Ephraim Shay House

The Ephraim Shay House was built by the creator of the Shay geared locomotive, Ephraim Shay, in 1892. Also known as the ‘Shay Hexagon House’, Shay and his wife lived the last years of their lives in this house until their deaths in 1912 and 1916. The building is now under the ownership of the Harbor Springs Historical Society as of 2016.

For more information about the Ephraim Shay House visit the Harbor Springs Historical Society website here: www.harborspringshistory.org/shay-hexagon-house/ 

Group and school tours can be scheduled by calling 231-526-9771

Shay was known for his use of steel materials in his structures. The interior and exterior of the structure are adorned with ‘stamped’ steel panels. The stamps were made to be imitations of brick and tile materials. Another unique design to check out is an all-steel yacht called the “Aha” – this is on display just across the street in Shay Park (at Main and Judd Streets in downtown Harbor Springs).