TheNational Historic Landmarks in Michigan representMichigan's history from pre-colonial days throughWorld War II, and encompasses several landmarks detailing thestate'sautomotive,maritime andmining industries. There are 42National Historic Landmarks (NHL) in the state, located in 18 of its83 counties. The landmarks also cover sites of military significance, such asFort Michilimackinac, religious significance, such as theSt. Ignace Mission, and cultural significance, such as theFox Theater andErnest Hemingway's boyhood summer cottage.[1] In addition, two previously designated landmarks have lost that status due to the demolition of the sites.[2]
The National Historic Landmark Program is administered by theNational Park Service, a branch of theDepartment of the Interior. The National Park Service determines which properties meet NHL criteria and makes nomination recommendations after an owner notification process.[3] TheSecretary of the Interior reviews nominations and, based on a set of predetermined criteria, makes a decision on NHL designation or a determination of eligibility for designation.[4] Both public and privately owned properties can be designated as NHLs. This designation provides indirect, partial protection of the historic integrity of the properties via tax incentives, grants, monitoring of threats, and other means.[3] Owners may object to the nomination of the property as an NHL. When this is the case the Secretary of the Interior can only designate a site as eligible for designation.[4]
All NHLs are also included on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP), a list of historic properties that the National Park Service deems to be worthy ofpreservation. The NHLs in Michigan comprise approximately 2% of the 1,757 properties and districts listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in Michigan as of January 2012. The primary difference between an NHL and a NRHP listing is that the NHLs are determined to have national significance, while other NRHP properties are deemed significant at the local or state level.[3]
Wayne County, the location of the automotive capitalDetroit, has the most NHLs, with 13, followed byEmmet County andMackinac County with three each. Five counties have two each, and eight counties each have one listing. Michigan's first NHLs were designated on October 9, 1960, when three locations were chosen. The latest designation was made on January 13, 2021. Eleven Historic Landmarks in Michigan are more specifically designated National Historic Landmark Districts, meaning that they cover a large area rather than a single building.[4]
Download coordinates as:
| # | National Historic Landmark |
|---|---|
| † | National Historic Landmark District |
| * | Delisted Landmark |
| [5] | Landmark name | Image | Date designated[6] | Location | County | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1† | Bay View |  | December 23, 1987 (#72000613) | Bear Creek 45°23′08″N84°55′49″W / 45.385555555555555°N 84.93027777777779°W /45.385555555555555; -84.93027777777779 (Bay View) | Emmet | Established in 1876 as aMethodistcamp meeting, thisromantically-plannedcampground was converted to an independentchautauqua in 1885, a role it served until 1915. These two uniquely American community forms are exemplified in this extensive and well-preserved complex.[7] |
| 2† | Calumet Historic District |  | March 28, 1989 (#89001097) | Calumet 47°17′45″N88°27′14″W / 47.295833°N 88.453889°W /47.295833; -88.453889 (Calumet Historic District) | Houghton | Covering the industrial, commercial and residential districts of theCalumet and Hecla Mining Company operating area, Calumet focuses on the influence, innovations and longevity of theMichigan copper industry.[8] |
| 3# | City of Milwaukee (Great Lakes Car Ferry) |  | December 14, 1990 (#90002221) | Manistee 44°15′34″N86°18′58″W / 44.259324°N 86.316018°W /44.259324; -86.316018 (City of Milwaukee (Great Lakes Car Ferry)) | Manistee | Between 1931 and 1982, theCity of Milwaukee served as a car ferry across Lake Michigan. She is the only pre-1940 Great Lakes car ferry still in existence.[9] |
