Negaunee, shown above, and Ishpeming are being recognized with a historic designation by the National Register of Historic Places. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that the downtown areas of two Upper Peninsula cities gained historic designation recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.

Negaunee and Ishpeming were announced as two of the three Michigan cities that were honored for their historical significance, joined by downstate Wayland.

Recognition by the National Register of Historic Places allows the designated cities to access historic preservation tax credits which can help offset the costs of maintaining and rehabilitating historic buildings and landmarks.

“Michigan is home to so many historic, beautiful communities,” said Whitmer in a press release. “This designation will help local economies in and around these three downtowns and help us continue growing Michigan’s economy, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering costs for working families.”

The Ishpeming district that has received the designation contains all of the buildings from Front Street to Ready Street. Many of the buildings in the district date as far back as the 1880s including the building that is home to Jackson’s Hardware and the Anderson building which was built in 1891.

“This is a great leap forward for the city of Ishpeming. We believe that this will create a new platform for enticing developers to come and revitalize our town,” said Ishpeming City Manager Craig Cugini in the release. “The benefits of such recognition will also help to guide tourism to our city while encouraging folks to discover our rich history.”

Negaunee’s downtown features many historic buildings and landmarks like the Negaunee City Hall, Iron Cliffs Company office building, former railroad depots, churches and the Vista Theater. This is another step in the continued revitalization that Negaunee has seen under its Move Forward economic development strategy.

“This is another economic development tool in our tool belt. We’re making good on our promise to preserve our history while focusing on our future,” said Negaunee City Manager Nate Heffron.

The National Register of Historic Places was formed in 1966 and is administered by the National Park Service. Over 2,000 places in Michigan have received the designation, with more than 95,000 nationwide. To be considered for addition to the registry, a property must be at least 50 years old and “significant when evaluated in relationship to major historical events or trends in the history of their community, the state or the nation.”