Detroit's wealth of architectural talent!

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Mueller & Mildner. Schiller Hall 2101 Gratiot built in 1905 Detroit, MI. Includes an image from a postcard of the building Circa 1920?

[mtburb]

Do you know the architect of the Bittorf House [[built for John Bittorf's descendants) at 3374 20th in Wyandotte? This mansion-like house is located three houses south of mine. It had no address before 1927, directories from before then just listed it as "17th S 1 s of Eureka av" and was on what was the Bittorf farm before the land was subdivided in 1924. John Bittorf was born in 1835 in Germany, immigrated at an unknown date, opened Wyandotte's first butcher shop, served two one-year terms as the mayor of Wyandotte in 1876 and 1878 and died on June 25, 1909, before the house was built.

And another note: when it was subdivided, the next street over to the west was platted as Bittorf Street and was renamed 21st in 1927 when the city adopted a uniform address and street-naming system.

[p69rrh51]

Do you know the architect of the Bittorf House [[built for John Bittorf's descendants) at 3374 20th in Wyandotte? This mansion-like house is located three houses south of mine. It had no address before 1927, directories from before then just listed it as "17th S 1 s of Eureka av" and was on what was the Bittorf farm before the land was subdivided in 1924. John Bittorf was born in 1835 in Germany, immigrated at an unknown date, opened Wyandotte's first butcher shop, served two one-year terms as the mayor of Wyandotte in 1876 and 1878 and died on June 25, 1909, before the house was built.

And another note: when it was subdivided, the next street over to the west was platted as Bittorf Street and was renamed 21st in 1927 when the city adopted a uniform address and street-naming system.

I do not have any information on this house. You might try to see if Wyandotte has the original building permit on file.

[archfan]

Designed by Mueller & Mildner. Schiller Hall 2101 Gratiot built in 1905 Detroit, MI. Includes an image from a postcard of the building Circa 1920?

I was curious about Schiller Hall, and the more I looked, the more interesting it got. It seems to have started as a German private social club and beer hall originally called Bundesheim, according to the Austrian Society of Detroit's website - they held their first meetings there.

http://www.austriansociety.org/ofDetroit/history.html

After prohibition started in Michigan, beer halls went out of business, so it was bought by the Socialist Party of Michigan-controlled corporation, the Workers' Education Association. They were holding a dance the night of the 1920 Palmer Raids, and police rounded up and ultimately deported many of the members.

http://www.marxisthistory.org/histor...tedmanraid.pdf
https://books.google.com/books?id=_2...20hall&f=false

The Socialist Party seems to have held on to the Hall into the 1930s, when it was taken over by the Mechanics Educational Society of America, MESA, one of the first successful Detroit unions.

https://archive.org/stream/MESADetro...troit_djvu.txt

During the 1940s, maybe while it still housed MESA, it was home to a Youth Guidance [[Y-Gees) group for Black Bottom teens, formed in response to the 1943 race riots.

https://archive.org/stream/MESADetro...troit_djvu.txt

Finally, it became [[and still is) the headquarters of the International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, one of several Black Masonic splinter groups.

http://internationalmasons.org/contact_us.html

[p69rrh51]

I found a few more images taken by Packard Motor Car Company staff photographers around the city. Designed by Spier & Gehrke for Robert Traub. 211 Arden Park built in 1914 Arden Park-East Boston Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes an image of a 1921-1922 Packard sedan, parked in front of house from the National Automotive Collection of the Detroit Public Library.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by C. Howard Crane for John Kunsky. 1630 Wellesley built in 1924 Palmer Woods Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes images from the National Automotive Collection Detroit Public Library circa 1930 and 1936.

Automobile in the first historic image: 1930 Packard sedan limousine
Automobile in the second historic image: 1936 Packard sedan

[old guy]

That garage is amazing.

[archfan]

Designed by C. Howard Crane for John Kunsky. 1630 Wellesley built in 1924 Palmer Woods Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes images from the National Automotive Collection Detroit Public Library circa 1930 and 1936.

Kunsky's theater business built many of the movie palaces around Detroit, including the State, Redford, Royal Oak and Fisher theaters. After selling out, he co-owned WXYZ radio during the Lone Ranger/Green Hornet years.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Louis Kamper for August P. Kling. 2130 Iroquois built in 1914 Indian Village Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes an image from the National Automotive Historic Collection of the Detroit Public Library circa 1922.

The automobile in the historic image is a 1921-1922 Packard touring car

[p69rrh51]

The Packard staff photographers shot quite a few images in Palmer Woods. Designed by Rufus Arthur Bailey. 19391 Suffolk built in 1929 Palmer Woods Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes an image from the National Automotive Collection of the Detroit Public Library circa 1930.

