Charlevoix, MI (home of the "mushroom houses")

Charlevoix is a resort town that goes from 3,000 local residents in the winter to 30,000 people in the summer. This place has something for everyone; shops, restaurants, gardens, exquisite homes, beaches and mushroom houses.

Monday when we arrived in Charlevoix there was "no room at the inn", so we anchored in Round Lake (after we took a ride into Lake Charlevoix) which is home to the marina and beautifully manicured homes and boathouses. We took the dinghy to shore and set off to find the "Mushroom houses."

The "mushroom houses" were created by Earl Young, a Charlevoix resident and builder that transformed common stone and boulders into structural masterpieces. There are 26 homes that have been described as mushroom, hobbit, gnome and Mother Goose houses. They are interspersed between Victorian homes and a marvel to look at. Young told a newspaper writer, "I always build the roof first, and then shove the house under it."

Once we got back to the boat we figured we were there for the night, but just as we were ready to take a swim, the dock master called and said they had a slip for us, so we  moved to the marina.

Tuesday we biked around town and to Lake Charlevoix to see the sights. It was interesting looking at the homes from the street side - you would never realize the extravagence on the waterside. We stopped along the way to admire the beauty of Lake Michigan from a park with a great vantage point. We are amazed at how clear the water is and the beautiful turqoiuse color like that of the caribbean.

Wednesday morning we were up early to move to Leland.

 

Homes around Round Lake

A new build on Lake Charlevoix

The library gardens

This is my favorite Young house

 

Boulder Manor 

 

Anchored in the Lake prior to us getting a slip

 

One of the many boathouses

This house and boathouse is for sale, asking price $6,890,000.

It's 10,437 sq. ft and the boathouse is capable of housing 30 boats. 

Maybe this picture should be made into a poster and

hung in every college dorm room in America!

 

No we didn't take a wrong turn, this is Lake Michigan