The owners of four Edina homes are the first to have their houses recognized as part of a new program celebrating houses that are at least 100 years old.

The Century Homes program is aimed at raising awareness of the homes' historical significance, sparking conversation about them and showing how old homes' lifespans can be extended — reducing demolition and building-related carbon emissions, according to a city newsletter. It's a project of the Heritage Preservation Commission, in partnership with the Edina Historical Society.

"This program provides the opportunity to recognize more homeowners for their preservation efforts in Edina," said Emily Dalrymple, assistant city planner, in the newsletter. "As homeowners share their home's history and the community has a chance to learn about it, it gets more people participating in the conversation."

Houses in the Century Homes program are marked with a bronze plaque.

Edina — incorporated as a village in the 1880s — has many homes that date back to 1924 or earlier, said Mary Agnes Ratelle, interim executive director of the Edina Historical Society. Older neighborhoods include Morningside, a former streetcar suburb whose residents commuted to the Twin Cities, and the Country Club District.

For architecture fans, the city's older housing stock spans many styles.

"You'll have architectural styles like colonial, you'll have English cottage, Mediterranean, some Arts and Crafts styles as well," she said. "If you're someone who loves old homes and really interested in different architectural styles ... this is a really great place to just get in your car, drive around and see what you can see."