We couldn’t cover the architectural history of Grosse Pointe without mentioning Albert Kahn, the genius architect who designed and built over 14 important buildings in the community. Kahn was born in Rhaunen, Germany in 1869. He arrived in Detroit, in 1880 aged 11. As a teenager he landed a job at the architectural firm of […]
Lets take a look at one of Grosse Pointes favorite buildings – The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. Everyone living in Grosse Pointe has been to the Ford house at least once, it is one of those buildings you just can’t help but fall in love with. With its beautiful English Cotswold design, stunning gardens […]
Whether you have been a resident of Grosse Pointe your whole life, of new to the area you will be familiar with the wonderful work from the Pewabic Pottery. The studio is known for its irresistible glazes, some of which is on display at notable galleries such as the Louvre. The pottery was founded in […]
Where do you start with Rose Terrace? Arguably one of Grosse Pointes most famous and opulent mansions, ask any Grosse Pointe resident over a certain age and they will remember its demolition in the summer of 1976.There have in fact been two ‘Rose Terraces’, so lets start with ‘Rose Terrace’ number 1. In 1912 Horace […]
Having recently covered the Roy D. Chapin residence – 447 Lakeshore, lets take a look at the property that inspired the home – Lake Terrace, also known as the John S. Newberry house located at 99 Lake Shore Drive. Designed in 1911 by Earnest Wilby (an English architect, who from 1903-1918 was Albert Khan’s chief […]
Lets take a look at one of Grosse Pointes most famous residents, Roy D. Chapin and his 447 Lake Shore property. Commissioned in 1927 by Roy Dikeman Chapin, American Industrialist and president of Hudson Motor Company, 447 Lake Shore was designed by nationally recognized architect John Russell Pope. Prior to the commission, Pope had travelled […]
This week we take a look at one of Grosse Pointes most prominent buildings – The War Memorial, also known as the Russell A. Alger House and ‘The Moorings’. In 1910 nationally prominent New York architect Charles Adam Platt, completed ‘The Moorings’ for millionaire Russell A. Alger Jr – son of General Russell A. Alger, […]
This week we travel back in time to 1840 and the third oldest house in the Grosse Pointes –Wardwell House, located at Jefferson and Three Mile Dr. William Buck, a prosperous English farmer, purchased the land in 1845 and financed the construction of the Colonial style home. Completed in 1849 the property was built from […]
In the first post we profiled 15410 Windmill Pointe, work of New York Architect Alfred Hopkins, which featured an update to the home in 1929 by Hugh T. Keyes. Hugh Tallman Keyes was a noted early 20th century architect. His work centered on creating grand estates for the industrialists of Metropolitan Detroit (clients included Ford, […]
15410 Windmill Pointe – childhood home of stage actress Julie Harris, and venue of the Junior League of Detroit 13th Designers’ Show house in 2000. The sprawling estate on Windmill Pointe was commissioned by William P. Harris (an investment banker and father of Julie) in 1923. Harris hired prominent New York Architect Alfred Hopkins to […]