This article attempts to list the oldest extant buildings in the state of Michigan in the United States. Some dates are approximate and based upon dendochronology, architectural studies, and historical records.
To be listed here a site must: date prior to 1850; or be the oldest building in a region, large city, or oldest of its type (church, government building, style, etc.)
List
+List of Oldest Buildings in MichiganNameImageLocationDate of ConstructionTypeNotes Officer's Stone Quarters of Fort Mackinac Mackinac Island 1780 Military Oldest structure within the fort and oldest building in Michigan. McGulpin House Mackinac Island Residential Architectural style could predate 1780. Relocated in 1981. Rare example of French-Canadian architecture in Michigan. Oldest house in Michigan. Biddle House Mackinac Island Residential/fur trading Restored in 1959.William Tucker ResidenceHarrison TownshipC.1784ResidentialAfter being kidnapped and raised by a local Chippewa tribe from age eleven to age eighteen, William Tucker was given 18 square miles of land by the tribe, who later helped him build a log cabin on the land to become his residence. The home has since been refaced with brick, but parts of the original structure remain intact beneath. Navarre-Anderson Trading Post Frenchtown Charter Township 1789 Trading postOldest building in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Cookhouse at Navarre-Anderson Trading Post complex Frenchtown Charter Township 1810 Cookhouse, food preparation Robert Stuart House Mackinac Island 1817 ResidentialHome of American Fur Company agent Robert Stuart. John Johnston House Sault Ste. Marie 1822 ResidentialHome of North West Company fur trader John Johnston. Oldest building in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. John W. Hunter House Birmingham 1822 Residential James H. Murray House Linden ResidentialGreek Revival house of James H. Murray. Mission House Mackinac Island 1825 School/residentialMissionary constructed by William Montague Ferry and operated by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to spread Christianity to Native Americans. Sheldon Inn Canton 1825 Residential/inn Fort Gratiot Light Port Huron 1825 Lighthouse First lighthouse constructed in Michigan. Edward Loranger House Frenchtown Charter Township 1825 ResidentialConsidered to be one of the oldest unaltered structures in Michigan. Charles Trowbridge House Detroit 1826 Residential Oldest documented building in the city of Detroit.Eric J. Hill, John Gallagher, American Institute of Architects Detroit Chapter, AIA Detroit , Wayne State University Press, 2002, , p.232 Musgrove Evans House Tecumseh 1826 ResidentialOldest building in Lenawee County. Elmwood Sault Ste. Marie 1827 Indian Affairs Relocated and renovated in 1979. William Starkweather House Plymouth 1828 Residential Built by Plymouth's first settler, William Starkweather, the house at 150 S. Union Street, is the oldest house in Plymouth. It is still functional and occupied. Mission Church Mackinac Island 1829 Religious Oldest surviving church In Michigan. Barn at Joshua Simmons' farm Livonia 1829 Farm buildingFirst barn constructed in Livonia. Wing–Allore House Monroe 1829 Residential Former home of Austin Eli Wing and his descendants. Now a funeral parlor. Ward-Holland House Marine City 1830 Residential Former home of shipbuilders Samuel Ward and Robert Holland. Funke-Bregger Livery Bangor 1830 Residential Former Stagecoach Livery Land Office White Pigeon 1831 GovernmentFormer United States General Land Office agency on the Sauk Trail. Caswell House Troy 1832 Residential Murdoch Log House Berrien Springs 1832 ResidentialOriginal county seat of Berrien County. Thunder Bay Island Light Alpena 1832 Lighthouse Walker Tavern Cambridge Township Residential/tavern Commandant's Quarters Dearborn 1833 MilitaryOriginally a U.S. Army supply depot. Bagley Inn Bloomfield Hills 1833 Residential/tavern St. Mary's Church Monroe 1834 Religious Joseph Campau House Detroit 1835 Residential Governor John S. Barry House Constantine 1835 Residential Marantette House Mendon 1835 