHROOM HOUSES IN CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN
Charlevoix, Michigan is known for many things! One of the unique features of this great resort town includes Earl Young’s Mushroom houses. You might ask, what is a mushroom house? Imagine a whimsical architectural style that looks like something straight out of a fairytale.
“A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright
The building materials used are rock inspired. The style consists of unique placement of stone boulders with rounded shapes of homes (roofs, doors, and windows), unique mortar colors, wide wavy eaves, exposed rafters tails, cedar-shake roofs, frosted chimney with odd shapes and details, soldier style rock placements over key features like door ways, windows, fireplaces with an emphasis in sprawling horizontal dwellings. Also, many homes were built into the surrounding landscapes as if they popped up out of their surroundings like a mushroom!
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“An idea is salvation by imagination.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright
EXPLORE EARL YOUNG’S MUSHROOM HOUSES IN CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN
GO ON A SHORT WALKING TOUR!
I spent some much enjoyed time walking and exploring the Mushroom Houses of my home town, Charlevoix, MI. It was quite a walk down memory lane for me! I tried to look at this adventure through the eyes of a tourist. It was a fun endeavor!
Charlevoix’s Mushroom House Walking Tour is possible! It is a short triangular route. Easily enjoyed on the quaint streets of this beautiful resort location! Not only do you get to enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan from this walk, but you also receive enjoyment from a very distinct style of architecture only found here!
I grew up in Charlevoix! These houses were just normal house to me. I had a girlfriend who lived in Boulder Park and another that lived in the A FRAME on Thistle Down when they first moved to Charlevoix. I can remember enjoying “overnight sleep-overs” with gal pals during middle and high school in some of these homes. It was not odd. It was their home, and I didn’t really identify with the uniqueness of these homes then. They were just my friend’s houses.
I do see them a bit differently today, and I stand in amazement at these structures with fresh eyes to see them now as an adult realizing the architectural feats that had to be overcome to build these without all the equipment of today to lift all those boulders!
I would caution you to be respectful during your gawking tour of amazingness as these are actual residences of people that do currently reside in some of these homes while others are available for rental. Enjoy your observance from the sidewalks!
Start on the corner of Clinton Street and Grant Street at the physical address of 103 Grant Street. This is THE MUSHROOM HOUSE.
Continue walking (towards Lake Michigan Beach) on Grant Street to next door at 101 Grant Street for your next look. Notice the awesome rock retaining wall that lines the sidewalk leading to the top of the hill overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan.
The cute little stairway climbs to an entrance where the ground flattens out to the right rear of the home.
At the top of the hill turn left onto Park Avenue. On this corner THE PINES is located at 300 Park Avenue.
Next, located at 302 Park Avenue sits the HALF HOUSE. It literally looks like half of a house was cut away leaving this house on the site. Notice the ornate field stone work around the base of the exterior of the chimney.
“Architecture is really about well-being. I think that people want to feel good in a space… On the one hand it’s about shelter, but it’s also about pleasure.”
Next door at 304 Park Avenue, the THATCH HOUSE resides regally. This is probably the most notorious of the houses as it was recently refurbished and publicized substantially. It’s roof is actually thatch.
Just down from here at 306 Park Avenue – Earl Young’s second personal residence remains. The backside is more impressive than the front side on Park Ave. Look at this rock work!
Next is 308 Park Avenue named BETIDE
ABIDE – 310 Park Ave. How quaint is this? Check out the red trim and how cozy this setting is for your enjoyment!
Turn the sharp corner, onto Clinton Street and look to your right at 316 Clinton Street.
Across the street and on the backside of Park Avenue Thatch House, you will find 305 Clinton Street house.
Next is 303 Clinton Street. I’m guessing they like their privacy here and allowed the screening to grow!
EXPLORE EARL YOUNG’S MUSHROOM HOUSES IN CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN
BOULDER PARK WALKING TOUR- GO ON A LONGER WALKING TOUR!
“When I’m working on a problem, I never think about beauty. But when I’ve finished, if the solution is not beautiful I know it’s wrong.”
– Buckminster Fuller
Another area of note can be found if you continue further down Park Avenue towards the hospital and observe the homes on both the right hand side of Park Avenue and the left hand side just before where the road splits at the entrance to the hospital.
THE RED SANDSTONE HOUSE
The rock inspired architecture is wonderful! This walking tour continues along the Lake Michigan waterfront along Lake Shore Drive if you follow along with the stone borders right to the Lake Michigan shore edge around the corner and straight for a while past the hospital.
You will pass a sign indicating you are entering Boulder Park.
The Boulder Park area starts with witnessing Boulder Manor on your left. See the stone arch entry to add drama to the entrance. Observe the “soldier” style architecture above the arch. Notice the cute little building tucked back off a different street that runs behind. Also of note is the playhouse in the backyard. It even has it’s own mini fireplace and scaled down furniture to fit the size of the tiny house.
