What state has an amazing number of historic homes? That would be Michigan. These beautiful homes are not just on Mackinaw Island, they are all over the state.

While doing research for this story, I was really taken aback at just how many towns have these amazing historic homes, most of which are well over a hundred years old.

I grew up in the small town of Owosso, and we had an abundance of beautiful old homes. Fun fact, we were not the only Michigan town to have such wonderful, regal, grand homes.

I read an article about historic homes in every state, and that got me thinking about those beautiful homes located here in Michigan.

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Most of the homes on the historical register, especially in the Upper Peninsula, were built by the lumber barons who spared no expense while building their magnificent homes. Each home built was more beautiful than the next, as the barons tried to outdo each other with some of the most opulent and over-the-top designs.

I love the fact that these homes, built by the Captains of Industry of their time, are a constant reminder of a time of elegance and design, and an era long gone. Seriously, can you even imagine how much it would cost to build one of those majestic homes today? We are talking Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg kind of money.

LOOK: Michigan’s Most Famous Historic Homes

There are quite a few historic homes in Michigan, even in the smallest of towns. A good number of these homes are well over 100 years old, and many are still private homes with families growing up between the historic walls.

LOOK: Famous Historic Homes in Every State

The 100 Best Places to Live in the Midwest

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

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