The Carmel Garden Inn
The Carmel Garden Inn

Carmel’s Fairy-Tale Cottages

 

The Carmel Garden Inn is just steps away from many of CARMEL’S historic homes. Stop by our front desk for a map!

carmel historic map inverted.jpg

The Comstock Cottages

Carmel-by-the-Sea is home to the enchanting Comstock cottages, often described as the fairy-tale cottages. These whimsical homes, built by Hugh Comstock and Michael J. Murphy in the 1920s and 1930s, feature storybook architecture with steeply pitched roofs, arched doorways, and quaint, irregularly shaped windows. Each cottage exudes a unique, handcrafted charm, reflecting Comstock's artistic vision and the creative spirit of Carmel. Nestled amidst lush gardens and winding streets, the Comstock cottages offer a delightful glimpse into a bygone era, making them a must-see for visitors seeking to experience the magic and history of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

 

“Hugh, can’t we build a little cottage to keep the dolls in? We could build it like a fairy house in the woods and the buyers will be able to see the dolls in a house all their own.”

- Mayotta Brown Comstock

Hansel (the original dollhouse) & Gretel, Comstock. 1924

Photo of Hugh and Mayotta Comstock outside the "Obers" cottage. (courtesy of Harrison Memorial Library* public collection)

Fun fact: the Harrison Memorial Library was designed by Bernard Maybeck and built by Hugh Comstock’s partner Michael J. Murphy.

 
 

In 1924, Comstock visited family in Carmel. Here he met and quickly married the doll maker Mayotta Brown. Stacks and stacks Mayotta’s dolls gradually took over their home. She suggested building a small cottage to display and sell her “Otsy Totsys.”

Comstock designed the first Carmel Doll House with a mix of practicality and charm. Together, they built the house with unique features like pine needles in the uneven plaster.

 
 

The Carmel Garden Inn is just steps away from many of these historic homes.

Stop by our front desk for a map!

Ad for Hugh W. Comstock designing and building from archival issues of the Carmel Pine Cone Newspaper

The Tuck Box, Comstock. 1926.

  • Hansel (1924), the original Doll House

  • Hugh Comstock House (1925) aka Obers

  • Gretel (1925)

  • Guest House (1926)

  • Tuck Box (1926)

  • Snow White's Summer Place (1926)

  • Marchen Haus house (1926)

  • Nelson-Krough cottage (1926)

  • Grant Wallace cottage (1927)

  • Comstock Studio (1927), Comstock's house

  • Mary Young Hunter House (1927), also known as The Woods

  • Our House (1928), built for Elizabeth Armstrong

  • Torres Cottage (1928)

  • Doll's House (1928), W. O. Swain Cottage No. 1

  • Birthday House (1928), W. O. Swain Cottage No. 2

  • Ocean House (1928), W. O. Swain Cottage No. 3

  • Fables (1928), W. O. Swain Cottage No. 4

  • Honeymoon Cottage (1928), W. O. Swain Cottage No. 5, aka Yellow Bird

  • Elizabeth F. Armstrong House (1928)

  • Yellow Bird (1928)

  • Elspeth Rose Cottage (1929), also goes by the names, Sunwiseturn House, and the "Twin on Palou"

  • San Antonio (1929)

  • Sylvia Jordan House (1929), Adobe-style house

  • Great Expectations (1929)

  • Tuck Box Jam Shop (1929) and Garden Shop Addition (1931)

  • Wheeler House (1929), in Pebble Beach

  • Chanticleer motor court

  • F.A. Watson House (1930)

  • Monterey County Trust and Savings Bank (1930), now the China Art Building

  • Tudor-style stucco home for Mrs. Johnston Field (1931)

    • 26350 Ocean View

  • Bertha C. Cole House (1932)

  • The Unit House (1934)

  • Maj. Ralph A. Coote House (1934)

  • Alfred Matthews House (1935)

  • Edith S. Anderson's House, Cape Cod-style house (1936)

  • Ross & Thelma Miller House (1937)

  • First Bitudobe home for Major Ralph Coote on 8th Ave. (1937)

  • Bowman House (1937)

  • Samuel M. Haskins House (1939)

  • Fred Wolferman Carmel Valley home (1939)

  • Florence Lockwood Studio/House (1940)

  • Village Corner Restaurant (1946)

The Murphy Houses

In 1902, Michael J. Murphy (at age 17,) built his first one-story wood-framed home, a 820 square feet cottage, for his mother and sister on Mission between 5th and 6th. The home was a mixture of Victorian and Craftsman Bungalow styles. The house was relocated to Lincoln and Sixth (First Murphy Park) in the 1990’s and is the location of the Carmel Heritage Society.

Fun fact: This is also the location of the wonderful sculpture The Valentine by George Wayne Lundeen.

 

  • First Murphy House (1902)

  • Mabel Gray Young (Lachmund) redwood cottage (1905)

  • Mary Austin's "Wick-I-Up" Treehouse (1906)

  • Mary Austin's House, Rose Cottage (1907)

  • Carmel City Hall (1913)

  • Highlands Inn (1915)

  • Peter Bartowick's cabin (Santa Rita & 4th) (1917)

  • Tor House (1919)

  • Pine Inn (1922)

  • De Yoe Building (1924)

  • La Playa Hotel (1925)

  • Isabel Leidig Building (1925)

  • W. C. Farley Building (1927)

  • Harrison Memorial Library (1928) in collaboration with Bernard Maybeck

  • Sundial Lodge (1929)

    • L’Auberge

  • Las Tiendas Building (1930)

  • Hasenyager House (1931)

    • 2 SW of 13th Avenue on west side of Carmelo Street

  • Doud Building (1932)

  • Goold Building (1935)

  • Fee Building (1935)

  • Carmel Fire Station (1937)

  • Carmel Art Association (1938)

    • One of our favorite places to send guests looking for something unique to remember your visit!

The Bixler Homes

 Ernest Bixler (April 11, 1898 – June 16, 1978) was an American master builder and designer. From the 1930s to 1950s, he built over 80 homes in the Carmel area, three on Scenic Road. He served as postmaster and was a member of the Carmel Planning Commission. Bixler became known for building Spanish Eclectic-style homes.

  • Enchanted Oaks Building (1927)

  • Mrs. Glenn Myers House (1930)

  • LaFrenz House or The Arbors (1931)

  • L.A. Williams Cottage (1932)

  • Ten Winkel Spanish House (1930)

  • Alice Elder House & Guest House (1932) 

  • George E. Butler House or Lanakai (1933)

  • Colonial Terrace Inn (1936)

  • Dr. T.J. Brennan House (1936)