Last week we presented 560 Cadieux, a superb arts and craft home created in 1911 by architect Frank E. Hill for the Breitenbach family.

This week we return to our series on Grosse Pointe’s ‘lost estates’ and present 17100 E. Jefferson, designed by the firm of Trowbridge & Ackerman for Dexter M. Ferry Jr., built in 1915. Over the past few weeks we have presented a couple of estates, in the same area, that have subsequently been demolished – 16850 E. Jefferson (demolished 1981), and 17000 E. Jefferson (demolished in the 1970s). 

17100 is part of this distinctive group of homes that were located on large plots of land on the shores of Lake St. Clair, it was demolished in 1959 – one of the first of the grand estates to go.All three of these…

2449 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Last week we explored another of Grosse Pointe’s ‘lost estates’ – 17000 E. Jefferson, designed by George W. Graves for Oren S. Hawes, built in 1914.

This week we would like to present 560 Cadieux, created in 1911 by architect Frank E. Hill for the Breitenbach family. 

Given that 17000 E. Jefferson and 560 Cadieux were built within three years of each other, this presents a superb example to the range of the architectural styles and trends that were present in Grosse Pointe at the beginning of the 20th century.  There are the grand, formal brick built colonial homes, such as the magnificent homes on Jefferson, and yet just around the corner there is a wonderful example of an Arts and Craft home, a style that was becoming extremely popular…

1583 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Last week we explored one of Grosse Pointe’s ‘lost estates’ – 16850 E. Jefferson, also known as the Sycamores, designed by Bryant Fleming for Wesson and Winifred Dodge Grey Seyburn.

This week we stay with the lost estates and present a close neighbor of the Seyburn house, 17000 E. Jefferson.

17000 E. Jefferson was commissioned by Oren S. Hawes and was completed in 1914. George W. Graves designed this unique home, which appears to be quite different in style to the large colonial homes that were being constructed during this era. With a perfect view of the lake, the lot size and shape was very similar to that of 16850 E. Jefferson, in that it was once again extremely narrow (67’ x 1000’).

Constructed from brick it features a large amount of…

1561 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Last week we introduced you to 1040 Harvard, one of the earlier residences George D. Mason designed in Grosse Pointe.

This week we are going to explore one of Grosse Pointe’s ‘lost estates’ – 16850 E. Jefferson, also known as the Sycamores. Last year we ran a series of posts, presenting the lost estates of Grosse Pointe. Many of these estates were completed in the early 20th century, and were subsequently demolished from the 1950’s onwards. The reason for the demolition(s) included – the homes were too big to maintain, structural problems, new owners wished to sub divide the plots. The Sycamores is part of this fascinating group, and its time to tell the story of this magnificent home.

16850 E. Jefferson was commissioned by Wesson and Winifred…

3446 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post