National Register of Historic Places listings in Wayne County, Michigan facts for kids
This article is about the cool historic places in Wayne County, Michigan, that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Think of the National Register as a special list of buildings, sites, and objects across the United States that are important to history. Wayne County has a lot of these special places, 361 to be exact! This includes 14 places that are so important they are called National Historic Landmarks. Most of these amazing spots, 276 of them, are in the city of Detroit. The rest, 86 places, are in other towns and areas of Wayne County.
Contents
Detroit's Historic Buildings
Many of Wayne County's historic places are in Detroit. These buildings show how the city grew over more than a hundred years. The oldest known building in Detroit is the Charles Trowbridge House, built way back in 1826!
Buildings from the Early Days
Not many buildings from before the American Civil War (which ended in 1865) are still standing in Detroit. But some cool ones remain! These include old private homes like the Sibley House (1848) and the Moross House (1855). You can also find Fort Wayne (1849), and beautiful churches like Saints Peter and Paul Church (1848) and Mariner's Church (1849).
The Rise of Industry and Automobiles
Most of Detroit's listed buildings are connected to the city's growth because of big factories and, later, the automobile industry. These include not just factories, but also offices, shops, and homes built for all the people who moved to Detroit for work.
In the late 1800s, many factories opened near the Detroit River because it was easy to transport goods by water and train. Places like the Dry Dock Engine Works and the Frederick Stearns Company were important. As manufacturing grew, rich business owners built fancy houses along Jefferson Avenue and Woodward Avenue. Examples include the Col. Frank J. Hecker House (1888) and the Charles Lang Freer House (1887). Many churches and apartment buildings were also built during this time.
Around 1900, people like Henry Ford started making cars in Detroit. Early car factories include the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant (1904), which is a National Historic Landmark, and the first Cadillac factory (1905). As the car industry boomed, big office buildings like the General Motors Building (1919) and the Fisher Building (1928) were built. These are also National Historic Landmarks! The city's population grew fast, leading to many new apartment buildings and fancy neighborhoods like Boston-Edison and Indian Village.
Downtown Detroit's Skyscrapers and Public Spaces
The wealth from the automobile industry also led to a building boom downtown. Many skyscrapers were built, like the amazing Art Deco Guardian Building (1928), which is a National Historic Landmark. Other important office buildings include the Vinton Building (1916) and the Lawyers Building (1922).
The city also built many hotels, movie theaters like the Fox (1928), and important public buildings. These include Orchestra Hall (1919), the Detroit Public Library (1921), and the Detroit Institute of Arts (1923).
Historic Places in Other Wayne County Towns
Western Wayne County: Canton and Livonia
The western parts of Wayne County, like Canton and Livonia, developed later than Detroit. This means some very old buildings have been saved. Canton has many Greek Revival style houses from the 1800s, like the Sheldon Inn (1825) and the Benjamin and Mary Ann Bradford House (1860). Livonia has Greenmead Farms, which includes an 1841 farmhouse and an 1829 barn. Other old farmhouses have been moved there to keep them safe.
Victorian-era houses are also recognized, such as the Truesdell House (1888). The Wilson Barn in Livonia is special because it helped Ira Wilson build a huge dairy business. Sadly, some historic houses in this area, like the Boldman House (1835), have been torn down since they were listed.
Villages of Plymouth and Northville
The towns of Northville and Plymouth have many historic homes from different time periods. The Northville Historic District has lots of homes built between 1835 and the 1890s, many in the Gothic Revival style. Plymouth has two important Victorian homes: the Henry W. Baker House (1875) and the Charles G. Curtiss Sr. House (1890). It also has the unique Carlton D. Wall House (1941), designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Henry Ford's Impact on Dearborn
Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, left a huge mark on Dearborn. Five National Historic Landmarks are connected to him! Three of these are in Dearborn: the massive Ford River Rouge Complex (a huge factory), Fair Lane (his personal estate), and Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum (a museum complex he created to preserve history).
Other Ford-related properties in Dearborn include the Dearborn Inn (an airport hotel he built) and the Henry Ford Square House, which he built by hand with his wife Clara after they got married.
Highland Park and Hamtramck
Highland Park and Hamtramck are two cities completely surrounded by Detroit. Both grew a lot because of the car industry. Highland Park is home to the Highland Park Ford Plant (1910), where Henry Ford first used the assembly line! Hamtramck had the huge Dodge Main plant (1914). These factories brought many workers, making both cities grow quickly.
With more people, more homes and churches were needed. Neighborhoods like Highland Heights-Stevens' Subdivision in Highland Park were built for middle-class workers. Churches like St. Florian (1928) in Hamtramck, which served the Polish community, and several Methodist and Lutheran churches in Highland Park were also built.
