List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Oakland County facts for kids
Oakland County, Michigan, is home to many important historical places. These places are called Michigan State Historic Sites. They are special because they teach us about the past. Some of these sites are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important to the history of the entire country! A few are even called National Historic Landmarks, which is an even higher honor.
This article will tell you about some of these amazing historic sites in Oakland County.
Contents
Cool Historic Buildings and Homes
Cranbrook Educational Community
The Cranbrook is a very special place in Bloomfield Hills. It's like a campus with schools, a museum, and beautiful gardens. It was founded by George and Ellen Booth and is famous for its amazing architecture and art. It's even a National Historic Landmark!
Meadow Brook Hall
Meadow Brook Farms in Rochester Hills is a huge and fancy estate. It was built by Matilda Dodge Wilson, who was the widow of auto pioneer John Dodge. This grand home is now a museum where you can see how wealthy families lived long ago.
Botsford Inn
The Botsford Inn in Farmington Hills is one of Michigan's oldest inns. It was built in 1836 and used to be a popular stop for travelers. Imagine people stopping here on their long journeys!
Pine Grove Historical Museum (Moses Wisner House)
The Pine Grove in Pontiac is the former home of Moses Wisner, who was a governor of Michigan. This house gives us a peek into what life was like for important people in the 1800s.
Caswell House
The Caswell House in Troy is another old home with a lot of history. It was built in 1826 and is one of the oldest homes in the area. It's a great example of early Michigan architecture.
Orson Starr House
The Orson Starr House in Royal Oak is a very old house, built in 1845. It belonged to Orson Starr, who was one of the first people to make bells in Michigan.
Franklin Village School
The Franklin Village School in Franklin is a historic school building. It reminds us of how children learned in the past, often in one-room schoolhouses.
Western Knitting Mill
The Western Knitting Mill in Rochester is an old factory building. It used to make knitted goods. It's a cool example of Michigan's industrial past.
Witch's Hat Depot
The Witch's Hat Depot in South Lyon is a former train station. It has a unique roof that looks like a witch's hat! It's a fun reminder of the importance of railroads.
Important Places and Districts
Farmington Historic District
The Farmington Historic District is a whole area in Farmington with many old buildings. Walking through it is like stepping back in time. It shows how towns in Michigan grew.
Clarkston Village Historic District
Similar to Farmington, the Clarkston Village Historic District in Clarkston has over 100 historic buildings. It's a great place to see different styles of old architecture.
Battle Alley Historic District
The Battle Alley Historic District in Holly is a historic area with several old buildings. It's known for its unique name and historical feel.
Oak Hill Cemetery
Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac is a historic cemetery. Many important people from Pontiac's past are buried here, including Elizabeth Denison Forth, a formerly enslaved woman who became a successful businesswoman.
Detroit Zoological Park
The Detroit Zoological Park in Huntington Woods and Royal Oak is not just a zoo; it's also a historic site! It was one of the first zoos in the country to use open, natural exhibits instead of cages.
First Quaker Meeting
The First Quaker Meeting in Farmington marks the spot where the first Quaker religious meeting was held in Michigan. It's an important place for understanding religious history in the state.
The Polar Bears Monument
The Polar Bears monument at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy honors a group of Michigan soldiers. They fought in a very cold part of Russia after World War I.
Stoney Creek Village
Stoney Creek Village in Rochester is now the Van Hoosen Farm Museum. It's a historic farm and village that shows what rural life was like long ago.
Southfield Centre
Southfield Centre in Southfield marks the historic center of the old Southfield Township. It's a reminder of how communities were first organized.
More Interesting Sites
- Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills: A historic school with beautiful architecture.
- Barn Church in Troy: A unique church that was originally a barn.
- Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal in Rochester Hills: Part of an old canal project that was never finished, but still shows early efforts to connect Michigan by water.
- Commerce Village Burying Ground in Commerce Township: An old cemetery that tells stories of early settlers.
- Detroit Finnish Co-operative Summer Camp in Wixom: A place where Finnish immigrants gathered and kept their culture alive.
