This year, seven properties in Michigan have already been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Register of Historic Places is an official list of historic buildings, structures, districts and objects deemed worthy of preservation by the federal government due to their historical significance. It’s a National Park Service program that is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
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In 2025, 13 properties were added to the list, including the Dearborn Country Club, the Ferry Street Historic District and the St. Mary of Redford Catholic Church complex.
--> Click here for the full 2025 list.
“Each of these newly-listed Michigan places tells an important story about our state, our shared history, and the communities we call home,” said National Register Coordinator Todd Walsh. “From southeast Michigan to the lakeshore, we see how people came here, built lives for their families, strengthened their towns, and left lasting legacies. We see stories of service, courage, and dedication to keeping Michiganders safe. And we see how a commitment to helping others continues to shape who we are. The National Register is more than a list on paper—it is the people, the places, and the stories that make Michigan a great place to live."
In 2024, 11 Michigan properties were added to the list, while 19 properties were added in 2023.
To be considered for the list, a property must be at least 50 years old and have historical significance in terms of major events or trends within that community, state or the nation.
The site must also have historical integrity (the ability to convey its significance) to receive this designation.
Here’s a look at the Michigan properties that have been added to the list so far in 2026:
Odd Fellows Hall
- Location: Midland (Midland County)
- Date listed: Jan. 8, 2026
Odd Fellows Hall building first went up in 1876 as the Harris Block, with storefronts at street level, storage above.
Starting in 1878, a third-floor meeting space for a local chapter of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, according to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office.
In 1914, IOOF Midland Lodge No. 418 purchased the building as its meeting hall, and for more than a century, the lodge used the hall for meetings and community events.
Members played an active role in local life, promoting mutual aid, civic pride, and charitable initiatives that supported organizations across the area.
The lodge occupied the building until 2022, when it consolidated with another chapter.
Now, the upper floors are being rehabilitated into apartments.
Zeeland Record Company Building
- Location: Zeeland (Ottawa County)
- Date listed: Jan. 8, 2026
Since 1925, the Zeeland Record Company Building, at 16 South Elm Street, has been known for its role in telling the city’s story.
The Zeeland Record newspaper traces its roots to 1893, and after outgrowing several locations, owner Adrian Van Koevering built a home for the operation at this building.
The SHPO said that through the 1920s, the company expanded beyond local news, adding publications with regional and national readership, which was a remarkable accomplishment for a small-town printer.
The paper brought outside news into Zeeland while sending information about Zeeland’s chick hatching industry and religious community life out.
Two front offices handled business transactions, while a large, column-free shop room in the rear gave workers the flexibility to move heavy printing equipment as needs changed.
The owner sold the business to his sons in 1947.
The building currently serves as the offices of a construction contractor, but a 1906 printing press, a 1940 paper shear, and other artifacts from the Zeeland Record are still inside, according to the SHPO.
Manistee Fire Station
- Location: Manistee (Manistee County)
- Date listed: Jan. 20, 2026
The Manistee Fire Station is the oldest continuously operated fire station in Michigan.
The station is a two-story, pressed-brick structure that is anchored at one end by a two-and-a-half-story tower topped with a copper dome, according to the SHPO.
In 1871, on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire, there was also a devastating fire in Manistee.
This prompted the city to build a new firehouse in 1888/1889 to house the city’s new professional fire department.
When it opened, it had electric doors and a tall lookout tower that had also been used for drying hoses.
“In the early days, the daily ritual of firemen practicing the swift hitching of horse teams became a source of pride, both for the firemen and for the community,” according to the SHPO. “Photographs show schoolchildren gathered across the street from the fire station on the steps of the Third Ward Elementary School to witness the demonstration at noon each day, forging a unique bond between the fire department and the town’s residents.”
Bagley-West Vernor Historic District
- Location: Southwest Detroit (Wayne County)
- Date Listed: Jan. 22, 2026
The Bagley-West Vernor district covers Detroit’s popular Mexicantown neighborhood and includes several well-known restaurants and other landmarks along the two streets.
The designation recognizes the district’s significance in Hispanic ethnic heritage, social history, and commerce, according to the SHPO. Its contributing properties date from 1920 to 1975.
Cooley School
- Location: Cadillac (Wexford County)
- Date Listed: Jan. 22, 2026
The original two-building Cooley school complex opened in 1924 and was built on the site of a school that previously served the Cadillac area.
It was designed by district architect Judson Newell Churchill as part of a broader effort to modernize educational facilities in the city. It features a two-story layout based on an “I”-shaped floor plan, a style commonly used in early 20th-century school design.
Unlike some of Churchill’s more decorative work, Cooley School has a more understated appearance, with simple brickwork and minimal ornamentation that reflect a practical design approach, according to the SHPO.
In 1964, the school was expanded with the addition of an Annex building to address growing student enrollment.
This added four extra classrooms and was designed with cost-efficiency in mind.
Its architectural style reflects mid-century trends, including reduced window space, the use of fluorescent lighting, and colorful tile finishes in the hallways.
The school closed in 2017. It is in the process of being converted into housing.
“After a school closes, the building(s) can be great candidates for adaptive reuse, serving the neighborhood in a new way such as housing, community space, or for small businesses,” the SHPO said in a social media post announcing The Cooley School‘s addition to the National Register of Historic Places. “Historic preservation can be a key solution to addressing important regional needs such as housing.”
Washington Square Historic District
- Location: Holland (Ottawa County)
- Date Listed: Jan. 26, 2026
The Washington Square Historic District is a one-block commercial corridor in the middle of a neighborhood located southwest of Holland’s downtown area.
The district’s period of significance was from 1911 to 1958, with the oldest building illustrating early twentieth-century commerce.
Other buildings in the district reflect how local commerce developed before World War II, while those constructed after the war highlight changes in business practices and broader societal shifts. Together, they show how the area evolved over time.
The district was nominated for historic designation by graduate students from the University of Notre Dame’s Master of Science in Historic Preservation program.
Their research included site visits, archival work and the review of maps and other historical records for each building.
According to the SHPO, being listed on the National Register fosters community pride and helps guide future planning by recognizing the importance of the past.
It also allows property owners in the district to access historic preservation tax credits to support building rehabilitation.
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Parsonage, and Cemetery
- Location: Northfield Township (Washtenaw County)
- Date Listed: Feb. 23, 2026
St. John’s Church was founded in 1869 by Reverend Friedrich Schmid, a German immigrant who went on to establish more than 20 Lutheran congregations throughout Southeast Michigan. Its early membership was largely drawn from German settlers who began arriving in the Northfield Township area in the 1830s, according to the SHPO.
The church stands as a notable example of Gothic Revival religious architecture, reflecting both the cultural heritage of its congregation and the character of the surrounding rural communities in the northern part of Washtenaw County.
Its recognized period of significance extends from 1874 to 1974.
More information on National Register listings
The National Park Service releases weekly lists of properties across the U.S. as they are named on the National Register of Historic Places. To see those lists, visit here.
Being listed on the register allows property owners to utilize historic preservation tax credits to rehabilitate their historic buildings. For more on the nomination and listing process, visit here.
To learn about the Michigan properties as they are added to the list throughout the year, you can visit the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.