| 4† | Cranbrook |  | June 29, 1989 (#73000954) | Bloomfield Hills 42°34′23″N83°14′57″W / 42.573055555555555°N 83.24916666666667°W /42.573055555555555; -83.24916666666667 (Cranbrook) | Oakland | Thisidealist educational community was designed to promote learning in an atmosphere of beautiful architecture, and has been called "one of the most important groups of educational and architectural structures in America".[10] |
| 5# | Detroit Industry Murals, Detroit Institute of Arts |  | April 22, 2014 (#14000279) | Detroit 42°21′34″N83°03′52″W / 42.359423°N 83.064414°W /42.359423; -83.064414 (Detroit Industry Murals, Detroit Institute of Arts) | Wayne | These fourmurals at theDetroit Institute of Arts are considered to be the finest remaining work in the United States by renowned Mexican muralistDiego Rivera, and the nation's finest modern, monumental artwork with industrial themes.[11] |
| 6# | Alden Dow House and Studio |  | June 29, 1989 (#89001167) | Midland 43°37′22″N84°15′18″W / 43.622792°N 84.255121°W /43.622792; -84.255121 (Alden Dow House and Studio) | Midland | This house andstudio were the residence and acknowledgedmasterpiece of 20th centuryarchitectAlden B. Dow. The quality and originality of his work, as well as his association withFrank Lloyd Wright, have earned him lasting national recognition.[12] |
| 7# | Herbert H. Dow House |  | May 11, 1976 (#76001033) | Midland 43°37′08″N84°15′10″W / 43.618847°N 84.252758°W /43.618847; -84.252758 (Herbert H. Dow House) | Midland | Between 1899 and 1930 this structure was home toHerbert H. Dow, founder ofDow Chemical Company.[13] |
| 8# | Durant-Dort Carriage Company Office |  | June 2, 1978 (#75000943) | Flint 43°01′03″N83°41′43″W / 43.017443°N 83.695280°W /43.017443; -83.695280 (Durant-Dort Carriage Company Office) | Genesee | Between 1895 and 1913,William C. Durant ran his automotive business activities from this office. TheDurant-Dort Company was instrumental in the promotion and financing of the carriage and automobile industries, including lending to bothBuick andGeneral Motors during their start-up periods.[14] |
| 9† | Edison Institute |  | December 21, 1981 (#69000071) | Dearborn 42°18′17″N83°13′55″W / 42.304722°N 83.23194°W /42.304722; -83.23194 (Edison Institute) | Wayne | Henry Ford conceived of the Edison Institute as a way to record the progress of the industrial era. The Henry Ford Museum, opened in 1929, holds an important place in the history of historic preservation and museums, especially outdoor village museums.[15] |
| 10# | USSEdson (Destroyer) | _underway_off_Long_Beach%2c_California_(USA)%2c_circa_in_the_mid-1960s.jpg) | June 21, 1990 (#90000333) | Bay City 43°36′50″N83°52′10″W / 43.613953°N 83.869405°W /43.613953; -83.869405 (USSEdson (Destroyer)) | Bay | One of two survivingForrest Sherman-class destroyers; saw action from Vietnam. Relocated to Michigan as museum ship in 2013. |
| 11† | Fair Lane |  | November 13, 1966 (#66000399) | Dearborn 42°18′51″N83°13′57″W / 42.31416665°N 83.2325°W /42.31416665; -83.2325 (Fair Lane) | Wayne | Between 1915 and 1950, this 56-room house was home to the family ofHenry Ford. Originally designed byMarion Mahony Griffin inPrairie style, after construction began in 1913 the plans were altered byWilliam H. Van Tine, who added elements ofLate English Gothic style.[16] |
| 12# | Fisher Building |  | June 29, 1989 (#07000847) | Detroit 42°22′15″N83°04′38″W / 42.370703°N 83.077310°W /42.370703; -83.077310 (Fisher Building) | Wayne | Built in 1927 by theFisher brothers, this skyscraper is one of the greatest works by architectAlbert Kahn. The Fishers intended this building to be a gift to Detroit and one of the most finely detailed majorcommercial buildings in the United States.[17] |
| 13# | Ford Piquette Avenue Plant |  | February 17, 2006 (#02000041) | Detroit 42°22′07″N83°03′55″W / 42.36861°N 83.065278°W /42.36861; -83.065278 (Ford Piquette Avenue Plant) | Wayne | This production plant was the initial factory for theFord Motor Company. Built in 1904, it was where the originalModel T Ford was first designed and produced, and is the factory that earnedHenry Ford his position in the American automotive industry.[18] |
