Mary Nohl House

The affluent Lake Michigan beachside suburb of Fox Point contains a curious sculpture garden created by the artist Mary Nohl (1914-2001). The crude appearance of the concrete statues of fish, monsters, and humans might, at first glance, have the appearance of naive, or outsider, art. But Ms. Nohl was no outsider. She was trained at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Local urban legends quickly sprang up about the residence, which came to be dubbed “the Witch’s House.” After several acts of vandalism, the yard was fenced in.

After Ms. Nohl’s death in 2001, neighborhood residents who consider the site an eyesore tried to have it demolished. But in 2005, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is currently under the care of the Kohler foundation. The grounds are currently not open to the public but can be seen up close from the street.