Broken off from the western portion of Monroe County in 1826, Lenawee County was the eighth county formally organized in the Michigan Territory (later the state of Michigan in 1837). With an estimated population at approximately 100,800, Lenawee County is ranked 21st in population of Michigan's 83 counties. Lenawee County currently has 43 listings on the National Register of Historic Places.
Constructed in 1855, the main feature of this fire station is a landmark tower that is one of the tallest structures in the city. It was the oldest continuously operating fire station in Michigan when it closed in 1987.
The Adrian Public Library was built in 1909 with funding from the Andrew Carnegie Library Fund. It no longer functions as a library. Today, the building houses the Lenawee County Historical Museum.
Built in 1866, it is recognized as the oldest continuously running theater in Michigan. Located in downtown Adrian, the property consists of the Croswell Opera House and the adjoining Adrian Union Hall.
Located in the downtown area of the village of Blissfield, the district contains 44 listed properties dating back to 1875 and consists of numerous architectures and mixed uses. It is the most recent addition to the county's listings on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Brookside Cemetery dates back to 1853. A Civil War memorial was erected in the cemetery in 1882, and the stone-arch entrance was constructed in 1913. Many early settlers of the county are buried here.
Built around 1851 for David Carpenter, a local merchant and landowner, this large house has undergone a few additions and modifications over the years, and today, it serves as a restaurant known as the Hathaway House.
Located in downtown Tecumseh, this house was constructed in 1866 by renown local architect Salmon Crane, who built it for Dr. Catlin. The house went through various owners and today serves as an insurance office.
Erected in 1870, this stone monument was once a column belonging to the Bank of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It was erected to commemorate soldiers from Adrian who died in the American Civil War.
Constructed in 1888 in downtown Adrian, the building served as the headquarters for the Adrian Lodge of the Odd Fellows. It was sold in 1986 and currently houses Maggard Razors.
Located around the intersection of Tecumseh/Jackson Street and U.S. Route 12, the district traces its origins to the village's founding in 1837. Designated in April 2010, it is the newest historic listing in Lenawee County.
Located near downtown Adrian, this house was built in the 1840s and purchased by Charles Croswell in the 1850s. He later went on to become governor of Michigan from 1877–1881. The house now serves as a museum.
Built in the 1830s, the building has served a variety of purposes, ranging from a tavern, general store, post office, and stopoff for stagecoaches. Today, it serves as an inn known as the Bauer Manor.
This historic district contains 80 residential buildings comprising a number of architectural styles. Located in southern Adrian, it consists of two blocks of houses with most dating back around the 1860s, with the oldest built in 1835. A single property, the Bidwell Mansion, was added to the district as a boundary increase in 1979.
This district includes most of Adrian's downtown area. Most buildings are 2–3 story commercial businesses; the oldest buildings date back to 1865. The district encompasses a variety of architectural styles.
Built in 1826, this house is the oldest residential house in the county and among the oldest in the state. The house has been moved from its original location but has maintained its original appearance as a private dwelling.
The church itself dates back to 1829, and the current building was built in 1849 by Reverend John Monteith. It is one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the state and the oldest church in Blissfield.
This unique structure is the largest of the two octagon houses in the county. Heman Goodrich, who built this house in 1861, was one of the earliest settlers in Hudson. Each facade is 15 feet (4.6 m) long.
Built around 1870, this modest house was first owned by Joseph Hall, who was a local jeweler. It is one of the many valued properties designed by local architect Salmon Crane. The house remains privately owned.
Built in 1847, it was one of the earliest homes in Hudson. The Hall family maintained ownership for many years until they sold it to the city, where it was torn down to make room for commercial development.
Built in 1860, this detailed Italianatevilla was built by local miller William Hayden. He purchased and operated the Globe Flour Mill, which was the backbone of Tecumseh's economy in the late-nineteenth century.
