Boston-Edison Historic District
From Archiplanet
| Boston-Edison Historic District | |
| Designer | Unknown |
| Location | Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Date | |
| Building Type | Housing |
| Construction System | Brick, Stone, Ceramic Tile, Stone |
| Architectural Style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| Street Address | Boston Blvd, Chicago Blvd, Longfellow St, and Edison St, stretching between Woodward and Linwood Aves. |
| Notes |
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| National Register of Historic Places | |
| Name | Boston-Edison Historic District |
| ID Number | 75000965 |
| NRHP Status | Listed In The National Register |
| Certification Date | 09/05/1975 |
| Level of Significance | Local |
The Boston-Edison Historic District consists of a 36-block area containing approximately 900 houses, exemplifying the progressive ideals of urban residential design during the early 20th century. Homes in the District are construced in diverse architectural styles, balanced by uniformity of scale, roof line and set-back and consistent use of stone or brick construction. No two homes in the District are alike; each is custom designed. Architectural styles prevalent in the neighborhood include English Revival (Cottage, Tudor, Renaissance), Roman and Greek Revival, French Provincial, Colonial Revival (Georgian and Dutch), Italian Renaissance, Prairie and Vernacular.
Most houses were constructed between 1905 and 1925 and range in size from modest two-story vernacluars to elaborate mansions on sprawling grounds. Every home reflects a high level of craftsmanship and quality of building materials typical of the time; many homes include slate or tile roofs, leaded glass windows, cut stone details, and elaborate door surrounds.
Boston-Edison was designed to be a quiet, sedate residential area, and many of Detroit's most prominent citizens built homes in the neighborhood, including automotive pioneers Henry Ford, his early partner James Couzens, four of the Fisher Brothers, Charles Lambert of Regal Motor Car Co., John W. Drake (president of Hupp Motor Car Co.), and W. O. Briggs of Briggs Manufacturing Co. In addition, many members of the increasingly successful mercantile segment of Detroit's economy moved to Boston-Edison, including Sebastian Kresge (founder of the S.S. Kresge Company), J.L. Webber (nephew of J.L. Hudson and co-manger of Hudson's Department Store), and Benjamin Siegel (founder of a major early clothing store).
Today Boston-Edison is a multi-racial, multi-ethic neighborhood with people from diverse occupations and professions. It is governed by the Historic Boston-Edison Association, the oldest continuous neighborhood association in Detroit, founded in 1921.
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National Register of Historic Places
Historic Boston Edison Association