- Franklin Cemetery in Franklin: Another historic cemetery with graves of early residents.
- Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham: A historic burial ground.
- Mount Avon Cemetery in Rochester: A historic cemetery.
- Pioneer Cemetery in Southfield: An old cemetery.
- Roseland Park Mausoleum in Berkley: A large and historic building for burials.
- Royal Oak Township Cemetery in Royal Oak: A historic cemetery.
- Sashabaw Cemetery in Clarkston: An old cemetery.
- South Commerce Burying Ground in Wixom: A historic cemetery.
- Southfield Cemetery in Southfield: A historic cemetery.
- Stony Creek Cemetery in Rochester: A historic cemetery.
- White Lake Cemetery in Clarkston: A historic cemetery.
Images for kids
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Academy of the Sacred Heart
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Gregor S. and Elizabeth B. Affleck House
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Royal Aldrich House
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Henry C. Bach House
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Bagley Inn
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Fred A. Baker House
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Barn Church
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Edward E. Beals House
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Botsford Inn
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Lemuel Botsford House
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Botsford-Graser House
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Carver Elementary School
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Caswell House
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Edward Chene House
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Chief Pontiac Informational Designation
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City of Rochester Informational Designation
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Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
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Clinton Valley Center
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Commerce Village Burying Ground
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Congregation Shaarey Zedek
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Samuel Davis House
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Detroit Finnish Co-operative Summer Camp
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Eber Durham House
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Farmington Unitarian Church
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Ferndale School
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First Baptist Church of Royal Oak
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First Presbyterian Church (South Lyon)
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First Quaker Meeting
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Dr. Henry K. Foote House
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Franklin Boulevard Historic District
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Franklin Cemetery
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Franklin Village Informational Designation
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Jacob and Rebecca Fuerst Farmstead
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John Garfield House
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German School
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Glen Oaks Country Club Clubhouse
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Goodenough-Spicer Stable
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Gray-Spicer House
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Greenwood Cemetery
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John Dallas Harger House
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Holly Town Hall
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Hubbard-Kesby House
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John W. Hunter House
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Kresge Foundation
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Lawrence Institute of Technology
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Masonic Block
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Meadow Brook Farms
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Methodist Episcopal Church (Farmington)
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Methodist Episcopal Church of Highland Station
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Michigan's First Tri-Level Intersection
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Mount Avon Cemetery
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Theron Murray House
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Myrick-Palmer House
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Nardin Park United Methodist Church
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Oak Hill Cemetery
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Orchard Lake Schools Historic District
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Pioneer Cemetery
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The Polar Bears
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Rackham Golf Course
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Rochester Informational Designation
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Rochester Opera House
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Stephen Yerkes Rodgers House
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Roseland Park Mausoleum
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Rowe House
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Royal Oak Methodist Episcopal Church
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Royal Oak Township Cemetery
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Royal Oak Woman's Club
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S. S. Kresge Company
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Saginaw Trail Informational Designation / John Almon Starr House
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Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, School and Convent
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Sashabaw Presbyterian Church
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Lawrence Simmons House
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South Lyon Elevator
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Southfield Cemetery
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Southfield Centre
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Southfield Town Hall
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Southfield United Presbyterian Church
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Spicer Barn
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Rollin Sprague Building
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Washington Stanley Farm
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Orson Starr House
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Stoney Creek School
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Stoney Creek Village
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Stony Creek Cemetery
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Stony Creek Masonic Lodge
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Temple Beth El
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Mary Thompson House
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Charles Torrey House
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Township Hall (Avon)
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Troy Corners Informational Site
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Troy Historic Green Informational Site
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Troy Township Informational Site
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George W. Vandeventer Home
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Governor Fred Warner House
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Waterford Village Historic District
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Wattles House
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Western Knitting Mill
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Samuel White House
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Witch's Hat Depot
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Wixom-Wire House
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Joseph D. Yerkes House
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Robert Yerkes House
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