| 14† | Ford River Rouge complex |  | June 2, 1978 (#78001516) | Dearborn 42°18′34″N83°09′44″W / 42.30941°N 83.16212°W /42.30941; -83.16212 (Ford River Rouge complex) | Wayne | This complex, mostly constructed between 1917 and 1927, was whereHenry Ford first achievedcontinuous work flow in the production of automobiles. It is considered "one of the industrial wonders of the world".[19] |
| 15# | Edsel and Eleanor Ford House (Gaukler Pointe) |  | October 31, 2016 (#79001164) | Grosse Pointe Shores 42°27′21″N82°52′26″W / 42.455833°N 82.873889°W /42.455833; -82.873889 (Edsel and Eleanor Ford House (Gaukler Pointe)) | Macomb | In 1926,Edsel Ford (the son ofHenry Ford and aFord Motor Company executive) and his wife Eleanor hiredAlbert Kahn to design a house on the shore ofLake St. Clair in a style resembling that of cottages they had seen inEngland in theCotswolds. The site plan and gardens of the estate were designed byJens Jensen. Construction of the house took a year, but the interior took another two to complete, and the Fords moved in in 1929. |
| 16# | Fort Michilimackinac |  | October 9, 1960 (#66000395) | Mackinaw City 45°47′11″N84°44′08″W / 45.786389°N 84.73555°W /45.786389; -84.73555 (Fort Michilimackinac) | Emmet | This fort at the tip ofMichigan's lower peninsula was originally constructed by the French, and was later relinquished to the British. During theRevolutionary War it was the only manned British fort on the Great Lakes, and was not abandoned by them until 1781.[20] |
| 17# | Fox Theater (Detroit) |  | June 29, 1989 (#85000280) | Detroit 42°20′16″N83°03′05″W / 42.337792°N 83.051442°W /42.337792; -83.051442 (Fox Theater (Detroit)) | Wayne | This flamboyant motion picture house was designed byHoward Crane and constructed in 1928, showcasing an eclectic mix of decoration from severalFar East cultures.[21] |
| 18# | General Motors Building |  | June 2, 1978 (#78001520) | Detroit 42°22′09″N83°04′32″W / 42.369254°N 83.075693°W /42.369254; -83.075693 (General Motors Building) | Wayne | Completed in 1923, this is the oldest extant headquarters of General Motors in Detroit. This building symbolizes one of the largest manufacturing corporations in the world.[22] |
| 19# | General Motors Technical Center | .jpg) | August 25, 2014 (#00000224) | Warren 42°30′48″N83°02′16″W / 42.51333°N 83.03778°W /42.51333; -83.03778 (General Motors Technical Center) | Macomb | Eero Saarinen'sInternational Style research center for the automaker was completed in 1955, and opened at a ceremony presided over by PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower the following year. It has been praised as one of the best industrial buildings of its era.[23] |
| 20# | Grand Hotel |  | June 29, 1989 (#72000637) | Mackinac Island 45°50′56″N84°37′33″W / 45.8488968693°N 84.6259042142°W /45.8488968693; -84.6259042142 (Grand Hotel) | Mackinac | Built in the late 19th century, this whiteclapboard structure is one of the few extant large wood-framed hotels of the era. Situated on a bluff overlookingLake Huron, it has been called "the American dream of "a summer place.""[24] |
| 21# | Guardian Building |  | June 29, 1989 (#89001165) | Detroit 42°19′45″N83°02′46″W / 42.329153°N 83.046122°W /42.329153; -83.046122 (Guardian Building) | Wayne | Formerly known as the Union Trust building, this 1928 structure was used to portray a friendly atmosphere to customers of the Union Trust Company. As one example in the progression of skyscrapers in the US, it is designed usingArts and Crafts tiles on a steel frame.[25] |
| 22# | Ernest Hemingway Cottage |  | October 18, 1968 (#68000026) | Walloon Lake 45°16′41″N84°59′58″W / 45.2781756787°N 84.9993079874°W /45.2781756787; -84.9993079874 (Ernest Hemingway Cottage) | Emmet | From 1904 to 1921, this structure was the boyhood summer home of authorErnest Hemingway, where he learned to appreciate the outdoors that came to play a major part in his bibliography. Built in 1900, it is a one-story frame building called "Windemere".[26] |