The Grosse Pointes: Upscale Communities
The Grosse Pointes area, northeast of Detroit, changed from farms to a wealthy community. Rich Detroiters started building summer homes here, and as cars made it easier to travel, it became a year-round upscale area. Historic homes here include the Carl E. and Alice Candler Schmidt House (1909) and the Russell A. Alger Jr. House (1910).
Schools like Defer Elementary School (1924) and Grosse Pointe South High School (1927), and churches like Saint Paul Catholic Church (1895) and Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (1923), were built as the population grew.
Downriver Towns: Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, and Grosse Ile
Lincoln Park has two more recent historic buildings: the Lincoln Park Post Office and the Mellus Newspapers Building.
Wyandotte is an older city with some grand homes. The Marx House (1862) and the John and Emma Lacey Eberts House (1872) belonged to important citizens. Edward Ford, a big name in the glass industry, built the impressive Ford-Bacon House and the George P. MacNichol House for his family.
Grosse Ile is a wealthy island community. In the mid-1800s, rich Detroiters built summer homes here. The East River Road Historic District has some of these early mansions, and the St. James Episcopal Church was built in 1867 with money from Lisette Denison Forth, a freed slave.
Wayne County's Historic Bridges
The Wayne County Road Commission was known for its new ideas in building roads and bridges. Many historic bridges are spread across the county. Bridges like the Waltz Road – Huron River Bridge (1924) show how the county standardized bridge building.
In Detroit, bridges like the West Jefferson Avenue – Rouge River Bridge (1922) were built to separate train and car traffic, and to allow big ships to pass through the Rouge River. The US 12 Bridges (1948-49) in Dearborn were part of the first big expressway for cars through Detroit.
Listings
| Name on the Register | Image | Date listed | Location | City or town | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academy of the Sacred Heart |
 |
(#87001061) |
171 Lake Shore Dr. 42°23′35″N 82°53′37″W / 42.393056°N 82.893611°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This school started in 1887 as a boarding school for young ladies. It's now called the Grosse Pointe Academy and is run as an independent day school. |
| 2 | Russell A. Alger Jr. House |
 |
(#82002917) |
32 Lake Shore Dr. 42°23′13″N 82°53′50″W / 42.386944°N 82.897222°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | The Russell A. Alger Jr. House was built in 1910. In 1949, it was given to the community and became the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, honoring veterans and soldiers of World War II. It's also known as The Moorings. |
| 3 | Annapolis Park Historic District |
 |
(#06000405) |
Julius, Matthew, Hanover, Farnum, Alan, and Paul 42°16′14″N 83°19′59″W / 42.270556°N 83.333056°W |
Westland | During World War II, many African-American families moved to Detroit. This neighborhood was created in 1953 specifically for African-Americans, as housing choices were limited elsewhere. |
| 4 | Henry W. Baker House |
 |
(#82002922) |
233 S. Main St. 42°22′19″N 83°28′03″W / 42.371944°N 83.4675°W |
Plymouth | This unique Italianate house was built for Henry W. Baker, who owned the company that made the famous Daisy air rifle. It has an unusual pagoda-shaped tower on its roof. |
| 5 | Tivadar and Dorothy Balogh House |
 |
(#13000800) |
49800 Joy Road (Plymouth Township) 42°21′02″N 83°31′52″W / 42.350548°N 83.531141°W |
Cherry Hill vicinity | Architect Tivadar Balogh built this modern, two-story redwood house for his family in 1958-59. It looks like it's floating above the ground! |
| 6 | Thomas and Maria Blackman Bartlett House |
 |
(#00000614) |
500 N. Ridge Rd. (Canton Township) 42°18′30″N 83°32′05″W / 42.308333°N 83.534722°W |
Cherry Hill | The Thomas and Maria Blackman Bartlett House, also known as the Bartlett-Travis House, was first built around 1840 in the Greek Revival style. It was later updated with Victorian features and moved to its current spot in 1989. |
| 7 | Beverly Road Historic District |
 |
(#94001428) |
