Real Estate Blog

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Lothrop, an elegant street

Last week we explored the superb lost estate of 15440 Windmill Pointe, the former home to real estate mogul Herbert V. Book, and later Charles Helin, the fishing lure entrepreneur.

This week we head to Grosse Pointe Farms, and to one of the communities most elegant streets – Lothrop. Running from Grosse Pointe Blvd the street meanders through Grosse Pointe Farms, ending at the top of Moran Rd, close to Mack Avenue.

We will be focusing on several homes on the first block, built within a period of 20 years - between 1928 and 1948. Despite being constructed across three different decades each of these homes has a wonderful individual elegance to them.

Lets start with number 99, created by distinguished architect Charles A. Platt. He was a…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estate of 15440 Windmill Pointe

Having recently covered the many lost estates on Lakeshore, this week we turn our attention to Windmill Pointe and to another grand estate that has been lost over time.

Welcome to 15440 Windmill Pointe, designed by Louis Kamper for Herbert V. Book in 1921. This grand French Châteaux was a spectacular residence on the shores of Lake St. Clair located on a lot that was approximately two acres.

The architect, Louis Kamper, could be described as one of the most impactful designers to have ever graced Detroit. His style, influence and work were on par with Albert Kahn, and George D Mason in terms of the architectural legacy that many of his projects have left on the city, and the United States.

Born in Bavaria, Germany in 1861 Kamper emigrated to…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – 123 Lakeshore

This week we conclude our exploration of the lost estates of Lakeshore. Over the past few weeks we have reviewed some wonderful homes that have been lost over time, including: 431 Lakeshore, 111 Lakeshore, 415 Lakeshore, The Ford homes by Albert H. Spahr, and 525 Lakeshore.

The final home we would like to review is 123 Lakeshore, known as ‘Drybrook’. Built in 1914 for Truman H. Newberry, this superb home was designed by the noted New York City firm of Trowbridge and Ackerman.

In an edition of Country Life, 1916, 123 Lakeshore was listed No. 8 on Henry Saylor’s ‘Twelve Best Country Houses in America’.

The home was built on the site of the former Newberry home - an expansive lot that was 300 feet wide, and more than a mile in depth -…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – 525 Lakeshore

This week we continue with our review of the lost estates of Lakeshore with our penultimate post about these wonderful homes.

Last week we reviewed the lost Ford estates, designed by Pittsburgh architect Albert H. Spahr. This week we focus on 525 Lakeshore – one of the largest estates to have ever graced Grosse Pointe – Deeplands, set on a colossal 80 acres. To give you a rough idea on the size of this estate, once the home was demolished and the land sub divided more than 80 homes (of varying sizes) were built on the area. Source: Grosse Pointe 1880-1930 by Madeleine Socia and Suzy Berschback.

Deeplands was built in 1911 for Henry D. Sheldon, and his wife Caroline. They were married in 1887 and had three children. Mr. Sheldon was born in…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Ford Estates – Designed by Albert H. Spahr

This week lets continue with our exploration of the lost estates of Lakeshore. So many of these wonderful homes have been lost over time with many of the properties being subdivided and sold for new projects.

Last week we featured 415 Lakeshore, the former home of Lieutenant Colonel J. Brooks Nichols, demolished in the late 1950’s. Now lets turn our attention to the work of Pittsburgh based architect Albert H. Spahr and the three homes, all of which are now gone, he created for the Ford siblings Mrs. Hetty Ford Speck, Mr. Emory L. Ford, and Mrs. Stellar Ford Schlotman.

The siblings, along with a third sister, Mrs. Nell Ford Torrey, were the grandchildren of John B. Ford, an American industrialist and founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – 415 Lakeshore

This week we continue with our review of the lost estates of Lakeshore. We have featured some wonderful homes, all of which have been lost overtime. Most recently we featured ‘Cherryhurst’ the home of Paul H. Deming located at 111 Lakeshore.

What makes the homes on Lakeshore so interesting, and also so difficult to research is how many of the house numbers have changed in Grosse Pointe Farms. The new numbers were issued in the late 1930’s. This is the case with many of the lost mansions we featured, including –

447 – 457 (Roy D. Chapin)

421 – 431 (William P. Stevens

273 – 259 (Frank P. Chesbrough)

429 – 437 (Richard H. Webber)

415– 421 (J. Brooks Nichols)

*red text denotes the house number we referenced.

We now turn our attention…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – 111 Lakeshore

Lets continue with our review of the lost estates of Lakeshore. Over the past few weeks we have featured some stunning homes, most recently the William P. Stevens estate – 431 Lakeshore.

The number of mansions that have been razed over the years is astonishing. According to an article in the Detroit News (1997) ‘of the 43 estates listed in a 1956 article about mansions in the Pointes, only 13 still exist’, and since 1997, more have fallen.

This week we turn our attention to 111 Lakeshore, also known as ‘Cherryhurst’ – home of engineer, and financier Paul Harvey Deming.

111 Lakeshore was built in 1907. It was one of the first year round residences to be built in Grosse Pointe Farms. French farmers first inhabited the two-acre site along…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – 431 Lakeshore

Over the past few weeks we have been delving into the history of several lost estates on Lakeshore. These have included the bygone properties of T. P Hall, Scott Whitcomb, Roy Chapin, William P. Stevens, and Richard Webber.

This week we return to the William P. Stevens estate – 431 Lakeshore – for a more in-depth review of this grand home.

Built in 1914 the home was reportedly designed by leading Detroit architectural firm Smith Hinchman and Grylls. Located back from the road, and originally accessible from Kercheval, it was a magnificent Georgian Revival brick home – an architectural approach that was extremely popular during this era, particularly in the larger estates that were being built in Grosse Pointe Farms.

When the house was…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – Part 3

Having recently featured the Whitcomb Estate, we continue with our series of the lost estates of Lakeshore. Last week we explored several large estate(s) close to the former Whitcomb residence – the bygone Roy Chapin, William P. Stevens, and Richard Webber properties. All of which have been razed over time, and have been replaced in one-way shape or form.

This week we continue along Lakeshore to an area between Harbor Hill and Kerby. Prior to 1950 this particular area of Lakeshore featured several magnificent residences including those of Frank P. Chesborough, Henry B. Joy, and David C. Whitney.

Starting in the early 1950’s these three residences were demolished within 10 years of each other – The Whitney Residence was one of the first of the…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Lost Estates – Part 2

Last week we featured the Whitcomb Estate, a fascinating story that began life as the Theodore Parsons Hall estate and now exists as the Cracchiolo residence.

Given the extensive changes to Lakeshore, and its estates over the years we decided to continue with our exploration of some of these exceptional properties. This week, in part two, we investigate the large estate(s) close to the former Whitcomb residence – the bygone Roy Chappin, William P. Stevens, and Richard Webber properties. All of which have been razed over time, and have been replaced in one-way shape or form.

So lets start with 431 Lakeshore. Built in 1914 it was reportedly designed, by leading Detroit architectural firm Smith Hinchman and Grylls for William P. Stevens. It was a…

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