Detroit Mansions Lost and Found

[p69rrh51]

[QUOTE=Gistok;288560]TK, one of the saddest events in tearing down old Grosse Poine mansions was the loss of the Whitcombe Mansion where that Spanish "villa" now sits on Lakeshore Dr., just east of Moross. Whereas most estates were torn down to be subdivided, that one only was shorn of its' leftmost acreage, and it was a pity that the mansion was torn down for a modern villa with nearly as much acreage. I have an acquaintance who is friends with the current residents, and she keeps her flowers there over the winter in the old greenhouse.

Mrs. Whitcomb gave a tour of the house to a friend of mine and myself back in the 70's, for an early 1950's design the house is quite nice. I was in the house after the current owners had lived there for awhile and fortunately they have kept the character of house intact.

[gnome]

Well should I or not?

[EZZ]

Ossip Gabrilowitsch and his wife lived in this home on 611 W. Boston Boulevard. His wife, Clara, was the daughter of Mark Twain. Ossip became the conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1918. According to the Detroit Almanac, someone actually found the original manuscript of Mark Twain’s "Tom Sawyer" in the Boston Blvd house.
Thank you to Patrick from the Fab Ruins Forum.

[Gistok]

Mrs. Whitcomb gave a tour of the house to a friend of mine and myself back in the 70's, for an early 1950's design the house is quite nice. I was in the house after the current owners had lived there for awhile and fortunately they have kept the character of house intact.

I would imagine that any future owner of that property would eye it for subdividing it into separate parcels for multiple homes [[the fate of so many homes on large acreage along Lakeshore). But due to the distant setback of the house, it may be possible to do without razing the current property. But that great "avenue of trees" would likely suffer from any subdivision.

[Gistok]

Ossip Gabrilowitsch and his wife lived in this home on 611 W. Boston Boulevard. His wife, Clara, was the daughter of Mark Twain. Ossip became the conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1918. According to the Detroit Almanac, someone actually found the original manuscript of Mark Twain’s "Tom Sawyer" in the Boston Blvd house.
Thank you to Patrick from the Fab Ruins Forum.

Good ole "build me a Symphony Hall NOW" Ossip.... it's a good thing that C. Howard Crane had his 1917 Madison Theatre blueprints available... so he would have to start from scratch for designing the 1919 Orchestra Hall... built in a record 4 months for an impatient Ossip. It seems rather hard to believe that it took such a short time.

[Detroit Stylin]

Google Maps shows a front loader there.

That has been there for at LEAST 5 years [[if not longer). I have been wanting to post a picture about what the history of that was [[its in Alden park BTW across Woodward from B-E were there are other and in some cases bigger and grander mansions are) and what was going on with it.

[Detroit Stylin]

TK, one of the saddest events in tearing down old Grosse Poine mansions was the loss of the Whitcombe Mansion where that Spanish "villa" now sits on Lakeshore Dr., just east of Moross. Whereas most estates were torn down to be subdivided, that one only was shorn of its' leftmost acreage, and it was a pity that the mansion was torn down for a modern villa with nearly as much acreage. I have an acquaintance who is friends with the current residents, and she keeps her flowers there over the winter in the old greenhouse.
http://www.gphistorical.org/whitcomb/whitcomb01.html

Like Rose Terrace, the Chapin, MacAuley and Glancy estates, it was a sad loss,

I'm glad to see that the trust that owns the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House was given ownership last year of Henry Ford's Fair Lane mansion and at least some of the grounds. The GP Ford House folks have done an outstanding job on maintaining that estate, even though they lost several hundred Ash trees in recent years, and will likely do a world class job on restoring and hopefully refurnishing the Fair Lane property.

Also wasnt there another Fisher mansion in Palmer Woods that burned down in the 0s? I have never seen that one before, but I have heard since then how classy and glamorous it was...

[stromberg2]

^^
Yep, I have never seen ANY picture of that mansion, would love to.