23-45 Beverly Rd. 42°23′18″N 82°54′06″W / 42.388333°N 82.901667°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This district was one of the first fancy neighborhoods in the Grosse Pointes, started in 1911. It shows how the area changed from farms to a year-round community for wealthy families. |
| 8 | David and Elizabeth Bell Boldman House |
 |
(#00000615) |
3339 S. Canton Center Rd. (Canton Township) 42°16′54″N 83°29′09″W / 42.281667°N 83.485833°W |
Sheldon | The David and Elizabeth Bell Boldman House was a Greek Revival style home. The land where it once stood is now empty. |
| 9 | Benjamin and Mary Ann Bradford House |
 |
(#00000648) |
48145 Warren Rd. 42°20′07″N 83°30′54″W / 42.335278°N 83.515°W |
Canton | This house was built in 1860 by Benjamin Bradford, whose family was among the first settlers in Canton Township. It stayed in the Bradford family until 1911. |
| 10 | Jos. Campau Historic District |
 |
(#12000870) |
Bounded by Holbrook, Pulaski, Casmere, & Lehman Sts. 42°23′55″N 83°03′32″W / 42.39852°N 83.058922°W |
Hamtramck | This district has many commercial buildings from the early 1900s. They were built as Hamtramck grew after the Dodge Main Plant opened nearby in 1915. |
| 11 | Cherry Hill Historic District |
 |
(#03000176) |
Cherry Hill and Ridge Rds. 42°18′17″N 83°32′20″W / 42.304722°N 83.538889°W |
Canton Township | The Cherry Hill Historic District includes buildings in the small community of Cherry Hill, which started in 1825. It has an Italianate inn, a Gothic Revival church, a school, and buildings from one of Henry Ford's "Village Industry" projects. |
| 12 | Christ Church Chapel |
 |
(#93000424) |
61 Grosse Pointe Rd. 42°23′29″N 82°54′03″W / 42.391389°N 82.900833°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This beautiful Neo-Gothic chapel was finished in 1930. It was meant to be part of a larger church building. |
| 13 | Thomas and Isabella Moore Clyde House |
 |
(#03000175) |
50325 Cherry Hill Rd. 42°18′21″N 83°32′07″W / 42.305833°N 83.535278°W |
Canton Township | The Thomas Clyde House is a Greek Revival house built around 1845. It was moved to its current spot in 1924. |
| 14 | Commandant's Quarters |
 |
(#70000286) |
21950 Michigan Ave. 42°18′23″N 83°14′38″W / 42.306389°N 83.243889°W |
Dearborn | Built in 1833, this building was part of the Detroit Arsenal. It's the oldest building in Dearborn still in its original location and is considered very important to Michigan's history. |
| 15 | Charles G. Curtiss Sr. House |
 |
(#93001350) |
168 S. Union St. 42°22′19″N 83°27′58″W / 42.371944°N 83.466111°W |
Plymouth | This two-story wooden house was built around 1890 by Charles G. Curtiss Sr., a builder from Plymouth. |
| 16 | Dearborn City Hall Complex |
 |
(#14000513) |
13615 Michigan Ave. 42°19′17″N 83°10′36″W / 42.321481°N 83.176601°W |
Dearborn | This complex includes the 1921 Dearborn City Hall and the 1929 Police and Municipal Courts Building. |
| 17 | Dearborn Inn and Colonial Homes |
 |
(#82000549) |
20301 Oakwood Blvd. 42°17′48″N 83°13′41″W / 42.296667°N 83.228056°W |
Dearborn | The Dearborn Inn was built by Henry Ford in 1931. It was the first airport hotel in the country, designed to host visitors flying into the nearby Ford Airport. |
| 18 | Defer Elementary School |
.jpg) |
(#01000458) |
15425 Kercheval 42°23′00″N 82°56′07″W / 42.383336°N 82.935183°W |
Grosse Pointe Park | Defer Elementary School was the first school built after five school districts in the Grosse Pointe area joined together in 1921. |
| 19 | Paul Harvey Deming House |
 |
(#96000811) |
111 Lake Shore Rd. 42°23′30″N 82°53′40″W / 42.391667°N 82.894444°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This large Tudor Revival house was built for Paul Harvey Deming, a chairman of a big company. It was torn down in 1997. |
| 20 | Phillip and Maria Hasselbach Dingledey House |
 |
(#00000616) |
1638 N. Haggerty Rd. (Canton Township) 42°19′06″N 83°26′55″W / 42.318333°N 83.448611°W |
Westland | The Phillip and Maria Hasselbach Dingledey House was a unique farmhouse. It is no longer at its listed location; a small shopping area is there now. |
| 21 | East River Road Historic District |
 |
(#74001003) |
East River Rd. near the Grosse Ile Parkway 42°07′33″N 83°08′30″W / 42.125833°N 83.141667°W |