| 23# | Highland Park Ford Plant |  | June 2, 1978 (#73000961) | Highland Park 42°24′38″N83°06′02″W / 42.410687°N 83.100528°W /42.410687; -83.100528 (Highland Park Ford Plant) | Wayne | Under construction from 1909 to 1920, theAlbert Kahn-designed plant is thought to be the "birthplace of the movingassembly line". Automobile manufacturing operations began in 1910 and continued until 1927, at which point they were moved to theRiver Rouge Plant, leaving only truck and tractor manufacturing at the Highland Plant.[27][28] |
| 24# | LightshipNo. 103 "HURON" |  | December 20, 1989 (#76001974) | Port Huron 42°59′15″N82°25′36″W / 42.98737°N 82.42667°W /42.98737; -82.42667 (LightshipNo. 103 "HURON") | St. Clair | Lightships were used on the Great Lakes to mark dangerous areas not able to be marked by more typicallighthouses.Huron is the only extant ship of her type, and was the last one in service on the Lakes.[29] |
| 25† | Mackinac Island |  | October 9, 1960 (#66000397) | Mackinac Island 45°52′00″N84°38′00″W / 45.86667°N 84.63333°W /45.86667; -84.63333 (Mackinac Island) | Mackinac | This island's key role in the earlyfur trade was secured by its location at the center of the Great Lakes region. Hosting the northern headquarters ofJohn Jacob Astor'sAmerican Fur Company until the 1840s, it preserves numerous buildings relating to the fur industry. Itsgeopolitical importance is illustrated atFort Mackinac; control of thisstrategic island was not settled until the 1814Treaty of Ghent.[30] |
| 26† | Marshall Historic District |  | July 17, 1991 (#91002053) | Marshall 42°16′19″N84°57′51″W / 42.271944°N 84.964167°W /42.271944; -84.964167 (Marshall Historic District) | Calhoun | Originally considered for the location of the state capital, Marshall instead became a center of railroad activity andpatent medicine production. Originally designed in the 1860s, much of the original architecture, ranging fromFederal toBeaux Arts, remains, as does a majority of the original layout.[31] |
| 27# | McGregor Memorial Conference Center |  | February 27, 2015 (#10001023) | Detroit 42°21′34″N83°04′15″W / 42.359519°N 83.070722°W /42.359519; -83.070722 (McGregor Memorial Conference Center) | Wayne | Completed in 1958, the McGregor Memorial Conference Center wasMinoru Yamasaki's first commission following his trip toJapan and re-envisionment of architectural design. The Center opened to immediate accolades from architectural magazines who called it "delightful" and "refreshing". |
| 28# | Meadow Brook Hall |  | March 2, 2012 (#79001166) | Rochester Hills 42°40′19″N83°12′04″W / 42.671944°N 83.20111°W /42.671944; -83.20111 (Meadow Brook Hall) | Oakland | Tudor revival estate ofMatilda Dodge Wilson, built in the 1920s. It is one of the nation'slargest historic houses. |
| 29# | Michigan State Capitol |  | October 5, 1992 (#71000396) | Lansing 42°44′01″N84°33′14″W / 42.733661°N 84.553911°W /42.733661; -84.553911 (Michigan State Capitol) | Ingham | Designed by successful public building architectElijah E. Myers and constructed between 1872 and 1878, it was the first of many state capitol buildings to be modeled after theUS Capitol Building.[32] |
| 30† | Mies van der Rohe Residential District, Lafayette Park |  | July 21, 2015 (#96000809) | Detroit 42°20′22″N83°01′55″W / 42.33940°N 83.03190°W /42.33940; -83.03190 (Mies van der Rohe Residential District, Lafayette Park) | Wayne | The largest collection ofMies van der Rohe buildings in the world, exemplifying theInternational Style |
| 31# | Milwaukee Clipper (Passenger Steamship) |  | April 11, 1989 (#83003570) | Muskegon 43°13′19″N86°17′45″W / 43.221944°N 86.295833°W /43.221944; -86.295833 (Milwaukee Clipper (Passenger Steamship)) | Muskegon | This passenger steamship, originally known asJuniata, is one of the oldest on the Great Lakes, having been finished in 1905. After extensive reconstruction in 1940, she was renamedMilwaukee Clipper, although she still carries the original 1905 engines, one of four extant examples of the type.[33] |
