Found 15 blog entries tagged as Robert O. Derrick.

Last week we stopped by arguably one of the most prestigious homes in the Grosse Pointe communities – 15520 Windmill Pointe, designed by Alpheus W. Chittenden in 1903, for John B. Ford.

This week we stay on Windmill Pointe to visit 15420 Windmill Pointe, designed by noted local architect Robert O. Derrick for John Bell Moran. Completed in 1927, “Bellmor” is a 12,000 square foot English Tudor style mansion.

The Moran’s have been a prominent family in Detroit for nearly 300 years – they were one of the early French families who settled in Detroit in the early 1700’s. John B. Moran was part of the family who in 1750, had taken ownership of one of the long, thin ribbon farms in the area and subsequently became huge landholders.

During the…

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Last week we delved deeper into one of the gardens designed by Ruth Bramley Dean - 354 University Place, Grosse Pointe. The property was completed in 1914, by Detroit based architect F. Gordon Pickell for Charles Bagley DuCharme. However, the garden was created for Mrs. Elizabeth Bonbright - who had purchased the home from Mr. DuCharme around 1922-1923.

This week we conclude our exploration of the work by Ruth Bramley Dean as we look at 290 Provencal. This was one of three gardens she created in Grosse Pointe that resulted in her becoming the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Architectural League of New York’s Gold Medal.

290 Provencal was completed in 1924, having been designed by Robert O. Derrick for Hiram Walker Jr., and his wife…

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Last week we took a closer look at 2 Woodland Place, the venue of this year’s GPHS gala. Completed in 1928, 2 Woodland Place sits on 1.4 acres and overlooks Lake St. Clair. It was architect Robert O. Derrick’s third project on the street and was extensively remodeled by Hugh T. Keyes in 1941.

This week we conclude our exploration of Woodland Place with a visit to number 6. Completed in 1925, this 4,876 sq ft home was created in an English architectural approach. The house was commissioned by Harry Seymour Finkenstadt and was designed by Robert O. Derrick - his second project on the street. 

6 Woodland Place is a striking home. We were lucky enough to have been contacted by one of the former owners Dr. Delf Dodge who lived at the residence with…

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Happy 2023!

In the last post of 2022, we presented 714 Grand Marais, one of the crown jewels of Grosse Pointe Park. The stunning Mediterranean style home on the shores of Lake St. Clair was designed by Robert O. Derrick in 1925.

For our first post in 2023, we continue with the work of Robert O. Derrick with one of his earliest projects in the community – the Grosse Pointe Club, affectionately known as the “Little Club.” The clubhouse officially opened in January 1927, at 6 Berkshire Place on the shores of Lake St. Clair.

Grosse Pointe has always had an array of private clubs, the earliest dates to 1886 when the original Country Club of Detroit was completed. The club hired architect William E. Brown to design a clubhouse, to be situated on…

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Last week we concluded our series on the Detroit Free Press Home-of the-Week recipients, 390 Merriweather was awarded the converted title in November 1938. The property is a splendid Cape Cod designed and built by Walter H. Mast. The "model home" was held open to the public, in November 1938, for one day only - the total number of visitors for the day was approximately four thousand!

This week to round off the year we head to one of the crown jewels of Grosse Pointe Park, 714 Grand Marais, designed by Robert O. Derrick in 1925. The Mediterranean style home on the shores of Lake St. Clair is one of sheer beauty.

714 Grand Marais is situated on a 0.77-acre lot with 175’ lake frontage. The house is currently 12,032 sq ft however, it appears prior…

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Last week we visited Defer Elementary School - the oldest public-school building still in use in the Grosse Pointe Public School district. Defer was designed by renowned Detroit architect George J. Haas. Construction began in 1924, classes opened in February 1925. 

This week we stay with the historic schools of Grosse Pointe as we explore Père Gabriel Richard Elementary School, designed by prominent local architect Robert O. Derrick. Completed in 1930, it is one of three schools Robert O. Derrick designed for the Grosse Pointe Public School system. The school is located at 176 McKinley in Grosse Pointe Farms, close to The Hill. When it was completed, it was the second elementary school in Grosse Pointe Farms. Image courtesy of: Wikipedia.

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Last week we headed to arguably one of the most prestigious streets in Grosse Pointe - Provencal - to review an impressive Georgian residence, 34 Provencal, completed in 1912, by architectural legend Louis Kamper for John Scripps Sweeney Sr. 

This week we head to another iconic Georgian residence, the majestic 211 Vendome, designed by Robert O. Derrick in 1929, for Franklin Caldwell Walker, grandson of whiskey baron Hiram Walker. The 18,158 sq ft property is set on two and a half acres and is possibly one of the finest homes in Grosse Pointe.

211 Vendome is a classically styled Georgian home with all the many traits one would associate with this style of residence built in the 1920’s. Grosse Pointe Farms, during the 1920’s, was a time of change,…

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Last week we presented the story of 1009 Harvard in Grosse Pointe. The 2,993 sq ft brick French Colonial property was designed by prolific architect Carl R. Habermas and built by noted builder, R. C. Ranke. It was completed in 1940. Despite being built over 80 years ago the house, to date, has only had two owners.

This week we return to the Hill to continue our story of this historic commercial district. Over the past couple of weeks, we have explored the history of the Hill along with The Bronze Door restaurant. Now it’s time to look at where it all began with the Punch and Judy Theater. The theater, located at 17 Kercheval Avenue, opened in January 1930, to much fanfare. The opening not only marked the beginning of the theater, but of the Hill…

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Last week, in part 2, we explored residences on the east side of Beverly Road - the even numbered homes: 24 through 44 - the first lots to be sold and developed. 

This week, in the final part of our series on Beverly Road, we head to the residences on the west side of the street - the odd numbered homes: 23 through 45 - built between 1920 and 1936. The modern photo’s below are courtesy of: Katie Doelle. 

23 Beverly Road - completed in 1925
Renowned local architect Robert O. Derrick designed this substantial asymmetrical Neo-Georgian residence. The distinctive dormers in the roof dominate the front elevation of this 5,830 sq ft home. The property was constructed for Edwin Barbour Henry and his wife, Barbara Wick, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Henry…

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Last week we continued the story of Cox & Baker with a review of Crescent Lane – the quiet street filled with many mid-century modern Cox & Baker homes - built from the mid 1950’s to the early 1960’s. 

This week we explore the work of Hugh T. Keyes on Woodland Place. Woodland Place, once a heavily wooded area on the shores of Lake St. Clair, is a narrow street, paved with bricks. It is home to eight unique residences. The majority of the homes were designed and completed during the 1920’s by a handful of noted architects – William B. Stratton, Hugh T. Keyes, and Robert O. Derrick. Keyes not only designed one home, 5 Woodland Place, he was also hired to transform two existing older residences – 7 Woodland Place and 2 Woodland Place - to make them…

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