Earl Young's Mushroom Houses
A short, unlicensed insurance salesman spent fifty years building around thirty storybook stone houses in Charlevoix — burying nine-ton boulders in the ground for decades, tearing roofs off for being too neat, and naming his cottages like pets. Walk Earl Young's "hobbit houses" from the drawbridge to the lighthouse, and try to spot the one lie at every stop.
What You'll Experience
Plan your walk
Know the route before you buy
- Starts at
- Introduction
- Ends at
- The Reveal
- Walking plan
- 37 min · ~0.7 miles
- Schedule
- Start, pause, and resume anytime
Included in the app
- Professional narration
- GPS-triggered stops
- Downloadable tour audio
- Ask the Historian Q&A
- Optional end-of-tour reveal
- All 10 story stops
A taste of what you'll hear
10 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"You're in Charlevoix, a very pretty resort town on a very pretty lake, and in about ten minutes you are going to start seeing houses that look like they were built by a wizard who was slightly angry at right angles."
"This is the Thatch House, and it's the story of the one time Earl Young got beaten by a roof. You've spent this whole tour looking at cedar-shake roofs — the wavy wooden ones."
"Before the sun's all the way down, let me come clean, because I've been lying to you this whole tour. Not a lot. But a little, in each spot, on purpose, and I promised you'd find out where. Let's start with the one that hurts."
Tour itinerary
Every stop on this walk
Explore the route before you go. Each stop has its own story preview, location details, and place in the larger tour.
- 11IntroductionYou're in Charlevoix, a very pretty resort town on a very pretty lake, and in about ten minutes you are going to start seeing houses that...45.3189, -85.2587 Read this stop
- 22The Bridge Street DrawbridgeYou're standing on Bridge Street, at the drawbridge over the channel — the narrow strip of water connecting the big lake, Lake Michigan, to...45.3189, -85.2587 Read this stop
- 33The Mushroom HouseOkay. Look at this house. This is the Mushroom House, and it is the single most photographed home in Charlevoix, and the moment you see it...45.3194, -85.2638 Read this stop
- 44Park Avenue RowYou're on Park Avenue now, and this whole stretch is Earl Young's neighborhood — in the most literal sense.45.3189, -85.2632 Read this stop
- 55The Half HouseThis one's going to make you tilt your head. Look at the Half House. It looks like someone took a completely normal Earl Young stone...45.3188, -85.2629 Read this stop
- 66The Thatch HouseThis is the Thatch House, and it's the story of the one time Earl Young got beaten by a roof.45.3188, -85.2631 Read this stop
- 77Hoffman Park and the WeathervaneYou've reached the water at Hoffman Park, and now I want you to look across the channel at that building with the swooping roof — the one...45.3190, -85.2605 Read this stop
- 88Michigan BeachYou've come down Grant Street to the beach, right on Lake Michigan, and you should feel the shift — the sand, the open water, the wind...45.3198, -85.2648 Read this stop
- 99The South Pier LighthouseLast stop. You've walked out onto the south pier, and there it is at the end — the lighthouse, that steel tower painted against the water,...45.3203, -85.2647 Read this stop
- 1010The RevealBefore the sun's all the way down, let me come clean, because I've been lying to you this whole tour. Not a lot.45.3203, -85.2647 Read this stop
Stories first
Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.
Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
Get the AppBefore you go
Quick answers
How much is this tour?
$9.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The Northern Michigan city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.
Can I use it with spotty cell service?
Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.
Do I have to start at a specific time?
No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Are admission tickets included?
The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.
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Earl Young's Mushroom Houses
$9.99 · one-time