| 32† | Minong Copper Mining Historic District |  | January 13, 2021 (#100006259) | West of McCargoe Cove campground[34] 48°04′58″N88°43′35″W / 48.082778°N 88.726389°W /48.082778; -88.726389 (Minong Copper Mining Historic District) | Keweenaw | The Minong Mine site contains prehistoriccopper mining pits, thought to be as old as 4500 years. In addition, the site contains the remains of the Minong Mine, a 19th century copper mine that produced 249 tons of copper over its ten years of existence. |
| 33† | North Manitou Island Lifesaving Station |  | August 5, 1998 (#98001191) | Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 45°07′09″N85°58′39″W / 45.119194°N 85.977517°W /45.119194; -85.977517 (North Manitou Island Lifesaving Station) | Leelanau | Serving as a Great Lakes lifesaving station from 1854 to 1932, this is the only extant example of the nearly 200 stations that once existed. The stations were volunteer run until 1915, when they became part of theUS Coast Guard, and existed to provide aid to victims of shipwrecks.[35][36] |
| 34# | Norton Mound group |  | December 21, 1965 (#66000396) | Grand Rapids 42°56′12″N85°43′19″W / 42.936581°N 85.721981°W /42.936581; -85.721981 (Norton Mound group) | Kent | From ca. 400 B.C. to A.D. 400, this was an important center of Hopewellian culture in the western Great Lakes region, and is considered one of the best-preserved examples in the area.Excavations in the late 1800s and mid-1900s gave insight into the construction of these mounds, and only around half of the original 40 mounds remain today.[37] |
| 35# | Parke-Davis Research Laboratory |  | May 11, 1976 (#76001039) | Detroit 42°20′06″N83°00′52″W / 42.3349347044°N 83.0144806964°W /42.3349347044; -83.0144806964 (Parke-Davis Research Laboratory) | Wayne | Built in 1902, this was the firstindustrial research laboratory in the US established for the specific purpose of conductingpharmacological research. It inaugurated thecommercialpure science approach which has driven the rapid development ofpharmaceutical technology.National Park Service staff recommended withdrawal of landmark status in 2002 due to loss of the building's historic integrity during conversion to a hotel.[38] |
| 36# | Pewabic Pottery |  | December 4, 1991 (#71000430) | Detroit 42°21′42″N82°58′52″W / 42.361567°N 82.981083°W /42.361567; -82.981083 (Pewabic Pottery) | Wayne | This 1907 building, designed byWilliam Stratton, is the home ofceramic artistMary Chase Perry Stratton's studio and production facilities. Her work in theArts and Crafts movement raised the artistic standard of Americanpottery, and is featuredarchitecturally orcuratorially in numerous prominent buildings and distinguished institutions.[39] |
| 37† | Quincy Mining Company Historic District |  | February 10, 1989 (#89001095) | Hancock 47°08′07″N88°34′33″W / 47.135278°N 88.57583°W /47.135278; -88.57583 (Quincy Mining Company Historic District) | Houghton | This historic district, centered around theQuincy Mining Company's activities, showcases theUS copper industry from the mid-1800s through 1920. Many facets of company towns, mining technology and ethnic settlement are represented.[40] |
| 38# | Badger (Car Ferry) |  | January 20, 2016 (#09000679) | Ludington 43°56′57″N86°27′04″W / 43.949167°N 86.451111°W /43.949167; -86.451111 (Badger (Car Ferry)) | Mason | The last Great Lakes rail ferry built, and the last in operation, with the only surviving operational Skinner Unaflow steeple compound engines. |
| 39# | St. Clair River Tunnel |  | April 19, 1993 (#70000684) | Port Huron 42°57′29″N82°25′59″W / 42.958118°N 82.43298°W /42.958118; -82.43298 (St. Clair River Tunnel) | St. Clair | This tunnel represents a major advancement in railroad technology; when completed in 1891 it was the first sub-aqueous tunnel in North America that was designed for full-size trains. This advancement in construction technology allowed the creation of under-river tunnels that overcame the difficulties of building railway bridges over wide rivers.[41] |