Covering 40 acres (16 hectares) in rural Fairfield, it was first settled in 1888. Built with Queen Anne Style, the farmhouse remains privately owned. There are several other buildings on the property as well.
This commercial center dates back to 1837 with the arrival of the railways, and Hudson thrived as a trading center from 1854–1891. Most of the buildings maintain their original appearance and serve as storefronts.
Constructed in 1924, the two wooden observation tourist towers are along U.S. Route 12 in the Irish Hills region in the northernmost portion of the county. They have been closed to the public since 2000.
Built in 1896, this 254-foot-10+1⁄2-inch (77.686 m) long truss bridge carries a single line over the River Raisin. It is an active railroad, and Southern Michigan Railroad Society passenger trains cross it. It is the county's only bridge on the National Register.
Consisting of 256 acres (104 hectares) along M-50 in rural Franklin Township, this apple orchard was settled and owned by the Keeney family since 1835. The current farmhouse was constructed between 1865–1868.
Constructed in 1905 for local carpenter George Kempf, this two-story house is a well-preserved mix between Queen Anne and Colonial Revival architecture. Kempf and his brother built many houses in Tecumseh.
When the county seat was moved from Tecumseh to Adrian in 1837, the courthouse was built but burned down in 1852. The current Romanesque courthouse was completed in 1885 and stands near downtown Adrian.
Built in 1845, this Greek Revival house was built for Connecticut native Lorenzo Palmer in northeast Hudson when he moved to Michigan. The house has retained most of its original characteristics.
Built around 1845 by John and Hannah Pennington, the property itself was settled much earlier. Henry Ford purchased and restored the property in the 1930s. Ford later sold the property, and it remains privately owned.
Currently known as the Raisin Valley Friends Church, it was constructed in 1835 by Quaker settlers. It is recognized as the second oldest operating church building in the state of Michigan.
Recognized as the first Catholic church in Tecumseh, it was built in 1913. The expanding church moved to a new location in 1951. In 1982, the city purchased the building for the Historical Society of Tecumseh.
Located along U.S. Route 12 in the Irish Hills region, this stone church was constructed in 1854 and is one of the oldest operating churches in the region. The property has undergone numerous additions over the years.
This church was built in 1861 in part due to a surge in German immigrants. It is notable as the oldest Greek Revival Lutheran church building in Michigan. It continues to serve Lutherans in the Adrian area.
The church is significant as the home of Adrian's oldest Catholic congregation, which dates back to 1852. This church building was completed in 1871 and continues to serve the Catholic community.
The district, located near the junction of M-50 and U.S. Route 12, consists of a church and cemetery. The current church building was constructed in 1855. The cemetery is located next to the church.
Built in 1883, this Victorian house was built for sewing machine merchant G. P. Sparks. It is one of the most significant Upright and Wing houses in Tecumseh. It was once attached to a larger farm that no longer exists.
Comprising the historic commercial district of Tecumseh, the area grew when railways came through in the 1830s but development later halted when Tecumseh lost the county seat and the railway closed.
This residential district dates back to 1830 and includes a number of architectural styles. Located near downtown Tecumseh, it was designated in 1984 and officially expanded to include more Chicago Boulevard properties on May 18, 1990.
Built around 1866, Samuel Temple used the property for his lumber yard. It is one of the best examples of Italianate architecture in Tecumseh, although the house is currently vacant and unmaintained.
Built for local banker Gamaliel Thompson in 1890, it is one of the finest examples of Queen Anne style architecture in the United States in Michigan. The house now serves as a hall for special events.
This cobblestone home was built by one of Cambridge Township's earliest settlers, Nathaniel Wheeler, in 1845. The house has been passed through various owners but has undergone little changes in appearance.
^Numbers represent an alphabetical ordering by significant words. Various colorings, defined here, differentiate National Historic Landmarks and historic districts from other NRHP buildings, structures, sites or objects.
^The eight-digit number below each date is the number assigned to each location in the National Register Information System database, which can be viewed by clicking the number.