Grosse Ile | This district includes several Gothic Revival mansions built in the 1850s, and the St. James Episcopal Church. |
| 22 | East River Road – North Hickory Canal Bridge |
(#00000042) |
E. River Rd. over N. Hickory Canal 42°05′46″N 83°09′02″W / 42.096111°N 83.150556°W |
Grosse Ile | This concrete bridge was built by Wayne County during and after World War II, likely because steel was hard to get. | |
| 23 | John and Emma Lacey Eberts House |
 |
(#09000524) |
109 Vinewood Ave. 42°12′27″N 83°09′02″W / 42.207372°N 83.1506°W |
Wyandotte | John Eberts Jr. and Emma Lacey hired Raphael R. Thomas to build this house in 1872, the same year they got married. |
| 24 | Orson Everitt House |
 |
(#80001933) |
39040 W. Seven Mile Rd. 42°25′31″N 83°25′47″W / 42.425278°N 83.429722°W |
Livonia | This Queen Anne house has a wide porch and a round tower. Its design might have come from a house plan book. |
| 25 | Fair Lane |
 |
(#66000399) |
4901 Evergreen Rd. 42°18′58″N 83°14′08″W / 42.316111°N 83.235556°W |
Dearborn | Fair Lane was the large estate of Henry Ford and his wife Clara Ford in Dearborn. It had a big limestone house, a power plant, a boathouse, and beautiful gardens. It was later given to the University of Michigan. |
| 26 | Ferry Street – Thorofare Canal Bridge |
 |
(#00000118) |
Ferry St. over Thorofare Canal 42°08′17″N 83°09′23″W / 42.138056°N 83.156389°W |
Grosse Ile | This concrete bridge is a good example of the type of bridges Wayne County built during and after World War II, when steel was hard to get. |
| 27 | First United Methodist Church |
 |
(#82002918) |
16300 Woodward Ave. 42°24′55″N 83°06′11″W / 42.415278°N 83.103056°W |
Highland Park | The Methodist church built this Gothic church in 1916. Today, Soul Harvest Ministries uses the building. |
| 28 | John and Edna Truesdell Fischer Farmstead |
 |
(#00000617) |
4896–5228 S. Sheldon Rd. (Canton Township) 42°16′10″N 83°28′36″W / 42.269444°N 83.476667°W |
Sheldon | This farm includes an 1897 Queen Anne house, greenhouses, and other farm buildings. |
| 29 | Ford River Rouge Complex |
 |
(#78001516) |
3001 Miller Rd. 42°18′08″N 83°09′52″W / 42.302222°N 83.164444°W |
Dearborn | This huge Ford Motor Company factory complex was built along the Rouge River. When it was finished in 1928, it was the largest factory in the world. |
| 30 | Ford Valve Plant |
 |
(#95000866) |
235 E. Main St. 42°25′56″N 83°28′40″W / 42.432222°N 83.477778°W |
Northville | The Ford Valve Plant was the first of Henry Ford's "Village Industries" factories. These factories were meant to bring jobs to smaller, rural communities. |
| 31 | Henry Ford Square House |
 |
(#80001932) |
29835 Beechwood Ave. 42°19′37″N 83°20′07″W / 42.326944°N 83.335278°W |
Garden City | The Henry Ford Square House, also called the Henry Ford Honeymoon House, was built by Henry Ford himself soon after he married Clara Ford in 1889. |
| 32 | Ford-Bacon House |
 |
(#97001476) |
45 Vinewood 42°12′26″N 83°08′54″W / 42.207222°N 83.148333°W |
Wyandotte | Edward Ford hired architects to design this house for himself and his wife in 1897. It is now used as the Bacon Memorial District Library. |
| 33 | Gibraltar Road – Waterway Canal Bridge |
 |
(#00000082) |
Gibraltar Rd. over Waterway Canal 42°05′42″N 83°11′26″W / 42.095°N 83.190556°W |
Gibraltar | The Gibraltar Road Bridge is an unusual concrete arch bridge. It was designed to fit beautifully with its surroundings. |
| 34 | Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church |
 |
(#82002919) |
12375 Woodward Ave. 42°23′52″N 83°05′32″W / 42.397778°N 83.092222°W |
Highland Park | This church was built between 1929 and 1930. The building is now known as the Prayer Temple of Love Cathedral. |
| 35 | Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum |
 |
(#69000071) |
Bounded by Michigan Ave. on the N, Village Rd. on the S, Southfield Expwy. on the E, and Oakland Blvd. on the W 42°18′16″N 83°13′30″W / 42.304444°N 83.225°W |
Dearborn | The Henry Ford is a huge indoor and outdoor history museum complex. It was founded by Henry Ford to save important historical items and show how the Industrial Revolution changed the world. It's also called the Edison Institute or Greenfield Village. |
