The Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn, one of the industrial wonders of the world; the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, which allowed exploitation of the mineral resources of the Lake Superior region; and the Herbert H. Dow House in Midland, home of the father of Dow Chemical Corporation, all illustrate the contributions of Michiganians to the nation's historical development. These three nationally significant properties are among over thirty Michigan properties and two thousand properties nationwide landmarked in the last three decades to commemorate the history, prehistory and culture of the United States and to preserve a record of our past.

The National Park Service conducts the National Historic Landmarks Program for the Secretary of the Interior to identify, designate, and encourage the preservation of buildings, structures, sites, and objects of national significance. Other organizations and government agencies, such as the Bay View Preservation Guild, Marshall Historical Society, Michigan Capitol Committee and the Keweenaw National Historical Park initiative have cooperatively shared knowledge with the State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Historical Center, and the park service and worked jointly to identify, designate and preserve National Historic Landmarks.

Landmarks are nominated based on studies prepared or overseen by park service professionals. Potential landmarks are nominated through theme studies and other special studies. Theme studies, each related to an aspect of American culture, provide a comparative analysis of properties dealing with the same subject. Thus, the broad thematic studies of America's archaeology, discovery and settlement, wars and westward movement conducted by the Historic Sites Surveys in Michigan in the 1960s led to the landmarking of the Norton Mound Group, the center of Hopewellian culture in this area; Mackinac Island, the site of Fort Mackinac and the northern headquarters of Astor's American Fur Company until 1840; Fort Michilimackinac; and St. Ignace Mission, site of a mission established by Father Marquette.

An assessment of nearly one thousand industrial and engineering sites identified in the Historic American Engineering Record inventory conducted by Charles K. Hyde in Michigan in 1975 to 1978 noted five of Michigan's most significant automobile plants associated with Ford, Olds and Durant. Maritime theme studies in the 1980s and 1990s have recognized the classic excursion steamer Columbia that carried amusement goers from Detroit to Boblo Island; the Huron lightship that once marked the entrance from Lake Huron to the shipping channel in the St. Clair River; and the City of Milwaukee, a Great Lakes railroad car ferry. The moving of the USS Silversides to Muskegon from Navy Pier in Chicago added to Michigan's landmark roster this submarine associated with World War II in the Pacific.

Several buildings that the State Historic Preservation Office and others considered to be of national architectural significance were inspected by Carolyn Pitts, architectural historian for the National Historic Landmarks program, in the summer of 1988, and nominations were prepared for Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills; the Alden B. Dow Studio and Home, Midland; Fisher Building, Detroit; the Fox Theatre, Detroit; the Guardian Building, Detroit; and the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island. Recently a study of women's history led to the designation of Mary Chase Stratton's Pewabic Pottery.

In a special study precipitated by the Keweenaw National Historical Park initiative in the late 1980s the Calumet Historic District and the Quincy Mining Company Historic District in the Keweenaw that express the rich mining heritage of the Upper Midwest were evaluated and landmarked prior to the establishment of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

Nominations are evaluated by the National Park System Advisory Board, a committee of scholars and interested citizens. This committee reviews National Historic Landmark nominations. The board recommends properties that should be designated by the Secretary of the Interior. Final decisions on designation are made by the Secretary of the Interior.

National Historic Landmarks help us understand the history of the nation. Historic properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places are primarily of state and local significance. Many historic houses are listed in the National Register of Historic Places because of their historically significant associations with people who have contributed to events in the community in which they are located. However, Fair Lane, the Henry Ford House in Dearborn, is nationally significant as the home of the man who revolutionized American transportation by mass-producing an inexpensive car. All National Historic Landmarks are included in the National Register, the nation's list of properties worthy of preservation.

Owners of many of Michigan's National Historic Landmarks have taken advantage of the benefits available through listing. For example, rehabilitation of the Fox Theatre and office building was assisted with the 20% federal historic preservation income tax credit. Using, in part, matching Historic Preservation Fund grants-in-aid from the Department of the Interior through the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the Genesee County Historical Society acquired the Durant-Dort Carriage Company Office, prepared a detailed restoration plan for the building and restored the exterior. Trizek Properties, Inc., proudly displays an official Department of the Interior National Historic Landmark bronze plaque at the West Grand Boulevard entrance to the Fisher Building. The village of Calumet is receiving professional technical preservation services to plan for the protection and enhancement of their historic buildings.

With a special mix of Indian mounds, forts, mighty factories, skyscrapers, ships, houses and attractive resorts, Michigan's National Historic Landmarks speak with simple eloquence of the nation as a whole. Their designation fosters a deeper appreciation of their historic and associative importance.

For information about any of the programs described on this site, write the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Historical Center, P.O. Box 30740, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48909-8240, or call us at (517) 373-1630.

Tuesday, October 1, 2002
Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
© 2002 Michigan Historical Center
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