Though Owosso, Michigan contains some of the most luxurious historic homes found throughout the Midwest, one stands out from the rest. Curwood Castle was built in 1923, but the yellow chateau looks straight out of a romantic Norman fairytale.

Author James Oliver had the magnificent castle constructed in his hometown, and selected the flagstones adorning its exterior himself. He penned his action-adventure novels from the highest turret overlooking the Shiawassee River. The wooded surroundings not only served as setting for his stories, but also encouraged his environmental conservation advocacy.

Curwood only lived in his castle for five years before his death in 1927. The building now serves as a museum and the surrounding land as a park.