Brush Park

Woodward East Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Streetscape on Edmund
Location	Detroit, Michigan United States
Architectural style	Late Victorian, Second Empire, Other
NRHP reference No.	75000973
Added to NRHP	January 21, 1975

Brush Park Historic District is a 24 block neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan. It is bounded by Mack on the north, Woodward Avenue on the west, Beaubien on the east, and the Fisher freeway on the south. The neighborhood is experiencing restorations of its historic Gilded Age Victorian style homes and luring new residents. This neighborhood is within the larger area known as Midtown.

Woodward East Historic District

The Woodward East Historic District is a smaller historic district, recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, which is completely encompassed by the larger Brush Park neighborhood. The Woodward East Historic District is located on Alfred, Edmund, and Watson Streets from Brush Street to John R Street in Detroit, Michigan. Woodward East is particularly known for the High Victorian style residences constructed Detroit's wealthiest citizens. Although many of the once-grand houses have been demolished in recent years, those remaining exhibit a variety of Victorian style subtypes and architectural details, including Second Empire slate Mansard roofs, Romanesque columns and classical dentiled cornices.

History of Brush Park and Woodward East

House at 48 Edmund

Beginning in the 1850s, entrepreneur Edmund Brush, son of the city's second mayor from its first incorporation, began developing his family's property, located conveniently close to downtown, into a neighborhood for Detroit's elite citizens. Homes were built in Brush Park beginning in the 1850s and peaking in the 1870s and 1880s; one of the last homes built was constructed in 1906 by architect Albert Kahn for his personal use. Kahn lived in this home until his death in 1942, after which it was obtained by the Detroit Urban League, which still uses it today. Other early residents of Brush Park included lumber baron David Whitney Jr., his daughter Grace Whitney Evans, Joseph L. Hudson, founder of the eponymous department store, lumber baron Lucien Moore, banker Frederick Butler, merchant John P. Fiske, Dime Savings Bank founder William Livingston, and dry goods manufacturer Ransom Gillis. In the late 1800s, the Brush Park neighborhood became known as the "Little Paris of the Midwest."

Architects who designed these mansions included Henry T. Brush, George D. Mason, George W. Nettleton, and Albert Kahn. The French Renaissance style William Livingston House (1892-93) at 294 Elliot was Albert Kahn's first commission. Livingston founded the Dime Savings Bank. The William Livingston House was commemorated in a painting by Lowell Bioleau entitled Open House which was unveiled the day of its demolition September 15, 2007, underscoring preservationist efforts.

Apartments on Watson

During the 19th century, around 300 homes were built in Brush Park, including 70 Victorian mansions. However, the neighborhood began to decline in the late 19th and early 20th century, when the advent of streetcars and then automobiles allowed prosperous citizens to live further from downtown. Early residents moved out, notably to up-and-coming neighborhoods such as Indian Village and Boston-Edison, and the neighborhood became less fashionable. During the Great Depression, many of the old mansions were subdivided into apartments, and as demand for housing fell after World War II, the homes were abandoned and fell into disrepair. As of 2001, about 154 original structures remained in the area.

Brush Park's revival began in the 1990s and has accelerated recently. A number of the older mansions have been restored, and more have been stabilized. In addition, new condominiums have been built in the southern part of Brush Park, near the Fisher Freeway. Brush Park Historic District's general boundaries are Woodward Avenue, Mack, Beaubien, and the Fisher Freeway.

