Cleveland, OH
‘Fairytale’ Gates Mills House of Noted Architect is a Magical Escape
George Brown, a noted self-taught local architect and master builder who worked at the turn of the 20th century in Northeast Ohio, built this shingle style house in 1905 and lived there as he designed houses around Pepper Pike. Though born in Indiana, he moved to Cleveland at an early age and spent time in the eastern suburb with his wife, falling in love with the natural surroundings. Featuring whimsical touches and gardens, the house it is one of his surviving architectural gems.
Many of his designs feature cobblestones and nautical features — perhaps influenced by his time at sea in the Bahamas — such as porthole windows. He eventually adopted a more rustic style, showcasing massive hearths and chimneys. Later, in the 1920s, he adopted a English Tudor Revival Style, building a home next door that also remains.
The house is listed by Craig Cantrall of Chestnut Hill Realty, Inc. (216-249-2021.)