Stromberg2

[Gistok]

Also wasnt there another Fisher mansion in Palmer Woods that burned down in the 0s? I have never seen that one before, but I have heard since then how classy and glamorous it was...

Yes, I can't find any pics, but there were 2 Fisher mansions in Palmer Woods, plus the Lawrence Fisher mansion on the waterfront [[Hare Krishna Center).

The extant Fisher mansion in Palmer Woods later became the Archbishop's residence and then the John Salley house... the largest mansion in Palmer Woods.

[Patrick]

Wish I had all the old threads saved on DY where we went into very detailed discussions about the grandest hgomes of Detroit...

[p69rrh51]

Yes, I can't find any pics, but there were 2 Fisher mansions in Palmer Woods, plus the Lawrence Fisher mansion on the waterfront [[Hare Krishna Center).

The extant Fisher mansion in Palmer Woods later became the Archbishop's residence and then the John Salley house... the largest mansion in Palmer Woods.

You are partially correct there were the 2 Fisher manisons Afred J, at 1771 Balmoral and William A. 1791 Wellesley both designed by Richard Marr. They were also the primary contributors to the construction of what is known as the Biship's House at 1880 Wellesley that home was designed by the firm of Magginnis & Walsh.

[pkbroch]

Below is a photo from the WSU archives of the William Fisher House in the 1920's. The photo says the 20's but from the size of the shrubs I would guess the 1930's. From approx. 3pm to late evening I watched it burn until the slate roof collapsed. The next day is was just a shell and still smouldering in the morning.

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...5;viewid=73265

[Gistok]

You are partially correct there were the 2 Fisher manisons Afred J, at 1771 Balmoral and William A. 1791 Wellesley both designed by Richard Marr. They were also the primary contributors to the construction of what is known as the Biship's House at 1880 Wellesley that home was designed by the firm of Magginnis & Walsh.

Thanks for the pics... what is sad in the loss of such a grand residence is that it really is not worth it to restore these grand homes once they are burned out shells.

I remember the very grand former Cecil Fielder house on Kenwood in Grosse Pointe Farms was similarly burned down to virtually the walls. The new owner who was restoring it, spent much more for reconstruction that what he was later able to get when finally selling it [[assuming he finally was able to sell it) at a fraction of the price of rebuilding. I believe it was for sale before the housing market collapse.

[p69rrh51]

Thanks for the pics... what is sad in the loss of such a grand residence is that it really is not worth it to restore these grand homes once they are burned out shells.

I remember the very grand former Cecil Fielder house on Kenwood in Grosse Pointe Farms was similarly burned down to virtually the walls. The new owner who was restoring it, spent much more for reconstruction that what he was later able to get when finally selling it [[assuming he finally was able to sell it) at a fraction of the price of rebuilding. I believe it was for sale before the housing market collapse.

I spent quite a bit of time there when the owner prior to Cecil lived there. From what I understand the current owner used George Mason's original plans to restore the home.

[p69rrh51]

Thanks for the pics... what is sad in the loss of such a grand residence is that it really is not worth it to restore these grand homes once they are burned out shells.

I remember the very grand former Cecil Fielder house on Kenwood in Grosse Pointe Farms was similarly burned down to virtually the walls. The new owner who was restoring it, spent much more for reconstruction that what he was later able to get when finally selling it [[assuming he finally was able to sell it) at a fraction of the price of rebuilding. I believe it was for sale before the housing market collapse.

I just happened to be driving by the Whitcomb greenhouse and I took a pic for you

[Gistok]

Thanks for the nice images.... that one block of Kenwood happens to be my favorite block of homes in all the Pointes... although there's a stretch of Windmill Pointe that is right up there... and I have to say that I've never driven the private drive portion of Provencal, so I'm not quite sure if that is up there as well.... oh wait... there's that stretch of 3 Mile Drive just north of Jefferson.... lol...

Sadly these streets have mansions that compare favorably to many of the "lost giants" along Lakeshore/Jefferson.

