Earl Young Gnome Houses

Earl Young Gnome Houses are residential and commercial buildings constructed from limestone, fieldstone, and large boulders found in Northern Michigan. The collection contains twenty-six homes and four commercial structures, all built with low horizontal lines and wide roof overhangs.

Self-taught builder Earl Young began constructing these stone homes in 1919 and refined his approach over fifty years of work in Charlevoix. He developed his distinctive style during an era when conventional housing was the standard.

These structures showcase design choices like cedar shakes and broad overhangs that work with the natural shoreline setting rather than against it. They show how a builder adapted local stone and landscape features into everyday homes.

Self-guided tour maps are available at the Charlevoix Visitors Center on Mason Street to help you explore the exteriors of these privately owned homes. The structures are spread throughout town and can be visited at a leisurely pace on foot.

The Half House stands out for its asymmetrical design that creates a visual trick of appearing split down the middle. This unusual feature makes it one of the most memorable in the entire collection.