Last week we presented the final years of 241 Lake Shore, a magnificent estate built in 1913 for Mrs. Henry Stephens. Beginning in the late 1940’s it became known as the “Kanzler Mansion”. It was then sold several times before coming to a pivotal moment in its history in 1987, followed by its demolition in 1988.

This week we are celebrating 10 years of the Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe blog. With over 500 articles, posted every week since July 2014, it has been an absolute pleasure to share the superb history of this special community.

Since the beginning of the 20th century Grosse Pointe has become the location of some of the finest homes that have been built in the United States. The early mansions that were created on Lake Shore were unsurpassed in terms of architectural significance. While many of these grand residences have been lost, we have been able to piece together their history so a new generation can appreciate the momentous part these pre 1930 residences had to play in shaping the architectural scene, not just in Michigan but across the United States.

However, it’s not just about the grand estates, over the years we have researched, presented, and shared the stories of - many fine homes; the careers of some of the most talented architects who have worked in Metro Detroit; the work of lesser-known designers; landscape architects; the story of streets and establishments; architectural trends; community spaces; municipal buildings; and prominent families who chose to make Grosse Pointe their home.

We have also travelled through several significant periods. Beginning when Grosse Pointe was a farming district filled with ribbon farms, to a period of monumental architectural transformation during the 1920’s, through to the emergence of mid-century modern homes, and finally to being recognized as an area of prime real estate with a reputation as a notable American suburb.

In The Beginning

It all began in July 2014, with the first post “A Tale of Five Cities” - Through the best of times, through the worst of times, the one thing Grosse Pointe has is an abundance of stunning architecture. The series then began with the first home we presented - 15410 Windmill Pointe - the sprawling estate completed in 1924, by Alfred Hopkins & Associates for William Pickett Harris, Jr., an investment banker, and a significant authority on zoology.From that point onwards the series has become a fascinating road of discovery.

Highlights:

Some of the highlights include posts about:

Fine homes:

Lost homes and buildings:

Leading architects:

Lesser-known designers/builders:

Landscape architects:

Streets:

Architectural trends:

Community spaces/buildings/schools:

Prominent families:

Much of our research is obtained from a wide variety of sources – HMA’s collection of historic files that cover at least 90% of the homes in Grosse Pointe; books; past publications (magazines, journals and papers); newspaper archives; local sources; and of course, the internet. It can take hours and sometimes days to collate the information.

Aside from the writing, researching, and sharing our findings we have derived huge satisfaction from the assistance we have been able to provide to many people - uncovering the history and sharing photos of childhood homes, solving numerous mysteries, presenting information that people have spent years searching for, helping families looking for specific information, along with making unexpected finds and discoveries. 

The blog has also given us the opportunity to talk with a huge number of people who have contacted us, not just local residents, but people from all over the United States – past residents of Grosse Pointe who have moved further afield and people who have never visited the community.

The work has also led to countless opportunities that have included - many fun conversations, our author Katie Doelle writing a book, a “then and now” series on social media, while inspiring us to start a free lecture series, in conjunction with the Grosse Pointe Public Library. Over the past two years we have held eight lectures that focus on the architecture and history of Grosse Pointe. The presentations are proving to be incredibly popular, with over 400 people attending thus far. Our Realtor Paula Draper has been instrumental in presenting the history of some of the finest architects to work in Grosse Pointe.

HMA remains committed to sharing, researching, and preserving the history of this much-loved community. It has been a joy to share these weekly posts over the past ten years, and we are looking forward to posting many more.

 

*Photos courtesy of the Higbie Maxon Agney archives unless stated.
** Research, information, and data sources are deemed reliable, but accuracy cannot be fully guaranteed.

 

Written by Katie Doelle
Copyright © 2024 Higbie Maxon Agney & Katie Doelle

 

If you have a home, building or street you would like us to profile please contact Higbie Maxon Agney – homes@higbiemaxon.com - we will try and feature the property.

Posted by Kay Agney on

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