Last week we presented the history of the Vernier family whose origins can be traced to Grenoble, France. Having arrived in Grosse Pointe, via Quebec, in the late eighteenth century the long line of Verniers became representatives of one of the oldest families in south-eastern Michigan.
This week we head to a splendid home, 30 Preston Place. Completed in 1932, it was designed by celebrated New York architect Duncan Chandler for Louise Webber Jackson as a springtime residence.
The original address of 30 Preston Place was 486 Kercheval. The property is nestled on a quiet dead-end street in Grosse Pointe Farms. We understand when the property was first built, it sat on “ten wooded and landscaped acres of spring plantings”. Source: Grosse Pointe Historical Society (GPHS). However, over the years the land has been sub-divided, with the separate plots of land creating the Preston Place subdivision.
Louise Webber Jackson was sister to the Webber brothers who ran the Hudson’s Department Store. It was during the 1920’s, when Ms. Jackson commissioned her new residence in Grosse Pointe Farms. At the time she was living with her husband Roscoe Jackson, president of the Hudson Motor Car Company, and their two children in an Arts and Crafts style home (designed by Leonard B. Willeke), at 2505 Iroquois in Indian Village.
New York architect Duncan Candler, a prominent architect in Maine, was hired to design the house. During his career he designed many large prestigious residences, including a summer residence in Seal Harbor, Maine for the Rockefellers, and Skylands, the Edsel Ford estate that is now owned by Martha Stewart. He is also credited with designing the Grace Dodge Hotel in Washington D.C, which opened in 1921.
It is not known when Chandler completed the design for 30 Preston Place. It is acknowledged; however, from the time it was commissioned by Ms. Webber it was nearly ten years later before it was built. During this time Louise Webber lost her husband, Roscoe Jackson, when he died unexpectedly on 20 March 1929, while on vacation in France. It is believed this tragic event, coupled with the dramatic downturn in the economy (courtesy of the Great Depression), resulted in Ms. Jackson’s home not being built until 1932, when it was finally completed. The GPHS believes Ms. Webber used the residence primarily as a springtime home, spending the rest of the year in Palm Beach, Florida and Bay Harbor, Maine.
30 Preston Place was (and still is) a lavish property that once had a view of the lake. No expense was spared in creating the 8,900 sq ft Georgian style residence. The impressive formal entrance opens onto a stunning foyer with beautiful, curved walls with intricate detailing on the plaster. The library is sublime; the photos below depict the wonderful bas-reliefs carved in teak. There are 12 in total, depicting wildflowers and birds, attributed to noted artist William Zorach. Photos courtesy of: Katie Doelle.
Many of the rooms feature large fireplaces and an abundance of decorative details, including the wood paneled ‘Gentleman’s Room’. There are 6 bedrooms in total, including 4 full baths and 2 partial bathrooms. All the bathrooms, including the maid’s quarters were decorated in Pewabic tile - as seen in the photos below. The GPHS believes the founder Mary Chase Stratton (founder of the Pewabic Pottery) created and personally installed much of the tile in the home. The maids’ quarter themselves were also finished to a high standard. The former rooms still contain many original components including the sink and the phone – as shown below. The stairs from the maids’ quarters lead into the kitchen and the butlers’ pantry. Both are completed in wood with portions also decorated in Pewabic tile. Both the kitchen and the butlers’ pantry had a large six-door wood paneled Kelvinator refrigerator (as seen below), which was a popular addition in homes of this era, as was the large German silver sink in the butlers’ pantry. Photos courtesy of: Katie Doelle.
The garden is quite beautiful. It is believed Louise Webber enjoyed gardening immensely. Research from the GPHS explains when the home was built the original gardens and property were landscaped with various springtime blooming trees and flowers, including rhododendrons and azaleas.
In 1934, Ms. Webber married John “Cap” O’Brien, with the couple maintaining several residences. Louise Webber passed on 15 August 1960 in Maine. It is reported Mr. O’Brien owned 30 Preston Place until 1961.That same year businessman and philanthropist Edward P. Frohlich purchased the home after his wife, Jessie, fell in love with the property. Mr. Frohlich was a prominent Detroit attorney, real estate developer, and a gifted pianist. Research from the GPHS revealed “Jessie later said the main reason she was drawn to the home was that the garden reminded her of her favorite childhood book, The Secret Garden.” It is understood the Frohlich’s, over the years, made several changes to the garden, including adding a pool in the area that had once been the location of a large goldfish pond, along with adding a tennis court – this was later removed so the lawn could be used for concerts. The Frohlich’s also sub-divided the property, thus creating the Preston Place subdivision, named after Frohlich’s mother’s family name.
30 Preston Place was location of many lavish parties and events, a glorious venue for the couple to entertain their family and friends. Sadly Jessie died in 1995. The GPHS confirms that before Edward passed, he arranged for 30 Preston Place to be left in trust to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Foundation as “a permanent residence for the President of the DSO, its conductor, and as a temporary residence for visiting artists.”
In December 2017, 30 Preston Place was sold. It is a special place that has been home to just three owners in its 93 years. We are sure the limited numbers of owners have all counted themselves lucky to have lived there.
30 Preston Place is the venue for the 24th annual Grosse Pointe Historical Society’s Gala fundraiser on June 13. “Glamorous Night” guests will be part of a memorable evening in the tradition of grand Grosse Pointe events. Higbie Maxon Agney is a proud sponsor of the gala fundraising event. For further info and tickets, please click here.
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.
* 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 © 2025 Higbie Maxon Agney & Katie Doelle
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