| 40# | St. Ignace Mission |  | October 9, 1960 (#66000398) | St. Ignace 45°52′11″N84°44′38″W / 45.869651°N 84.743945°W /45.869651; -84.743945 (St. Ignace Mission) | Mackinac | Now a park, this was the location of amission established by FrenchpriestJacques Marquette, and the site of his burial in 1677. A second mission was established at a different site in 1837, and moved to St. Ignace in 1954.[42] |
| 41# | St. Marys Falls Canal |  | November 13, 1966 (#66000394) | Sault Ste. Marie 46°30′11″N84°21′17″W / 46.50305°N 84.35472°W /46.50305; -84.35472 (St. Marys Falls Canal) | Chippewa | The original canal of theSoo Locks, the 1855 construction allowed passage for ships betweenLake Superior andLake Huron. This allowed resources to be moved from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to commerce centers in the Lower Peninsula, allowing it to be considered one of the "most successful waterways constructed during the ante-bellum era".[43] |
| 42# | USSSilversides (Submarine) |  | January 14, 1986 (#72001566) | Muskegon 43°13′47″N86°19′58″W / 43.229739°N 86.332830°W /43.229739; -86.332830 (USSSilversides (Submarine)) | Muskegon | Having sunk a confirmed total of 23 ships during World War II and been awarded 12battle stars and aPresidential Unit Citation, theSilversides is the most decorated US submarine still in existence. During the war, she patrolled the Pacific Ocean with the mission of preventing crucial supplies and material from reaching the Japanese.[44] |
The following Landmarks were located in Michigan at the time they were declared National Historic Landmarks, but have since moved to other states.
| [5] | Landmark name | Image | Date designated[6] | Location | County | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1# | Columbia (Steamer) |  | July 6, 1992 (#79001171) | Buffalo, New York 42°51′39″N78°51′44″W / 42.860878°N 78.862312°W /42.860878; -78.862312 (Columbia (Steamer)) | Erie | This passenger steamship carried passengers toBois Blanc Island for theDetroit & Windsor Ferry Company, and is one of the last remaining examples of her kind. Designed byFrank E. Kirby, notednaval architect.[45] In September 2015, it was moved toBuffalo, New York,[46] where it is being prepared for an eventual move to theHudson River.[47] |
| Landmark name | Image | Date designated | Date moved or delisted | Locality | County | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1* | Lincoln Motor Company Plant |  | June 2, 1978 | April 4, 2005 | Detroit | Wayne | Henry M. Leland acquired a factory here in 1917 and greatly expanded it in order to produceLiberty Engines as part of theWorld War Iwar effort. After the war, Leland used his long and prominent experience withCadillac to inaugurate theLincoln line ofautomobiles. Leland sold his company toHenry Ford in 1922; by 1952 this original Lincoln plant was retired from automotive production. Most of the complex wasdemolished in 2002–03, leading to withdrawal of its landmark designation.[48] |
| 2* | Reo Motor Car Company Plant |  | June 16, 1978 | July 31, 1985 | Lansing | Ingham | In his third venture in theautomotive industry, and after his departure from the highly successfulOldsmobile,Ransom E. Olds established theReo Motor Car Company at thisplant in 1904. Reo enjoyed early success and was responsible for manyinnovations inautomobilemanufacturing, but remained a niche company for most of its existence. The factory complex wasdemolished in 1980 to make way for site redevelopment, and landmark status was withdrawn in 1985.[49] |
| 3* | SSSte. Claire |  | July 6, 1992 | December 11, 2023 | Detroit | Wayne | Designed bynaval architectFrank E. Kirby. Between 1910 and 1991, theSte. Claire ferried passengers toBois Blanc Island for theDetroit & Windsor Ferry Company.[50] She was moved toToledo, Ohio in 2003, but returned to Michigan a few years later and in 2019 is docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit.[51] The ship was delisted as a National Historic Landmark in 2023, but remained on the National Register of Historic Places.[52] |
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