Also, I think it's best to chalk up some of the posts earlier in this thread to "having a bad day"... although you are wise to avoid the 4 gas stations at Harper/Cadieux... you'll just get panhandled...

[p69rrh51]

Thanks for the nice images.... that one block of Kenwood happens to be my favorite block of homes in all the Pointes... although there's a stretch of Windmill Pointe that is right up there... and I have to say that I've never driven the private drive portion of Provencal, so I'm not quite sure if that is up there as well.... oh wait... there's that stretch of 3 Mile Drive just north of Jefferson.... lol...

Sadly these streets have mansions that compare favorably to many of the "lost giants" along Lakeshore/Jefferson.

Also, I think it's best to chalk up some of the posts earlier in this thread to "having a bad day"... although you are wise to avoid the 4 gas stations at Harper/Cadieux... you'll just get panhandled...

The residents of Provencal would like you to think that its completely private but the guard is only there on the weekends. Anytime during the week you can tour the street. Included is some of the homes on the public and private sections of Provencal:

1) 23 designed by Robert Derrick
2) 44 Designed by J. Ivan Dise
3) 234 Designed by Raymond Carey
4) 194 Designed by Robert Derrick
5) 204 Designed by H. Al Monnier
6) 214 Designed by Raymond Carey
7) 242 Designed by Charles Platt
8) 248 Designed by Robert Derrick
9) 290 Designed by Robert Derrick
10) 300 Designed by John Russell Pope
11) 330 Designed by Henry Stanton
12) 344 Designed by Hugh Keyes
13) 380 Designed by Raymond Carey

[Ltdave]

Is there a relatively easy way to search previous owners of houses in B-E based on the address?

I work with a guy who lives on Arden and when the house is NOT pristine its a nice house.. thee basement basement has a full length bar in one room that appears to be solid maple. Its got the refer area behind the counter that has the 8"[[?) thick tapered doors and a full mirror above it...

Thanks for any help you can give...

[Bill07073]

Here is a link to homes from the Boston Edison district in Detroit that were owned by Walter Briggs and Barry Gordy Jr. as well as additional homes.

Mansions in Detroit's Historic Boston-Edison District

76

http://ralphdeeds.hubpages.com/hub/Detroit-Mansions-in-the-Historic-Boston-Edison-District

[p69rrh51]

Here is a link to homes from the Boston Edison district in Detroit that were owned by Walter Briggs and Barry Gordy Jr. as well as additional homes.

Mansions in Detroit's Historic Boston-Edison District

76

http://ralphdeeds.hubpages.com/hub/Detroit-Mansions-in-the-Historic-Boston-Edison-District

Another link to the Freep article on the Briggs Home.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2012204080372

[black gold man]

At 123 into this video he talks about caen stone from France.
I have one oak leaf capital and one 14 foot column from ROSE TERRACE
One of the four he is talking about in the video.
I also have two pediment base and other stone from inside all caen stone.
I cut the column and made a fireplace in my green house the top and front
is also DODGE stone. The rest of the column is on my patio with planters on them about two feet tall.
I would sell the capital and stone and be tempted take apart the fireplace
if someone wanted to pay enough.
BGM

look 1.23 in

[Gistok]

Caen stone is a cream colored soft limestone only found in Normandy near the medieval city of Caen. The commentator was incorrect... at least 9000 tons of Caen stone are excavated annually... much of it going to cathedral repairs.

Caen stone was imported into England during and after the time of Norman conquest... William the Conqueror [[1066-87), and many British cathedrals [[as well as those of France) are made of it.

[black gold man]

Do you have any in your green house

[Gistok]

Do you have any in your green house

No, just in the west wing...

[p69rrh51]

I noticed one the best Grosse Pointe Mansions has not been mentioned was the Torrey Estate designed by John Scott. One of Detroit's great architects it seems his work has been mutilated more often than not like 715 Parker seen here.