Earl Young Stone House in Charlevoix, Michigan

Architect Earl Young’s fairytale stone cottage in Charlevoix. Earl A. Young (1889 - 1975) was an American architectural designer, realtor, and insurance agent. Over a span of 52 years, he designed and built 31 structures in Charlevoix, Michigan but was never a registered architect. He worked mostly in stone, using limestone, fieldstone, and boulders he found throughout Northern Michigan. The homes are commonly referred to as gnome homes, mushroom houses, or Hobbit houses. His door, window, roof, and fireplace designs were distinct because of his use of curved lines. Young's goal was to show that a small stone house could be as impressive as a castle.