Julian M. Case House

A rare surviving example of the domestic architecture of the great Chicago architect, Root, this handsome dwelling brings the sophistication of East Coast Shingle Style to the mineral and timberlands of the Upper Peninsula. Its round tower, with octagonal base and broad asymmetrical massing, typically articulates the outward pushing interior spaces. The mass is covered with shingles on the upper level and clapboards on the lower. Inside, the great entrance hall features a spindled staircase and leaded-glass windows. Sliding doors permit the opening of the entire first floor into a large space suited for entertaining, or the closing off of cozy rooms in which mirrors and tiles conduct heat generated by the fireplaces. Victorian gadgetry fills the house. Architectural historian Leonard K. Eaton notes in the Prairie School Review (1972) that in this small work Root paid as much attention to technological and environmental considerations as he did in his large works.