On the corner of Eastern Avenue and Lake Shore Drive just down a bit is another Earl Young inspired home.
On the corner of Western and Lake Shore Drive is a sprawling property with gorgeous Lake Michigan views surrounded by a stone fence with ornate corners and gates.
Walk up Western Road to the corner of Boulder Avenue and turn left. The right hand side of this road is lined with history. The first two homes on your right are beautiful.
You are now at the intersection of Eastern and Boulder Avenues. There is so much beauty and history here to take in.
Watch the video below for a 360 degree view of this quaint, quiet area of historic homes located right on the edge of beautiful Lake Michigan.
Once you cross Eastern Avenue you can enjoy the next three homes.
RED MORTAR HOUSE
The street curves sharply at this point. Follow the street around the corner where it is now called Lake View Ave to view another home on your left just before you turn to Eastern Avenue.
ENCHANTED COTTAGE
Turn right on Eastern Avenue and look to your left near the corner of Lake View Avenue and Eastern Avenue.
WHITE MORTAR HOUSE
EXPLORE EARL YOUNG’S MUSHROOM HOUSES IN CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN
GO ON A SHORT WALKING TOUR DOWNTOWN! EXPLORE EARL YOUNG DESIGNS!
“As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.”
– Norman Foster
Tourism is a big part of the economy of Northwest Lower Peninsula Michigan, and especially Charlevoix. Many enjoy the fine dining of the Stafford’s Weathervane Restaurant while in town. It’s signature Earl Young fireplace located in the dining room reminds the patrons of this unique history on each visit. Next to the drawbridge downtown this structure also designed, renovated from an old mill, and built by Earl Young (finished in 1954) reflects his classic style. Located on the north shore of the channel that connects Round Lake with Lake Michigan.
Until 1975, Earl Young’s office was located here. Built in the 1960’s, the Weathervane Terrance Hotel was located behind the Weathervane Restaurant and an Earl Young-designed hotel, the Lodge, was renovated and renamed Hotel Earl. It highlights boulders and rocks in true Earl Young fashion. The Weathervane Terrace Hotel features 2 massive boulder fireplaces of note to enjoy. One has a massive granite boulder shaped with a likeness to the Michigan mitt.
On the other side of the channel on beautiful Round Lake two more structures can be found on Thistle Down Drive (private). One is called A-FRAME HOUSE and the other CASTLE HOUSE. They can be viewed from the lake easily.
Earl Young was born in Mancelona, Michigan March 31, 1889. As a young boy his family moved into a small Victorian on State Street in Charlevoix, Michigan. He married Irene Harsha in 1915. Shortly after WWI he built his first summer home in Boulder Park. Young was mostly self-taught. He did not finish at The University of Michigan school of Architecture. He worked exclusively in small-town Charlevoix. He died May 24, 1975 in a nursing home named Grandvue in East Jordan, Michigan.
Many tour opportunities are available for you to enjoy these amazing architectural structures in Charlevoix, Michigan for your entertainment pleasure. I’ve listed several homes to view that are easy to see on walking tours! What are your favorite architectural structures to view? What city are they located within? Leave me a reply below with how you enjoy your local interesting architectural opportunities. What are your favorite activities? Have you viewed these Mushroom houses before? REPLY BELOW!
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Inspirationally Yours,
Barbara
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A 1993 graduate of Michigan State University, Barbara earned a BS in Social Science Pre-Law. She is a Business Manager/HR Director. Her passion is travel, discovering new places, experiences, cuisine, cultures while enjoying temperate climates. Barbara is a newly transitioning empty-nester who became a travel blogger. She’s a great photographer, talented writer, and has a great family to highlight in her high school/college athlete football sons.
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51 Comments
Linda Winans Egeler
We love the Earl Young Mushroom houses! We live about an hour away and always head to Charlevoix when we have visitors so they can admire these incredible houses. The half house is my favorite!
Barbara Robinson
I am so intrigued by it too! It is such amazing history and a win for the underdogs!
Catherine
How neat! This looks like a very fun and interesting place to visit.
Pam
I’ve always loved these houses and we often drive by them when we visit the area. I’m so curious as to what they look like inside!!!
Barbara Robinson
I know! Wouldn’t a walking Home Tour (like a pub crawl style) be really neat to organize and offer like once a year? It could be a fundraiser style event maybe to raise money for the Hospital Foundation or something else local.
Liv
Such cool pics. I’d love to stay in one of those places.
Jordin
This walking tour looks like a literal fairy tale! What beautiful houses and a fun time to be had.
Chantelle
I’ve never heard of these, they are so cute. I’m loving that fence with the rocks!
