Ossip Gabrilowitsch and the Herman Strasburg Residence

[renf]

Just after World War I, prosperous Detroiters wished to recruit Chopin scholar Ossip Gabilowitsch to direct the city's symphony. To come to Detroit, he wanted a new music hall so the building near Woodward and Mack was quickly built to attract him to the Motor City. It had been planned for Detroit's Cultural Center.

I have heard that after Ossip Gabilowitsch and his wife, Clara Clemens, moved to Detroit they lived in the Herman Strasbourg residence that Marcus Burrowes had designed about 1914. Is that true? Was occupancy of the Strasbourg residence part of the signing package? Thanks.

[Detroitej72]

I have heard that after Ossip Gabilowitsch and his wife, Clara Clemens, moved to Detroit they lived in the Herman Strasbourg residence that Marcus Burrowes had designed about 1914. Is that true?

I know they lived in the Boston Edison District and that wife, Clara was the daughter of Mark Twain.

[Patrick]

Just after World War I, prosperous Detroiters wished to recruit Chopin scholar Ossip Gabilowitsch to direct the city's symphony. To come to Detroit, he wanted a new music hall so the building near Woodward and Mack was quickly built to attract him to the Motor City. It had been planned for Detroit's Cultural Center.

I have heard that after Ossip Gabilowitsch and his wife, Clara Clemens, moved to Detroit they lived in the Herman Strasbourg residence that Marcus Burrowes had designed about 1914. Is that true? Was occupancy of the Strasbourg residence part of the signing package? Thanks.

Is that the grand Italianate mansion on W. Boston? Never knew Burrowes designed homes in detroit that early and certainly not in that style.

[Patrick]

I stand corrected....that Strasburg house is in WSU's campus. Who designed the home on W. Boston?

[Neilr]

From the Boston-Edison website: Ossip Gabrilowitsch and his wife, Clara Clemens, lived at 611 West Boston Blvd.,on the SW corner of Second, from 1918 until his death in 1936.

http://www.historicbostonedison.org/...#gabrilowitsch

[Ray1936]

Curious....the 1920 census shows him and his family living at 1068 Cass.

[Gistok]

Old Ossip had the artistic temperament.... he would only be conductor for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, if they built a new hall ASAP!!!!

They comissoned Detroit's movie palace architect C. Howard Crane to design Orchestra Hall so that Ossip would stay in Detroit.

Crane's Madison Theatre [[1917) in Grand Circus Park was a sort of prototype for Orchestra Hall. The similarities between the 2 venues was noticable.... although Orchestra Hall [[1919) was much more opulent. Surprisingly the hall was built in the amazing period of 4 months.

And its' acoustics are awesome!

[renf]

Census 1920 was the only enumeration conducted as of January 1. The residential address of 1068 Cass in 1920 corresponds, I think, to the current address of the Strasburg home: 5415 Cass. This
suggests that Ossip Gabrilowitsch and Clara Clemens moved to Boston-Edison after 1-1-20.
Thanks

[EastsideAl]

Census 1920 was the only enumeration conducted as of January 1. The residential address of 1068 Cass in 1920 corresponds, I think, to the current address of the Strasburg home: 5415 Cass. This
suggests that Ossip Gabrilowitsch and Clara Clemens moved to Boston-Edison after 1-1-20.
Thanks

That address actually deepens the mystery. The address reform of 1921 didn't change the odd/even sides of the street, so 1068 Cass [[which shows by my sources to be on the NE corner of Cass & Ferry) couldn't be an old address for 5415.

[MikeM]

Ray's census info shows that Ossip was a renter at 1068. Also occupying the home were his wife, daughter, butler, and three other servants. The garage of 1068 was being rented to a gardener [[Peter De Port) and his wife.

There used to be a court off of Woodward, between Kirby and Ferry, called Arlington Place which didn't go through to Cass. A Sanborn map from 1910 shows a large home and detached garage at the end of Arlington Place, the back of which would have been along Cass, roughly at 1068. However the yard, including the Cass frontage, is surrounded by a brick wall.

The 1921-1922 Polk's directory lists five residences on the even side of the street between Kirby and Ferry. Ossip and his gardener Deport were listed at the second one north: 5456 Cass.

Under the old address system, the block of Cass from Kirby to Ferry was numbered 1034 to 1102. Under the new system: 5400 to 5500.