Leelanau County, Michigan was shaped during the last ice age by the continental ice sheet that covered the area. While that geology is a subject I intend to write about at a later date, my focus in this post is the town of Suttons Bay. This little hamlet has become one of our ‘go-to’ place for services, as it sports a laundromat and grocery store. It is also home to many unique shops and restaurants, along with a Saturday farmer’s market. While driving on the back streets of town, we began to notice something very different about the village: the heavy concentration of fieldstone homes. As many of you know, the glacial ice sheet that covered the northern United States deposited a layer of rounded stones in all shapes and sizes. The soil in the Leelanau region of Michigan is full of them. As a result, the local architecture reflects the presence of the stones, as they provided a cheap and abundant building material.
This is a charming home that uses natural fieldstone for all of its exterior walls.
Many of the homes use the stone for the foundation only.
This beauty took that a step further to include a fieldstone chimney.
This one appeared to have concrete below the decorative fieldstone.
There was a builder’s trailer parked in the driveway of this home. It appeared to be in the process of being renovated.
One of my favorites was this bungalow. Take a close look at the detail in the railing of the porch. The insets in the center of the railing employs the use of smaller diameter stones. The gargoyles are the ‘piece de resistance’, as this structure really stands out among the others.
The stones are also used to construct retaining walls and borders throughout the town. Wild Cherry Resort has also used fieldstone in this manner.
The use of the stones is not limited to older structures. This is actually a modern home that sports a layer of the rounded rocks.
The crown jewel of the town is Union School on St. Mary’s Street.
This charming structure was built in 1907. It was recently converted to four condominiums. Looking at it, I couldn’t help but imagine the children who took this building for granted, only to realize as adults how fortunate they were to attend classes in such a beautiful school.
If you find yourself in Suttons Bay, get off the main road and check these structures out. It is worth the few minutes it takes to drive through the town.
What sorts of indigineous stone have you noticed being used in the buildings in your area?
exploRVistas 
That is some beautiful stonework. North Carolina has shown us a lot of stones too. Most of them are the size of small mountains and located in lawns and fields.
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That is really neat, Bonnie! It is fun to look at a geological feature and to learn about what caused it.
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I love it when these older structures are renovated with keeping the integrity of the original era. That bungalow is my fav as well…. charming.
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Being a contractor, I am sure you have an eye for an historic structure, Ingrid! 🙂
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Must admit the bungalow was my favorite also. I love when a region uses its resources wisely.
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Wow! Those homeowners have no idea but they are becoming an Internet sensation 🙂 I will have to stop by in a few days and let them know, LuAnn!
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Just beautiful. I love to see natural, local items used in building. It reminds me of the homes in Upstate NY too.
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I had seen several fieldstone farmhouses in the area, but the concentration of the houses in Suttons Bay caught my eye, Debbie. And that school was what started it. If you have a chance, Google ‘Suttons Bay Stone School’ and check out the photos of the condos. Simply outstanding.
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What a cool story. Beautifully remodeled. A little too fancy priced for me, but very pretty!
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Lovely homes and stone work. Even when we aren’t interested in houses we STILL love to drive around and see the architectural styles of the places we visit. Each town has it’s own plan for housing — well, not so much ‘plan’ in a formal sense, but the results of the same contractors working in town over a decade or several
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Same here, Peter. I love good architecture. Doesn’t matter if it is in Dyersville or Detroit…there are some outstanding structures out there.
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It’s quite surprising to see these kind of houses in the US. In Europe, it’s more common. I love it, it adds some charm to the architecture.
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The original settlers in Sutton’s Bay were from Norway; perhaps they knew how to work with glacial till better than others. Just a guess, Gin. 🙂
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Those homes have so much character thanks to the stones. So much history here. Thanks for sharing those great photos!
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Thanks, Crissy! Some of them were backlit by the sun, so they are a little tough to see the detail. I’m starting to notice more of these houses in other locations, but I was amazed at the concentration of them in Suttons Bay. Thanks for reading!
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The homes are beautiful. I have always liked it when natural stones are used for houses. And using the fieldstone shaped by the glaciers adds a little extra to the history of the house I feel! What a lovely town!
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It really is lovely, Inger. Leelanau County is really a special place. There isn’t a single traffic light in the entire county!
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No traffic light? Must be paradise😍
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Yes, and no fast food restaurants, either! 🙂
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