The historic image is 1930 Packard sedan limousine.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by John Scott & Company. Saint Luke's Hospital and Children's Home. 224 Highland Avenue built in 1918 Highland Park, MI. Includes an article featuring the building from a 1917 issue of the Detroit Free Press.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Feldman & Seeler. Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian Church 8549 Gratiot Avenue built in 1913 Detroit, MI.

[archfan]

Designed by Louis Kamper for August P. Kling. 2130 Iroquois built in 1914 Indian Village Historic District Detroit, MI. Includes an image from the National Automotive Historic Collection of the Detroit Public Library circa 1922.

August P. Kling was the vice president of the Kling Brewing Co. Kling Brewing also owned Luna Park next to the Belle Isle bridge. The brewery was sold during Prohibition.

[p69rrh51]

August P. Kling was the vice president of the Kling Brewing Co. Kling Brewing also owned Luna Park next to the Belle Isle bridge. The brewery was sold during Prohibition.

And Kling was Kamper's brother-in-law.

[knwb]

Anyone have any info on any of the apartment buildings designed by Otto Kavieff? I was able to find this DPL link with two illustrations, and I'm pretty sure none of his buildings still exist [[I was always told that they were all burned to the ground during the riots in the late 60s - Otto Kavieff was my great-grandfather), but I would love to know, if anyone here knows, where they were, and see photos if you know of any!

http://digitalcollections.detroitpub...A%28kavieff%29

[[sidenote, these are the only two I've found photos of. According to older generations in my family, he designed a *very* large number of apartment houses around the city...)

[knwb]

Richard Marr in Bloomfield Hills - "Adam's Castle", 900 Adams Castle Dr, built 1928-1929.

[knwb]

William Kuni in Bloomfield Hills - 671 Orchard Ridge Rd [[built 1925 - the garage to the right is a newer addition).

https://goo.gl/maps/wjg30

[knwb]

Found a photo!!!!!

Designed by Bloodgood Tuttle, 1926: 4303 Lahser Rd, Bloomfield Hills

[p69rrh51]

Anyone have any info on any of the apartment buildings designed by Otto Kavieff? I was able to find this DPL link with two illustrations, and I'm pretty sure none of his buildings still exist [[I was always told that they were all burned to the ground during the riots in the late 60s - Otto Kavieff was my great-grandfather), but I would love to know, if anyone here knows, where they were, and see photos if you know of any!


http://digitalcollections.detroitpub...A%28kavieff%29

[[sidenote, these are the only two I've found photos of. According to older generations in my family, he designed a *very* large number of apartment houses around the city...)

Designed by Otto Kavieff. Commercial Block 8735 Joseph Campau built in 1917 Hamtramck, MI.

Extensively altered.

[Packman41]

Wow! I have not been on this thread in a while and I am just catching up on all the Packards photographed in front of some architectural gems. This is wonderful. I always wanted to learn where the Packards were photographed and now I know.

I have a couple of questions.

First is a photo of a 1940 Packard with a custom body by Darrin. It is parked in front of a home that I believe is in Grosse Pointe. Do you have any details on this pre-war, “modern” home?

Secondly, there is a discussion going on in the Packard community about a building at 1745 East Grand Boulevard. Some folks says it was designed by Albert Kahn and was a factory showroom at one time. However, from my research I do not see either a Kahn or Packard history.

What I did find was the 1928 City Directory and at that time 1745 East Grand Boulevard was the home of Edmund-Clark Company retailer of “Furniture and Interior Decorations.” The two principle officers, Edmund G. Streng and Clarence F. Betzing each owned single-family homes just a few lots away at 1759 East Grand Boulevard and 1761 East Grand Boulevard, respectively. I few years later the furniture company was gone and appears to have been turned into an office building of sorts. Again, any details here?

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Pollmar & Ropes for Philip and Audrey Brown. 738 Clark built in 1922 Southwest Detroit, MI. Includes an article featuring the building from a 1922 issue of the Detroit Free Press.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Mason & Rice. Log Cabin 910 Merrill Plaisance built in 1885 Palmer Park Detroit, MI. Includes an image from the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library circa 1916.
The automobile in the image is a 1916 Packard 1-35 touring car.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by J. Will Wilson for J. Will Wilson. 470 Washington built in 1918 City of Grosse Pointe, MI. Includes an article featuring the house from a 1917 issue of the Detroit Free Press.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Stratton & Snyder for the Rosedale Park Land Company. 15094 Ashton built in 1917 Rosedale Park Historic District Detroit, MI.

[knwb]

wow, p69rrh51, thank you! that's such a cool thing to see, i really appreciate it!

i wonder if any others still exist...