| 36 | Greenmead Farms |
 |
(#72000672) |
38125 Base Line Rd. 42°26′17″N 83°25′05″W / 42.438056°N 83.418056°W |
Livonia | Greenmead Farms was originally Joshua Simmons's farm, starting in 1825. It has Livonia's first barn (1829) and an 1841 Greek Revival farmhouse. Other old farmhouses have been moved here for preservation. |
| 37 | Grosse Pointe High School |
 |
(#93000429) |
11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. 42°23′27″N 82°54′08″W / 42.390833°N 82.902222°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | Grosse Pointe South High School is important for its architecture, art, and education. It's located in a very historic neighborhood. |
| 38 | Grosse Pointe Memorial Church |
 |
(#93001351) |
16 Lake Shore Dr. 42°23′20″N 82°53′58″W / 42.388889°N 82.899444°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This church was founded in 1865. In 1920, it became a Presbyterian church. A new building was built with a large donation as a memorial to the Newberry family's parents. |
| 39 | Grosse Pointe Yacht Club |
 |
(#14001124) |
788 Lake Shore Dr. 42°27′04″N 82°52′22″W / 42.4511°N 82.8728°W |
Grosse Pointe Shores | The clubhouse, designed in the 1920s, looks like an 18th-century Italian Renaissance building. It has stucco walls, terra cotta tiles, and a tall bell tower that helps boaters on Lake St. Clair. |
| 40 | Hamtramck Stadium |
 |
(#12000458) |
3201 Dan St. 42°23′23″N 83°03′03″W / 42.38982°N 83.050699°W |
Hamtramck | Hamtramck Stadium is one of only 12 remaining Negro league baseball stadiums. It was home to the Detroit Stars and the Detroit Wolves baseball teams. |
| 41 | Highland Heights-Stevens' Subdivision Historic District |
 |
(#88000050) |
Bounded by Woodward Ave., the alley south of E. Buena Vista Ave., Oakland Ave., and the alley south of Massachusetts Ave. 42°23′49″N 83°05′13″W / 42.396944°N 83.086944°W |
Highland Park | This residential district has many single-family homes built in the early 1900s. They show different American house styles from that time, like foursquares and bungalows. |
| 42 | Highland Park General Hospital |
 |
(#85003400) |
357 Glendale Ave. 42°23′41″N 83°06′19″W / 42.394722°N 83.105278°W |
Highland Park | Highland Park General Hospital is an important landmark. It was one of the first two institutions created when Highland Park became a city in 1916. |
| 43 | Highland Park Plant, Ford Motor Company |
 |
(#73000961) |
15050 Woodward Ave. 42°24′37″N 83°05′40″W / 42.410278°N 83.094444°W |
Highland Park | The Highland Park Ford Plant was a car factory for Ford Motor Company. It opened in 1910 and became the first car factory in the world to use the assembly line in 1913. |
| 44 | Highland Park Presbyterian Church |
 |
(#82002920) |
14 Cortland St. 42°23′48″N 83°05′30″W / 42.396667°N 83.091667°W |
Highland Park | This church was built between 1910 and 1911 as the congregation grew. It is now called the Park United Presbyterian Church. |
| 45 | Hull's Trace North Huron River Corduroy Segment |
 |
(#10001022) |
36000 W. Jefferson Ave. 42°02′36″N 83°12′50″W / 42.043333°N 83.213889°W |
Brownstown Charter Township | This is the only known part of "Hull's Trace," a military road built in 1812 during the War of 1812. It was the first military and federal road in the United States. |
| 46 | Jefferson Avenue – Huron River and Harbin Drive – Silver Creek Canal Bridges |
 |
(#00000080) |
Jefferson Ave. over Huron R.; Harbin Dr. over Silver Creek Canal 42°02′32″N 83°12′52″W / 42.042222°N 83.214444°W |
Brownstown Charter Township | This listing includes two bridges: the Jefferson Avenue Bridge over the Huron River and the Harbin Drive Bridge over the Silver Creek Canal. |
| 47 | William and Margot Kessler House |
 |
(#13000801) |
1013 Cadieux Road 42°23′00″N 82°54′55″W / 42.383335°N 82.915183°W |
Grosse Pointe Park | Architect William Kessler built this Modernist house for his family in 1959. It has a cool saw-tooth roof and a brick privacy fence. |
| 48 | Orrin and Roxanne Fairman Kinyon House |
 |
(#00000649) |
7675 N. Ridge Rd. 42°20′30″N 83°31′43″W / 42.341667°N 83.528611°W |
Canton | This Greek Revival farmhouse was built in 1850 by Orrin Kinyon, whose father was one of Canton Township's first settlers. |
