The United States is home to numerous historic residences that proudly serve as reminders of the eras in which they were built. Taking a glimpse at these olden estates apparently allows us to take a step back in time and gain a new perspective on history.
Today, we’ll be looking at some of the timeworn houses in major cities to learn more about the rich past of our beloved country.
1. Henry Overholser Mansion, 1903, Oklahoma City
This mansion that is located in the city of Oklahoma feels like one of those palaces from the Disney movie. Ain’t it? From the entrance to the roof surfaces, a unique sense of elegance is present throughout the structure that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotion.
2. Pomeroy Building, 1891, Arizona
The refurbishing of the building makes it look like a modern house but don’t get deceived by its rustic appearance. The delicate piece of infrastructure is the first known brick building in Arizona.
3. Tulsa’s Oldest House, 1885, Oklahoma
If there was a medal for architectural simplicity, this home in Tulsa would win all the awards. The wooden outer surface and tiled roof of the house make it feel welcoming. The barren trees in the front yard blend with the color and create overall soothing imagery.
4. Fresno Daily Expositor Building, 1881, California
The white house in the Fresno area of California used to be the first place constructed for the production of working newspapers. Over the years, the house has undergone some changes but the feel of the freshly printed paper remains.
5. Montgomery Building, 1881, Texas
Look around you. Do you see any box-shaped buildings in the suburb? The Montgomery building is perhaps the only remaining structure with this unique shape. Back then, it used to be a drug store. Now it is a pawn shop befitting for its appearance.
6. McAllister House, 1873, Colorado
What makes the McAllister house so unique is the color of the exterior. The owners used red bricks for the front portion and the roof was constructed with a bluish hue. The existence of chimneys in regular intervals further seals the deal.
7. Duppa House, 1870, Phoenix
The house looks as if it resided in the middle of the Saharan desert. The exterior was constructed using mud and sand. As time progressed, holes and cracks started to appear which made it look even more aesthetic.
8. Maynard’s House, 1860, Seattle
This quintessential house located in Seattle is from the 17th century. From the stripped exterior to the pointy roof, the house is living proof of the time when things weren’t as complicated as today.
9. Four Mile House, 1859, Denver
This estate was built in 1859 with the purpose of housing forworn travelers. Like modern day guest houses. After all these years, to be specific 165 years later, the establishment still gives off a welcoming vibe. Do you see it?
10. Bank of Florence, 1856, Nebraska
The building is a cherished memoir of some really really old corporate houses in Nebraska. From the outdoors to indoors, the Bank of Florence is so amazing. We’d say it is one of the finest places to sightsee if you are in Nebraska.
11. Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, 1855, Las Vegas
This Fort in this pic is not only a historic structure for Las Vegas; it is fair to call it one of the ancient establishments of the entire United States as well. It holds the reminiscences of Mormon missionaries who lived here during the 19th century.
12. Tigard Rogers House, 1855, Oregon
Would you believe us, if we told you this mansion is over a century old? A genuine shoutout to all who kept refurbishing to retain this architectural beauty of Oregon. The top design is beyond amazing.
13. Lady Adams Building, 1852, Sacramento
The dark windows on the front side make the formerly used office house look like a mysterious home. The tiny terraces just in front of the house complement the simplistic nature of the overall structure quite beautifully.
14. Albert G. Boone Store, 1850, Missouri
The color of this house almost makes it look like plastic homemade solely using colorful paper. While you may not take it seriously, the building played a crucial role in the Western trade industry and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
15. Ard Godfrey House, 1849, Minneapolis
Video game lovers will be delighted to see this house as the name of it features one of the most popular characters from the game, Elden Ring. Aside from the name, the frame residence building has an expansive area and velvety colors on the exterior that make it look beautiful.
16. La Casa Cordova, ca. 1848, Arizona
The symmetrical windows and the entrance door elevate the simplistic nature of this prehistoric house. The overall house has nothing too exaggerating however the vintage rear side turns the ordinary structure into something aesthetic.
17. Sharrock-Niblo Cabin, 1847, Dallas
This tiny box of delight is made fully with wood. With the greenery around the house, the Sharrock-Niblo cabin looks as if it’s a gift from Mother Nature herself.
18. Kellum-Noble House, 1847, Houston
The extensive boundaries of the Kellum-Noble house may seem unnecessary. But when the house is as grand as this one, every means of protection is completely needed.
19. Old St. Mary Parish, 1846, Milwaukee
The unique structure in Milwaukee is quite bizarre compared to the modern skyscrapers around. The saturated black color along with the large clock tower seems like it’s blending with the skies.
20. Fort Dallas Barracks, 1844, Miami
The barracks in Miami have extensive greenery on the front side. The stripped doors and windows of the house are a constant reminder of the horrors that occurred before.
21. 118 S. Westland Avenue, 1842, Florida
This radiant house in Florida is a symmetrical masterpiece. The owners might’ve been precise mathematicians in the previous life to curve such elegant shapes with no sign of error.
22. French Legation, 1841, Austin
The large column of the French legation has a mysterious feeling to it. You feel like you are entering a gigantic palace because of the magnitude of the columns but in reality, the area of the building is not that big.
23. Joseph Willis House, 1840, Atlanta
The beautiful tiling on the roof is perfect for blending with the beauties of Atlanta state. The black and gray color scheme of the house along with the grandiose entrance makes the house truly one of a kind.
24. Magevney House, 1836, Tennessee
The Magevney house may seem like a typical house in Tennessee. But what sets this old building apart is the compartmentalization. Each of the exterior and interior of the house has stripes and elegant shapes that make it look quite sophisticated.
25. James Ray-Buscher House, 1835, Indianapolis
In the Indianapolis area, you will mostly find old buildings with pointed roofs. The flat surface of this particular building is definitely quite unique. The gradient green colors on the exterior further elevate the imagery.