Historic structures

Name	Image	Year	Location	Style	Architect	Notes
Frederick Butler House		1882	291 Edmund Pl.	French Renaissance, Second Empire		Built in 1882, the Frederick Butler House at 291 Edmund Place is a French Renaissance Second Empire style mansion with a Mansard roof which was restored in 2006 and contains 8,400 sq. ft. It is located near Edmund Pl. and Brush St. within the Woodward East Historic District. The original ownwer, Frederick Butler was a banker.
Lyman Cochrane House		1870	216 Winder	Italianate		This house is a relatively rare example of residential Italianate architecture in Detroit. It was originally built for eye doctor John Terry, but in 1871 was sold to Judge Lyman Cochrane. Cochrane was a state senator and Superior Court Judge, serving in this capacity until his death in 1879.
John P. Fiske House		1876	261 Edmund Pl.	Victorian		John P. Fiske, was a Detroit merchant of china and crockery. The house is within the Woodward East Historic District.
Ransom Gillis House		1876	205 Alfred and John R.	Victorian	Brush & Mason	This house has been heavily documented by documentarian Camilo José Vergara. The house is within the Woodward East Historic District
John Harvey House		1887	97 Winder St.	Victorian	John V. Smith	John Harvey was a pharmacist and philanthropist. The house contains 11,000 square feet, eight marble fireplaces, and three-story staircase. The current owners purchased the John Harvey House in 1986, renovated the structure, and, in 2005, opened it as a 10-room guesthouse. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bernard Ginsburg House		1898	236 Adelaide St.	Tudor Revival	Albert Kahn	Bernard Ginsburg was an important figure in philanthropy, civic service, and the Jewish community in Detroit during the late 19th and early 20th century. . He commissioned architect Albert Kahn to design this house, one of Kahn's earliest works. Kahn went on to become well-known in industrial and commercial architecture; the Ginsburg house and its English Renaissance style exhibited is typical of Kahn's early work. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hudson-Evans House		1872	79 Alfred St.	Italianate, Second Empire	Unknown	Also known as the Joseph Lothian Hudson House or the Grace Whitney Evans House. The house was a gift from David Whitney Jr. to his daughter Grace upon her marriage to John Evans in 1872. It later became the J.L. Hudson family residence. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Albert Kahn House		1906	208 Mack Ave.	English Renaissance	Albert Kahn	In 1906, architect Albert Kahn built a home for his personal use. He lived in the home from 1906 until his death in 1942. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
George Ladve House		1882	269 Edmund Pl.	Eastlake Victorian		Originally owned by George Ladve, 269 Edmund Pl., an Eastlake Victorian style mansion built in 1882 and restored in 2008, contains 7,400 sq. ft. Ladve had owned a carpet and upholstery company. In the late 1890s, the Frohlich family added a music room. Frohlich was among the original philanthropists to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Perry McAdow House		1893	4605 Cass Ave.
Lucien Moore House		1885	104 Edmund Pl.	French Renaissance, Gothic Revival		Originally owned by lumber baron Lucien Moore, 104 Edmund Place, a French Renaissance Gothic Revival style mansion restored in 2006, has 7,000 sq. ft.The Lucien Moore House restoration was featured December 27, 2005 by HGTV's restore America Initiative in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Emanual Schloss House		1870	284 Winder			Emanuel Schloss was a dry goods merchant and haberdasher in Detroit. In 1870, he built one of the best examples of a Second Empire home that still exists in Detroit. The home has been restored and now operates as the 234 Winder Street Inn.
Elisha Taylor House		1870	59 Alfred	French Renaissance, Second Empire	Unknown	The French Renaissance, Second Empire style, Elisha Taylor House with its mansard roof was built for William H. Craig, a Detroit land speculator. In 1875, Craig sold the house to attorney Elisha Taylor. Taylor was a Detroit attorney who held many offices during his career, including City Attorney, assistant Michigan Attorney General from 1837 to 1841, and Circuit Court Commissioner from 1846 to 1854. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Joseph F. Weber House		1901	206 Eliot	Georgian		Originally owned by lumber baron Joseph F. Weber, 206 Eliot is a Georgian style house.
Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts			47 Watson
First Unitarian Church of Detroit		1890	2870 Woodward Ave. at Edmund	Donaldson and Meier	Richardsonian Romanesque	This church was dedicated in November, 1890. The congregation used the church until 1936, when the widening of Woodward Avenue required a remodelling of the church. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
First Presbyterian Church		1889	2930 Woodward Ave.	Richardsonian Romanesque	George D. Mason	George D. Mason modeled the First Presbyterian Church after Henry Hobson Richardson's Trinity Church in Boston. When Woodward was widened in 1936, the elaborately-carved entrance porch was moved from the Woodward facade to the Edmund Place side. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bonstelle Theatre		1902	3424 Woodward Ave.	Beaux Arts	Albert Kahn, C. Howard Crane	When Rabbi Leo M. Franklin first began leading services of Detroit's Temple Beth El in 1899, he felt that the construction of a new temple building on Detroit's "Piety Row" stretch of Woodward would increase the visibility and prestige on Detroit's Jewish community. Groundbreaking began on November 25, 1901, with the ceremonial cornerstone laid on April 23, 1902. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Education

Brush Park is within the Detroit Public Schools district. Residents are zoned to Spain Elementary School for K-8, while they are zoned to Martin Luther King High School (9-12) for high school.

References

Brush Park north to Mack Ave. between Woodward and Beaubein.