| 49 | Charles J. and Ingrid V. (Frendberg) Koebel House |
 |
(#09001068) |
203 Cloverly Road 42°24′17″N 82°53′57″W / 42.404606°N 82.899186°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This Modernist house was the first project for the famous father-and-son architects, Eliel and Eero Saarinen. |
| 50 | Lilley Road – Lower Rouge River Bridge |
 |
(#00000078) |
Lilley Rd. over Lower Rouge R. 42°16′46″N 83°27′24″W / 42.279444°N 83.456667°W |
Canton Township | This bridge was first built in 1923–1924 for another road, but was moved and installed here in 1933. |
| 51 | Lincoln Park Post Office |
 |
(#03001551) |
1335 Southfield Rd. 42°15′01″N 83°10′44″W / 42.250278°N 83.178889°W |
Lincoln Park | This 1938 post office design was used for many other post offices built during the Great Depression in Michigan. |
| 52 | George P. MacNichol House |
 |
(#84001859) |
2610 Biddle Ave. 42°12′27″N 83°08′56″W / 42.2075°N 83.148889°W |
Wyandotte | Edward Ford hired architects to design this home in 1896 as a wedding gift for his daughter Laura. It is now the Wyandotte Historical Museum. |
| 53 | Marx House |
 |
(#76001043) |
2630 Biddle Ave. 42°12′26″N 83°08′56″W / 42.207222°N 83.148889°W |
Wyandotte | The Marx House was built around 1862. Over the years, it was owned by many important citizens, including a doctor who was also Wyandotte's mayor. |
| 54 | Medbury's-Grove Lawn Subdivisions Historic District |
 |
(#88000049) |
Roughly bounded by Hamilton Ave., the alley south of Louise Ave., Woodward Ave., and the alley south of Puritan Ave. 42°24′46″N 83°06′28″W / 42.412778°N 83.107778°W |
Highland Park | This residential district was mostly built in the 1910s and 1920s. It has many different architectural styles, especially bungalows and Craftsman-style homes. |
| 55 | Mellus Newspapers Building |
 |
(#05000716) |
1661 Fort St. 42°15′06″N 83°10′31″W / 42.251667°N 83.175278°W |
Lincoln Park | William S. Mellus built this building in 1941 for his Lincoln Parker newspaper. The building was torn down in 2010. |
| 56 | Northville Historic District |
 |
(#72000673) |
Bounded roughly by Cady, Rogers, and Randolph Sts. 42°25′54″N 83°29′03″W / 42.431667°N 83.484167°W |
Northville | This district is in the old part of Northville. It has many homes and some shops and a church. Most of the houses are Gothic Revival style, built between 1860 and 1880. |
| 57 | Norwayne Historic District |
 |
(#13000479) |
Generally bounded by Palmer, Wildwood, Glenwood & Merriman Rds., Wayne County Lower Rouge Pkwy. 42°17′32″N 83°21′55″W / 42.292228°N 83.365140°W |
Westland | The Norwayne neighborhood was built in 1942 to house workers for nearby defense factories, like the Willow Run Bomber Plant. It had many homes, a fire station, schools, and shops. |
| 58 | Palmer Park Boulevard Apartments District |
 |
(#91001983) |
1981, 2003 and 2025 W. McNichols Rd. 42°25′02″N 83°07′15″W / 42.417222°N 83.120833°W |
Highland Park | This district is a group of three apartment buildings built in the mid-1920s. They were all designed by the same architect and look very similar. |
| 59 | Parke Lane Road – Thorofare Canal Bridge |
 |
(#00000043) |
Parke Lane Rd. over Thorofare Ch. 42°10′05″N 83°08′38″W / 42.168056°N 83.143889°W |
Grosse Ile | The Parke Lane Road-Thorofare Canal Bridge has a rare cantilevered concrete arch design. |
| 60 | John and Eliza Barr Patterson House |
 |
(#00000647) |
6205 N. Ridge Rd. 42°19′34″N 83°31′40″W / 42.326111°N 83.527778°W |
Canton | John Patterson and Eliza Barr bought this land and built this Greek Revival house in 1844. The farm stayed in their family until 1999. |
| 61 | Redford Township District No. 5 School |
 |
(#97000279) |
18499 Beech Daly Rd. 42°25′28″N 83°17′50″W / 42.424444°N 83.297222°W |
Redford | This school was built using free plans from the state. It's a rare example of a school that still looks exactly like the original plans. It's now used as the John C. Raeside Administration Building. |
| 62 | Pere Gabriel Richard Elementary School |
 |
(#94000752) |
176 McKinley Ave. 42°23′43″N 82°54′18″W / 42.395278°N 82.905°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | This school, named after Father Gabriel Richard, was designed in the French Renaissance style. It opened in September 1930. |
