Croul-Palms House

Croul-Palms House
Location 1394 East Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates 42°20′1″N 83°1′55″W / 42.33361°N 83.03194°WCoordinates: 42°20′1″N 83°1′55″W / 42.33361°N 83.03194°W
Built 1881
Architect William Scott
Architectural style Queen Anne
Governing body Private
NRHP Reference # 83003790[1]
Added to NRHP December 20, 1983
Jerome Croul
Francis F. Palms

The Croul-Palms House is a private residence located at 1394 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The house is named after its first two owners, Jerome Croul and Francis Palms.[2] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[1]

History

In 1881, Jerome Croul commissioned William Scott to build this house at a cost of $25,000.[2] Croul was a successful merchant of woolens and sheepskins, owning (with his brother William) the firm of Croul Brothers. Croul was also a Detroit Fire Commissioner.[2]

In 1887, Croul sold the house to Celimene Palms, the wife of Francis. Francis Palms was a major Detroit landowner, inheriting a substantial fortune from his father. Francis died in 1905, but his wife continued to live in the house until her death in 1914.[2] The structure was converted into a boarding house with 25 rooms.[2] The Palms family continued to own the house through their realty company until 1945. In 1954, the house was again converted into an apartment building with eight apartments.[2] In 1983, the house was restored for use as office space.[3]

Description

The Croul-Palms house boasts irregular massing, contrasting materials, and a picturesque roofline, all details characteristic of Queen Anne architecture.[3] The house is 2½ stories, and is constructed from red brick on a rock-faced stone foundation. There are additional curved stone details,[2] as well as stone banding and stone window hoods.[3] The house has bay windows stretching the full three stories, and the multi-planed roof boasts projecting gables and decorative chimney caps.[2] The exterior of the houseis original but for the demoltion of front and side porches and a small third-floor balconet, and the replacement of the slate roof.[3]

There was originally a two-story brick barn behind the house, built a year after the house itself; the barn was demolished in 1954.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Croul-Palms House from the city of Detroit
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Croul-Palms House from the state of Michigan

Further reading