Unique Victorian charm is abundant in this corner of northwest Michigan. Visitors can see buildings that were constructed during the 1870s through 1900s, when the Victorian and Queen Anne styles of architecture were popular. The buildings are original structures, restored to their former elegance. In the Bay View area alone, there are nearly 500 Victorian-era buildings. They've earned Bay View an early designation as a National Historic Landmark.
Visitors can take walking tours that wind past art centers, stately hotels and inns.
Both Petoskey and Harbor Springs became famous in the last half of the 19th century when they were established as summer resort communities. The picturesque town of Petoskey, located on Little Traverse Bay, was known as Bear River when the first missionary arrived in 1855. Petoskey was officially granted a charter in 1879. Great Lakes freighters ferried lumber to ports around the Midwest. Lumber from the region was instrumental in helping rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire.