Historic Residences on Woodward Ave., Detroit
Including owner's place of business or employment when available.
Residence of Emil S. Heineman, Built 1839
428 Woodward Ave.
Residence of Emil S. Heineman 428 Woodward Ave Built 1839 "In 1862 Mr. E. S. Heineman bought the house and grounds on the north corner of Woodward Avenue and Adelaide Street for $20,000." Mr. Heineman was one of the presidents of the Hebrew Relief Society, which was connected to the Beth El Synagogue. Mrs. E. S. Heineman was president of The Detroit Ladies Society for the Support of Hebrew Widows and Orphans, 1865-1869. (Source: History of Det and Mich, Vol 1, Farmer, 1889, p423)
Residence of Emil S Heineman, 1881 Three-story Colonial style brick house, arched windows and small tower protruding from center of house. Pillared entranceway with small balcony above. Wooden fence surrounding large yard, residential neighborhood in background. Handwritten on back: "428 Woodward Ave., 1881."
Residence of Emil S Heineman Landscaped garden beside house, patches of flowers and trimmed bushes with graveled paths, surrounded by trees. Brick house seen on right side of photo. Embossed on mat front: "Tomlinson, Detroit." Printed on mat back: "Tomlinson, photographer, 236 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Mich." Handwritten on mat back: "Mr. E.S. Heineman's home, N.E. corner Woodward and Adelaide, #428 Woodward. See Farmer, Silas, History of Detroit, p.426."
Residence of H. A. LeRoy, Built 1840
271 Woodward Ave.
Residence and Buildings of H. H. LeRoy 271 Woodward Ave. (SW corner of Woodward and Park Avenues) According to The History of Detroit and Michigan, Vol 1., 1889, H. H. LeRoy was a commissioner of grades, which was created on Feb. 21, 1854, "to serve without compensation, with power to establish grades for street paving or sidewalks in all streets, alleys, and public places."
Residence and Buildings of H. H. LeRoy 271 Woodward Ave. (SW corner of Woodward and Park Avenues) According to The History of Detroit and Michigan, Vol 1., 1889, H. H. LeRoy was a Fifth Ward assessor in 1843; volunteered to supervise, without charge, the erection of a protestant orphan asylum the fall of 1837; and was president of the Mechanics' Association 1853-1858. (Image Source: The Detroiter: Official Publication of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Vol. 6, October 5, 1914, p 2)
According to The History of Detroit and Michigan, Vol 1., 1889, on April 30, 1812, H. H. LeRoy was appointed as one of twenty trustees of the University of Michigan. "The trustees were authorized to establish schools and colleges at their discretion, but they devoted their attention solely to Detroit." Factoid: U of M was established in Detroit in 1817 and moved to Ann Arbor in 1837. (Image Source: A Brief History of Detroit in the Golden Days of '49, G. B. Catlin, p5)
Residence of Rev. George Duffield, Built 1846
Woodward Ave. & High St.
NE Corner of Woodward Ave & High St. Built: 1846 Torn down: 1883 (High Street was one block north of Montcalm, right where the I-75 service road is. It ran East from Woodward to Gratiot.) (Source: Wikimedia.org)
Italianate style square brick building behind decorative iron fence, large trees blocking part of house, cobblestone street with streetcar rails in front; home of the Rev. George Duffield built on the northeast corner of Woodward Ave. and High Street in 1846 and demolished in 1883. Recorded in glass negative ledger: "LD/Historic houses-Duffield, Rev. George." (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections)
The First Presbyterian Church was dedicated April 28, 1835. On Oct. 1, 1838, Rev. Geo. Duffield became the pastor. On Oct. 16 following, a clock, which had been contracted for 3 months before, was completed and began to keep town time in the tower. On Jan. 10, 1854, the church with several other buildings in an adjacent block, was entirely burned. (Source: History of Detroit and Wayne County and Early Michigan, Vol 1, Farmer, 1890, p 595).
Residence of Jacob S. Farrand, Built 1854
457 Woodward Ave.
457 Woodward Ave. Built in 1854 Jacob Shaw Farrand (1815-1891) was a pioneer in pharmaceutical. production. He was a founding partner of Farrand, Williams & Co. and held executive positions with the First National Bank of Detroit, Wayne County Savings Bank, Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Col, Detroit Fire & Marine Insurance Co, and Detroit Gas Light Co.
Built in 1872 on East Larned St., this building housed one of the city's largest importers and jobbers of drugs, chemicals, paints and oils. The Farrand Company also manufactured pharmaceutical an dtoilet preparations and was one of Detroit's oldest, dating back to 1820. it occupied half of the block at Larned and Bates." (Source: Images of American: Detroit, City of Industry, D, Poremba, 2002, p 22)
The Staff of Farrand, Williams and Company. The entire staff of the plant of the Farrand Drug Company during the 1870s. Seated fourth from the left is Jacob S. Farrand, who became a partner in the Penniman & Rice Drug Company in 1836, the forerunner of the company to bear his and Mr. Williams' names. (Source: Images of American: Detroit, City of Industry, Poremba, 2002, p 22)
Residence of Clark J. Whitney, Built 1857-1882
437 Woodward Ave.
Residence of Clark James Whitney 437 Woodward Built in 1857-1882 Clark James Whitney (1832-1905) owned a music store that sold organs and pianos. He also leased the Detroit Opera House and owned a chain of theaters.
Residence of Clark James Whitney 437 Woodward Built in 1857-1882 (Source: Flickr.com)
C. J. Whitney's Grand Opera House Northwest Corner of Fort & Shelby Streets. "In 1875, C.J. Whitney opened an opulent theater the likes of which Detroit had never seen. This was the pre-motor Motor City, after all, and the city was still rather small. Never the less, Whitney dropped $135,000, the equivalent of about $3 million today, to erect the Whitney Grand Opera House." (Source: Historic Detroit.org)
Residence of Sen. Thomas W. Palmer, Built 1864-74
1040 Woodward Ave.
Residence of Thomas W. Palmer 1040 Woodward Ave Built in 1864-74 In 1893, the grand home was destroyed by fire. The land was later donated to the Detroit Institute of Arts and is where the south wing of the DIA is today.
"View of Thomas Witherell Palmer house located on Woodward Avenue. Italianate style house has cupola, decorative eave brackets and covered veranda. Handwritten on back: 'Woodward Ave.'" (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections)
"View of Thomas W. Palmer residence; house has cupola and covered porch. Printed on front: 'Alvord & Co., commercial photographers, 55 Rowland Street, Detroit, Mich., a complete line of city views, ground floor gallery.' Photograph labeled in lower right corner: 'Residence Thos. W. Palmer.' Handwritten on back: '1060 Woodward Ave.'" [Note: The handwritten note on the back states house no. is 1060, but first image states it is 1040]. (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections)
Residence of Capt. John Pridgeon, Built 1868
456 Woodward Ave.
Residence of Captain John Pridgeon 456 Woodward (southeast corner of Woodward Ave. & Alfred St.) Built: 1868 Torn Down: 1881
"Second Empire brick house with mansard roof, viewed at an angle from unpaved intersection past leafless trees and decorative metal fence. Carriage house and other houses visible on both sides. Handwritten on mat back: '456 Woodward, 1881. S.e. cor. Woodward & Alfred St. (torn down), 1881.'" (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collection)
"Large three-story Italianate style brick house, with decorative shingles and brickwork around entrance and windows. Partially blocked by trees in front yard. Surrounded by wrought iron fence. Handwritten on back: 'John Pridgeon, 456 Woodward Ave. (torn down) cor. Alfred, 1881.'" (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collection)
Residence of Chrisopher R. Mabley, Built 1873
1105 Woodward Ave.
Residence of C. R Mabley 1105 Woodward Built 1873 Christopher Richards Mabley was the founder of a chain of department stores in the USA. He was known as "The Merchant Prince." (Source: The History of Detroit and Michigan, Or the Metropolis Illustrated, S. Farmer, p 495)
The Boeing House, left, and C. R. Mabley mansion. Both were razed in the early 1900s-1910s. (Source: Detroit Public Library Burton Historical Collection)
Mabley opened Detroit's first major department store in 1876.
Residence of Wilhelm Boeing, Built 1875
1101 Woodward Ave.
Residence of Wilhelm Boeing, 1881. Built 1875 "Horse-drawn carriage in front of house. Printed on front: 'Residence of Wm. Boeing, 1101 Woodward Ave. Built in 1875. Photo Eng. Co., N.Y.'" Boeing made a fortune mining taconite on Lake Superior acquiring large blocks of land and had a sideline as a timber merchant. (Source: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections)
Residence of Wilhelm Boeing, 1881 1100 Woodward Ave. Location: Between Ferry Street and Holden Street (later renamed Palmer Avenue). (Source: Historic Detroit.Org)
Residence of Wilhelm Boeing, Around 1900 (Source: Detroit Public Library Burton Historical Collection)