Sure, you may have taken tours of old Southern plantations or Colonial homes. But there are plenty of other lesser-known historical homes where you can get a great sense of history.

One great destination for checking out Civil War-era architecture and interior design is Galveston, Texas.

Galveston has several privately owned historic homes that are open to the public, including the landmark Bishop’s Palace.

And one interesting angle is that many of Galveston’s historic homes were damaged by Hurricane Ike.

So you can actually see the restoration process up close, and see how historic homes and antiques are being brought back to life.

And here’s a location you may not associate with historical homes: Hinsdale, Illinois.

Here, you can take a 5-mile bike tour to 35 homes that date back to the mid 19th century.

How about actually staying in a historic home?

The Cottonwood Schoolhouse, located in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is available for rent.

It’s got running water and heat, but also has old-school features like a wood-burning stove.

In Portland, Oregon, you can spend a night at the Queen Anne mansion, which dates back to 1906 and is also on the Historic Places register.

And that’s just a fraction of what’s out there. Check with historichometours.com or historichomes.org for more details..

For more information on historic hotels, don’t miss Historic Hotels: Unusual Stays With a Unique Past.

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