Barbara Robinson
It is such a unique place and whimsical architecture to enjoy!
Anitha
Loved those mushroom houses. Had never heard of them before. Loved the pictures
Taci- TNT Wanders
I have never heard of these! They look so cool. I would love to see them some day.
Cecile Leger
I never heard of this place. It sure look like a farytale village. The architechture is so unique.
Kadi
These are so cool!! I would love to check them out sometime!
Julie Gazdecki
We drove past some of these mushroom houses in Charlevoix when we were staying up that way this summer. Next time I plan to do the walking tour!
Barbara Robinson
It really is pretty cool!
Lisa Manderino
How fun! This tour would be so cool! There are so many unique homes in this area!
Stacey Billingsley
These houses are adorable! You would feel like you were in a different country when you saw them. I haven’t been to Michigan yet, but I certainly want to someday. I will keep these houses in mind when I plan that trip. They’re adorable!
Cindy Moore
These houses are so beautiful and unique! A walking tour is the perfect way to view them.
Dee Dee
I’ve never heard of mushroom houses. These are so charming! If I get back to Michigan I’ll definitely check these out!
Denise
These homes are absolutely beautiful! They remind me of the hobbits homes in a way from “Lord of the Rings” movies. And these homes looks so comfortable and have that “homey” sense of appeal. I can see why people would travel to come see all these gorgeous homes.
And I also understand how when you’re older you look at things a lot differently than when you were younger. Not really appreciating the beauty until afterwards, thank you for sharing these homes for us to enjoy!
Barbara Robinson
You are so right!
Tiffany
So many awesome and unique houses!
Debbie
Such unique homes. That rock wall is really cool. What an imagination!
Kristin
How cool! I would love to walk this tour. I’ve never heard of this but they look so magical.
Terra Booth
These are so cool, it almost looks like something out of a fairytale!
Chelsea
I’d love to walk through Earl Young’s homes (inside and out!). They are so whimsical and look like something right out of a storybook. There’s something about the Half House that I love most. But the Thatch House is a close second.
Barbara Robinson
Ironically the two houses you like the most are right next door to one another!
Cindy
What interesting architecture! Sure beats the tract homes in my neck of the woods.
Erica Pittenger
They look like Hobbit Houses, adorable! A walking tour would be wonderful around this community! It’s like the pages of a storybook opened up and you are half expecting Cinderella or Snow White to be outside some of them. Adorable!
Lisa, Casey, Barrett Dog
What a gorgeous house and an amazing walking tour. Thank you for sharing.
Sabrina DeWalt
What unique and beautiful architecture. And I thought it was going to be a story about where to grow mushrooms! LOL
Marianne
I have never heard about mushroom homes, but I can certainly appreciate all the amazing and unique architecture! Hubby and I like to walk in areas where the homes are unique. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara Robinson
Awesome! Us too!
Sandi
What a sweet collection of quirky little homes.
Barbara Robinson
Yes! They really are amazingly crafted!
Cathy
I have never heard of these houses, they are really cool! Next time I’m in Wisconsin(to visit family), I may have to make a side trip. Thanks for the great information!
Carolyn
The stonework is just amazing in all of these homes! I can’t fathom how much work it was to create them. Thank you for educating me today about mushroom homes–I had never heard of them before!
Maya
How cool is that! Would love to see them.
Angie
We stopped in Charlevoix on our way home from our week in Mackinaw. Didn’t get too much time to explore but did see the house at the top of the hill before heading down to the beach/water. Really enjoyed your post and stories. Wish we had more time there.
Keirsten
These homes are so cool and beautiful. I love doing home/architecture drives/trips. I didn’t realize this style was called a mushroom house, very cute.
Erin Clay
This is a beautiful area. I don’t know a lot about Michigan, but this is very interesting. I would love to visit one day. I love architecture and homes and this is right up my alley. Thank you for sharing.
Barbara Robinson
These homes are truly inspiring! Glad you enjoyed!
Peggy Zipperer
These are so interesting! I’ve nevver heard of a Mushroom House but I love them. The rock work is incredible.
Barbara Robinson
The rock work is very incredible!
John Goodrow
These are really beautiful houses. It must have been an incredible experience living here. If I ever get up there, I would love to see them.
Barbara Robinson
Definitely worth a tour!
Noelle
Wow, these buildings are very interesting! I wish I could see inside them. I had never heard of Earl Young before, but we do have a few of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes and structures by us in SE Wisconsin. It’s is always fun to see unique architectural designs!
Barbara Robinson
I completely agree! Very inspiring!
Beckie
This looks like the type of area I would love to walk around! I can just imagine creating stories inspired by those homes.
Alexis Farmer
These houses make me so happy!!
Fransic verso
This is an amazing place and never been there. Looking at the pictures, I would like to go there!