26. Noble-Seymour Crippen House, 1833, Chicago
In modern times, houses mostly have tiny windows that barely give a good look at the outside. This Chicago building has gigantic glass windows from which you can view the scenic beauty of the outside.
27. Charles Trowbridge House, 1826, Detroit
The elegant colors of the Charles Trowbridge house complement well with the greeneries of the outside. There are several windows on the exterior ranging from small to large shapes that shift the overall appearance from ordinary to magnificent.
28. 104 Fifth Avenue South, 1820, Nashville, Tennessee
The entire structure is built with bricks and it shows from the outside. With the elegant windows ornamented with subtle white colors, the house appears to be a breath of fresh air.
29. Avila Adobe, 1818, Los Angeles
The building is the oldest residence in Los Angeles. The sun-baked bricks of the interior look majestic. The slanted roof that we see today wasn’t always like this. Back in the day, it was as flat as paper.
30. Casa de Carrillo, 1810, San Diego
The oldest house in San Diego was sold to multiple owners. None of them seem to have any intention of preserving the condition. Lastly, the city of San Diego took matters into their own hands and turned the simple structure into a golf course.
31. Rancho Los Alamitos, 1804, Long Beach, California
Rancho Los Alamitos or the Bixby ranch named after the last owner is a peaceful structure that portrays the history of the rancho area. Currently, the site has amazing gardens, gift shops, and fields full of domestic animals.
32. Beers Family Log Cabin, 1804, Ohio
The wooden appearance of the house is calming on so many levels that it’s hard to describe. In the busy streets of Ohio, the cabin serves as a monumental structure that is a landmine of the state’s cultural significance.
33. Kingsley Plantation House, 1798, Jacksonville, Florida
The plantation was gigantic during the early days occupying about 710-720 acres of land. However, the forest took over a huge portion and now 60 acres of land remains that holds the structures. That’s more than enough to reveal the magnificence of the house.
34. Peralta Adobe, 1797, San Jose
The densely painted Peralta adobe has many features but the most astonishing part is the white color on the exterior. There is also a small structure on the outside that works more like a lucky charm for the house.
35. San Felipe de Neri Church, 1793, New Mexico
For those who seek to delve into the path of spirituality and religion, the elegant church with majestic colors is the place to go. The two high columns give you a divine feeling and the cross signs decorated on the front side make you feel like you have entered into the realm of god.
36. Mission Dolores, 1791, San Francisco
There is a Lovecraftian vibe to this particular old house. From the long columns to the saturated white color, you immediately feel like you are in the presence of a haunted house.
37. Zachary Taylor House, 1790, Kentucky
The 12th president of the United States, Zachary Taylor spent a considerable amount of his life in this house. The structure holds many memories and amulets of the deceased president although many modifications have been done since the Taylors left.
38. Hezekiah Alexander House – The Rock House, 1774, Charlotte
The exterior of the house feels like it’s made entirely of marble. There is no grandiose entrance to the house which makes the overall structure of the house far more appealing.
39. Joel Lane House, 1769, Raleigh, North Carolina
The garnet red colores house was built by Joel Lane who is famously been named as the father of the woke country. The structure currently serves as a museum that holds many prehistoric artifacts and emblems.
40. Mount Clare House, 1767, Baltimore
The colonial Georgian house was constructed by the most patriotic individual in the Maryland area, Charles Carroll. In addition to the many aesthetics of the house, the palladian pavilions and portico are perhaps the instruments that attract the mortal eye the most.
41. Old Stone House, 1766, Washington, D.C.
The name is quite fitting as the house seems like it’s dragged straight from the Stone Age. The elegant stairs that lead up to the entrance door are velvety white which further increases the ambience.
42. Old Ursuline Convent, 1752, New Orleans
The series of convent houses was built for a noble cause. It was constructed to help the young girls educate. There are three separate buildings. Perhaps, the most historic one is the second building as it was the place used as the orphanage.
43. Thoroughgood House, 1719, Virginia
You may have seen chimneys in some vintage residences in suburban areas. It adds a different vibe to a house, no? This eighteenth-century Virginia ranch we are seeing here, not only has one but two of them. Double vibe.
44. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 1716, San Antonio
Interestingly, this structure is also known as the birthplace of Orange County. Over the years, there have been many natural calamities that took a toll, thankfully later restorations preserved their natural glory. As we can see.
45. Fowle-Reed-Wyman House, ca. 1706, Massachusetts
At first glance, the building looks like a red velvet cake. Don’t you agree? The neat details in the design combined with the color scheme of this building clearly tick all the boxes for being an eye-pleasing vintage house.
46. Wynnestay, 1689, Philadelphia
The historical house of Philadelphia was built by Dr, Thomas Wynee. It was modified in 1904 by attaching a large cell in the upper compartment. If you are thinking of visiting the place, remember to book an appointment beforehand.
47. James Blake House, 1661, Boston
The western English-style house situated just a block from Massachusetts Avenue is famous for its post-medieval structure. If you want a tour, you should come on the third Sunday of each month.
48. Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, 1652, New York
Purely black houses are rare to find. Most modern houses tend to be on the colorful side. The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum has a dense black color on the surface that takes on a black-and-white rollercoaster.
49. Cataldo Mission, 1850, Idaho
This area has three separate establishments including a church, a parish house, and a state park. The church is undoubtedly the most eye-catching because of its fabric-covered walls.
50. Middleburg Plantation, 1697, South Carolina
We have all read about the colonial era but seeing the events truly unfolding in front of our eyes is a different feeling. To experience such an intense vibe, you need to visit the Middleburg plantation. The structure is renowned for its unique seventeenth-century construction.