| 63 | Rosedale Gardens Historic District |
 |
(#10000478) |
Arden St. to Hubbard St. between Plymouth Rd. and West Chicago St. 42°21′54″N 83°21′29″W / 42.365°N 83.358056°W |
Livonia | Rosedale Gardens was planned in the 1920s, similar to Rosedale Park in Detroit. Construction stopped during the Great Depression but later continued with brick homes. |
| 64 | St. Florian Historic District |
 |
(#84001865) |
Roughly bounded by Joseph Campau Ave., Holbrook Ave., Dequindre, Norwalk, Lumpkin, and Yemans Sts. 42°23′41″N 83°03′42″W / 42.394722°N 83.061667°W |
Hamtramck | St. Florian parish was started in 1907 to serve the Polish community in Hamtramck. This grand church was built and opened in 1928. |
| 65 | St. James Episcopal Church |
 |
(#71000434) |
25150 E. River Rd. 42°07′29″N 83°08′33″W / 42.124722°N 83.1425°W |
Grosse Ile | St. James Episcopal Church was built in 1867. Money for the church came mostly from Lisette Denison Forth, a freed slave who left her savings for this purpose. The red doors honor her memory. |
| 66 | Saint Paul Catholic Church Complex |
 |
(#94000621) |
157 Lake Shore Dr. 42°23′41″N 82°53′37″W / 42.394722°N 82.893611°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | St. Paul Roman Catholic parish was the first Catholic parish in the Grosse Pointes, started in 1835. The current church building was completed in 1899 in the French Gothic Revival style. |
| 67 | Carl E. and Alice Candler Schmidt House |
 |
(#05000909) |
301 Lake Shore Rd. 42°24′18″N 82°53′18″W / 42.405°N 82.888333°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | Carl E. Schmidt, a successful tanner and friend of Michigan's governor, built this Shingle-style house with his wife Alice in 1909. |
| 68 | Sheldon Inn |
 |
(#00000618) |
44134 Michigan Ave. (Canton Township) 42°16′31″N 83°28′28″W / 42.275278°N 83.474444°W |
Sheldon | The Sheldon Inn is a two-story Greek Revival building. It was built in 1825 by Timothy and Rachel Sheldon, one of the first families to settle in Canton Township, and was used as a home and a travelers' inn. |
| 69 | George and Mary Pine Smith House |
 |
(#00000619) |
3704 S. Sheldon Rd. (Canton Township) 42°16′47″N 83°28′37″W / 42.279722°N 83.476944°W |
Sheldon | This house was built in 1904 by George Smith Jr. and Mary Pine, continuing a long family tradition of farming in Canton Township. |
| 70 | South Pointe Drive – Frenchman's Creek Bridge |
 |
(#00000117) |
South Pointe Dr. over Frenchman's Creek 42°06′09″N 83°10′20″W / 42.1025°N 83.172222°W |
Grosse Ile | This concrete bridge was completed in 1939, with workers from the Works Progress Administration. |
| 71 | Springwells Park Historic District |
 |
(#14001046) |
Rotunda Dr., the Michigan Central Railroad line, and Greenfield and Eastham Rds. 42°18′29″N 83°11′38″W / 42.3081°N 83.194°W |
Dearborn | This neighborhood was built by the Ford Foundation. It has homes, apartments, shops, and parks, with curving streets and many cul-de-sacs. |
| 72 | Starkweather School |
 |
(#16000762) |
550 N. Holbrook St. 42°22′42″N 83°27′34″W / 42.378329°N 83.459423°W |
Plymouth | The 1927 Starkweather School is the only school from its time still standing in Plymouth. It was designed by famous school architects. |
| 73 | William B. and Mary Chase Stratton House |
 |
(#84001867) |
938 Three Mile Dr. 42°22′43″N 82°55′24″W / 42.378611°N 82.923333°W |
Grosse Pointe Park | This house was built in 1927 by architect William B. Stratton and his wife Mary Chase Perry Stratton, a ceramic artist. It was inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. |
| 74 | Trinity United Methodist Church |
 |
(#82002921) |
13100 Woodward Ave. 42°24′05″N 83°05′37″W / 42.401389°N 83.093611°W |
Highland Park | Trinity United Methodist was built as a mission church for people in Highland Park who lived too far from their main church. It is now known as the New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. |
| 75 | Ephraim and Emma Woodworth Truesdell House |
 |
(#03000174) |
1224 Haggerty Rd. 42°17′56″N 83°26′54″W / 42.298889°N 83.448333°W |
Canton | This house is one of the most beautifully made homes in the township and is connected to an important local family. |
| 76 | US 12 Bridges |
 |
(#00000041) |
US 12 over I-94 and westbound I-94 ramp 42°19′35″N 83°09′39″W / 42.326389°N 83.160833°W |
Dearborn | The US 12 Bridges are two bridges built in 1948-49. They were part of the "Crosstown Expressway," a big road planned to carry traffic through Detroit. |
| 77 | Carlton D. Wall House |
 |
(#94000620) |
12305 Beck Rd. 42°22′16″N 83°30′42″W / 42.371111°N 83.511667°W |
Plymouth | The Carlton D. Wall House is a special Usonian home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1941. It's built with hexagons radiating from a central point. |
| 78 | Waltz Road – Huron River Bridge |
 |
(#00000081) |
Waltz Rd. over Huron R. 42°09′40″N 83°24′10″W / 42.161111°N 83.402778°W |
Huron Township | This bridge was built in 1924 by the Wayne County Road Commission. It replaced an older footbridge that helped children get to school. |
| 79 | West Jefferson Avenue – Rouge River Bridge |
 |
(#00000079) |
W. Jefferson Ave. over Rouge R. 42°16′50″N 83°07′44″W / 42.280556°N 83.128889°W |
River Rouge | Built in 1922, this special bridge can open up to let big ships pass through the Rouge River. It also allows cars to cross on West Jefferson Avenue. |
| 80 | Wilson Barn |
 |
(#73000962) |
NE corner of Middlebelt and W. Chicago Rds. 42°21′53″N 83°19′55″W / 42.364722°N 83.331944°W |
Livonia | This barn was rebuilt in 1919 by Ira Wilson after the first one burned down. Wilson later built a huge dairy and trucking business. |
| 81 | John T. Woodhouse House |
 |
(#05000715) |
33 Old Brook Ln. 42°24′24″N 82°53′18″W / 42.406667°N 82.888333°W |
Grosse Pointe Farms | The John T. Woodhouse House is a private home designed by George D. Mason. |
| 82 | Wyandotte Odd Fellows Temple |
 |
(#09000527) |
81 Chestnut St. 42°12′19″N 83°08′58″W / 42.205144°N 83.149517°W |
Wyandotte | The Wyandotte Odd Fellows Temple was built in 1911 by a fraternal organization called the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The city of Wyandotte bought the building in 2008 to save it. |
Historic Listings That Moved or Were Removed
Some historic places that were once listed in Wayne County have either moved to new locations or have been torn down.
Historic Ships That Moved
These listings were once in Wayne County but have since moved.
| Name on the Register |
Image | Date listed | Current Location | Location when Listed | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia (Steamer) |
 |
(#79001171) |
Marine A Grain Elevator, Buffalo River at Silo City Row, Buffalo, New York 42°51′39″N 78°51′44″W / 42.860878°N 78.862312°W |
360 E Great Lakes St, Ecorse 42°15'39"N 83°07'30"W | This passenger steamship used to carry people to Bois Blanc Island (Boblo). It's one of the last ships of its kind. The Columbia and its sister ship, the Ste. Claire, were listed in 1979. After their service ended in 1991, they moved to Ecorse and became National Historic Landmarks in 1992. The Columbia has since moved to Buffalo, New York, for repairs. |
| 2 | Ste. Claire (Steamer) |
 |
(#79001177) |
Rouge River south bank, east of S. Dix Street Bridge, Detroit (Southwest) 42°17′45″N 83°09′02″W / 42.295833°N 83.150556°W |
360 E Great Lakes St, Ecorse 42°15'37"N 83°07'26"W | This ship also carried passengers to Bois Blanc Island (Boblo) from 1910 to 1991. Like its sister ship, the Columbia, it was listed in 1979 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1992. The Ste. Claire has moved around but was docked in the Rouge River in Detroit in 2016. |
Historic Buildings That Are No Longer Standing
| Name on the Register | Image | Date listed | Date removed | Location | City or town | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge Mansion (Grosse Point Farms, Michigan) |
 |
(#71001096) |
|
12 Lakeshore Dr. |
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan | The Dodge Mansion, also called Rose Terrace, was a huge, 42,000 square foot French-style mansion built in 1931-34. It overlooked Lake St. Clair. The owner, Anna Dodge, lived there until she passed away in 1970, and the house was torn down in 1976. |
Images for kids
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This map shows the different towns and cities within Wayne County. The shaded areas are incorporated cities.