Residential Sharon Mill Manchester 1835 Agricultural Raisin Valley Friends Meetinghouse Adrian 1835 Religious Ticknor-Campbell House Ann Arbor 1835 Residential Old Tavern Inn Sumnerville Tavern Oldest business in Michigan Hubbard-Kesby House Milford Residential Botsford Inn Farmington 1836 TavernCalkins law officeGrand Rapids 1836law office Orrin White House Ann Arbor 1836-1840 ResidentialSt. Mark's Episcopal Grand Rapids 1836 Religious Rogers MansionWyoming MI1836ResidentialOldest house in Kent county. Indian Dormitory Mackinac Island 1837 Residential/school Constructed as a dormitory for Native Americans visiting the Indian agency on Mackinac Island. Now known as the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum. St. Ignace Mission St. Ignace 1837 Religious Oldest Roman Catholic church in Michigan. Relocated in 1954. Franklin Cider Mill Franklin 1837 Agricultural Trombley House Bay City Residential Oldest frame house still standing in Bay County. Relocated to Veterans Memorial Park in 1981. Andrews-Leggett House Commerce Township Residential Indian Dormitory Mackinac Island 1838 Residential/ GovernmentalRogers houseWyoming, MI1838-1839Residentialoriginally built in 1838, burned down and rebuilt in 1839. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2015/05/the_rogers_mansion_said_to_be.html Governor's Mansion Marshall 1839 ResidentialHouse built by Whig politician J. Wright Gordon in a campaign to make Marshall the state capital. Berrien Springs Courthouse Berrien Springs 1839 Governmental Oldest courthouse in Michigan. Judge Robert S. Wilson House Ann Arbor Residential South Manitou Island Lighthouse South Manitou Island 1839-40 Lighthouse President's House, University of Michigan Ann Arbor 1840 Residential The oldest building at Michigan's oldest university, the University of Michigan. Old Presque Isle Light Presque Isle 1840 Lighthouse Smith's Chapel Niles 1840 Religious Governor Robert McClelland House Monroe 1841 ResidentialFormer home of Robert McClelland. Joshua Simmons House Livonia 1841 Residential Another house on the farm may have been built in 1826 Dougherty Mission House Old Mission 1842 ResidentialOldest frame building in Grand Traverse County and one of the oldest in northern Michigan. Paw Paw City Hall Paw Paw 1842 Government Relocated in 1900. St. Augustine Catholic Church Hartland Township 1843 Religious Paine Bank Niles 1843 Commercial Ladies' Literary Club Building Ypsilanti Residential Abram W. Pike House Grand Rapids 1844 Residential Old Wing Mission Holland 1844 Residential/ ReligiousOriginally a Presbyterian mission. Oldest house in Holland, Michigan. Some buildings at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park Copper Harbor 1844 MilitaryU.S. Army fort built to provide law enforcement and navigation on Lake Superior during the Michigan copper boom. Ballard-Breakey House Ypsilanti 1845 Residential Construction may have started in 1830s 1244 Randolph Detroit Commercial A rare surviving commercial building in Detroit dating from the 1840s. Rudolph Nims House Monroe 1846 Residential Lapeer County Courthouse Lapeer 1846 CourthouseOldest registered property in Lapeer County. Pillar Church Holland 1847 Religious Sessions Schoolhouse Ionia 1847 School Often considered the oldest schoolhouse in Michigan. Restored in 1918. Barracks of Fort Wayne Detroit 1848 Military Fortress constructed due to tensions with British Canada during the Patriot War and used during the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, and much of the Cold War. Oldest remaining military structure in Detroit. Sibley House Detroit 1848 ResidentialOriginal home of Solomon Sibley. Saints Peter and Paul Church Detroit 1848 ReligiousOriginal cathedral of the Diocese of Detroit and campus of the University of Detroit-Mercy. Mariners' Church Detroit 1849 ReligiousEpiscopal parish church in Downtown Detroit serving foreign mariners on the Great Lakes.
See also List of the oldest buildings in the United States National Register of Historic Places listings in Michigan
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