Marcus R Burrowes

**Peter Burrowes** · November-11-09, 11:27 AM

See Also: Burbrook Resotored and Burbrook - Now A Fabulous Ruin

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I am looking for information on my grandfather [[Marcus) and father [[Richard) Burrowes. Dad mentioned growing up on Atchinson Ave. before they moved to 24300 Locust DR. Farmington, approx 1924. Marcus was a well known architect in the Detroit area. any information would be intrest and help

**Neilr** · November-11-09, 02:03 PM

Welcome, Peter. According to old city directories, Marcus R. Burrowes lived at 151 Atkinson just east of Third in a house most likely built between 1905 and 1910. In the 1920 address renumbering in Detroit the address became 721 Atkinson.

**Patrick** · November-11-09, 05:24 PM

Peter, what is your email address?

**mccarch** · November-11-09, 05:31 PM

Have you seen the pamphlet by Jean Fox [[Farmington Hills Historical Commission 1992) or the catalog of works by Burrowes and Eurich [[Architectural Catalog Company 1926)?

Marcus did some wonderful buildings.

**EastsideAl** · November-11-09, 07:20 PM

Old forum thread on Marcus Burrowes:
http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1180668830

He designed some of my favorite houses in Indian Village, including a few that friends of mine lived in when I was a kid there.

**Peter Burrowes** · November-12-09, 08:04 AM

Hello Patrick, my email is pburrowes1@aol.com and thanks for the info NeilR
Yes Mccarch I have seen the online copy of her phamplet, unfortunatly its not a very good copy, Tks

**EastsideAl** · November-12-09, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by Neilr

Welcome, Peter. According to old city directories, Marcus R. Burrowes lived at 151 Atkinson just east of Third in a house most likely built between 1905 and 1910. In the 1920 address renumbering in Detroit the address became 721 Atkinson.

The house is in all liklihood still there. That block appears to be entirely intact.

**Lowell** · November-12-09, 11:53 AM

It is interesting to learn that he lived on Locust Drive. I frequently walk that drive during my forest walks and it has a number of architecturally interesting houses. The most well known and original house on the drive, for which there is a silver historical marker, is the Earle Graser house. Graser was the voice of the Lone Ranger until his car accident death in 1941. Techno 'godfather' Derrick May lives on Locust too. There is a large house at the end of Locust that I thought Burrowes also designed, but it does not appear on the wikipedia list, which is very similar in style to the Burrowes-designed Spicer House in adjacent Hertige Park. The Spicer House is now a park facility.

**Peter Burrowes** · November-13-09, 06:28 AM

When I was young and used to go to my grandfathers, his house was at the end of Locust Dr. Its called "Burbrook" and its inscribed over the main entrance door. It was a wonderful house and local to vacation in, with the Rouge river to play in. Just had to watch the stinging nettles as I learned the hard way lol

**lalynch** · November-13-09, 09:37 AM

I grew up in Farmington Hills and am familiar with the Marcus Burrowes name. You could probably get more info from Brian Golden, Farmington's #1 history buff,
http://www.pastways.info/tours.html or even Suzanne Daniel at Greenmead Historical Village for more info. Marcus Burrows did the renovation of the Hill House at Greenmead, probably 1920's. And there's lots of info on this blog:
http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1180668830

**Peter Burrowes** · November-14-09, 08:11 AM

Tks so much lalynch, I will pursue that

**Lowell** · November-14-09, 01:37 PM

Here is the house at the end of Locust from a couples of days ago. It is for sale.
Attachment 3836

**Mackinaw** · November-14-09, 02:07 PM

One of his finest works is the Ralph Harmon Booth house, 315 Washington, Grosse Pointe. The house, just steps from Jefferson Ave., was built for one of the DIA's leading benefactors. I believe it is the largest house in the City of Grosse Pointe.

**Peter Burrowes** · November-16-09, 03:55 PM

Thanks Lowell, yes that is "Burbrook", I REALLY appreciate the pic. BTW, my brother has Marcuses portfolio, some great pics in it

**lalynch** · November-17-09, 11:56 PM

Peter Burrowes, I hope you write a book some day about your grandfather's work.

I never knew about "Burbrook" and I grew up in the Farmington area. I was in the that other house next to the cemetary on a house tour about 15 years ago. That would was a B & B at the time.

This is an interesting thread. My Farmington architect fascination is Emily Butterfield. She was Michigan's first licensed female architect.

**Peter Burrowes** · November-20-09, 07:30 AM

Lowell, do you have any idea who the seller is? I have tried to loacte it on MLS with no luck, thanks

**gnome** · November-20-09, 09:07 AM

http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MLOGE...MzUwNDQ4NjA4NA==

on the BingMaps "birds-eye view" for Locust St., Farmington MI, you can see that panel truck from Lowell's pic is parked in the exact same place. One can imagin the condition of the house is not in good shape if they are using the front yard for long-term vehicle storage.

**Lowell** · November-20-09, 02:04 PM

I called the realtor. Burbrook is not for sale. The sign was for a piece of land off the road immediately before Burbrook. BTW, Burbrook is an island inside Heritage Park. Apparently it must have been too much to acquire when the park was established in the seventies.

From a distance the house appears in need of repairs, pealing paint can be seen on the chimneys of which there are three. I will have to venture more closely. The last time I looked, the swimming pool was in bad shape with a low algae covered pond at the bottom.

The main drawback to the property is that one must follow a long one-lane winding private road to get there. Deep snow, forget it. Fire, forget it. Fire trucks could not get there. Now if you had a copter...

**Peter Burrowes** · November-22-09, 07:21 AM

Well, Grandad managed all those years and without a 4X4b but its a shame it is being allowed to fall into disrepair. I think it would be avery expensive place to bring back to life. As I was very young when I was last there it may not be as big as I remember but its still a large house. My Das bedroom when he was young was on the third floor in the tower, looked out over the river and valley. In fact in the ceiling there is, or at least was a small hole where Dad while cleaning/playing with his Luger put a bullet into it.
I would love to have the money to purchase the place and restore it but way beyond my means I am afraid, so I can only hope someone does.

**renf** · November-22-09, 09:40 AM

On the www.Detroit1701.org website you will see pictures of two buildings designed
by Marcus Burrowes: the Herman Strasburg Home on the WSU campus
the Springwells Municipal Building in Dearborn
Marcus Burrowes did not design but did work on the McGregor Library in Highland Park

**Stephen B** · January-18-10, 08:33 AM

24300 Locust street is up for sale right now, the MLS # is 29155261, I swung by there yesterday. They want $142,000 for Burbrook and it needs between 100,000 and 150,000 worth of work to restore it.
The city of Farmington seems to have taxed the previous owner out of existance.
No clue why this place hasen't been delcared a historical landmark and saved.

**AROCKY** · February-27-10, 11:11 PM

peter are you in the area, I lived at Burbrook for 23 years

**Lowell** · March-31-10, 11:56 PM

The Marcus Burrowes Burbrook mansion, located on an island of property in Heritage Park in Farmington, is openly up for sale as I discovered with this shiny new sign during today's lovely spring day walk in the forest.

See the Marcus R Burrowes thread for more details.

The roof is being replaced but there is a lot of neglect damage as seen by the chimneys.

**gnome** · April-01-10, 05:53 AM

I see they finally moved that panel truck that sat in the drive for a couple of years, and they are putting on a new roof. Let's hope it goes to preservationist-minded buyers.

Is that a future chez-Lowell I see?