A History of Detroit's Palmer Park

by Dan Austin (Foreword by)

Overview

Palmer Park is Detroit's underappreciated architectural jewel. Located around the intersection of McNichols Road (Six Mile) and Woodward Avenue, it embraces every style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. United States senator Thomas Palmer originally developed the property as farmland and donated it to the city in the 1890s. Between 1924 and 1964, its character changed with some of the best examples of modern apartment living from top local architects, including one of just five buildings credited to the world-renowned Albert Kahn. Author Gregory C. Piazza showcases the exceptional story of building Palmer Park.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626197848
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	06/01/2015
Series:	Landmarks
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Gregory C. Piazza is retired from a fundraising career in the non-profit social services field. For the past thirty years, he has volunteered his time as a historic tour guide for Preservation Detroit, Palmer Park Citizens Action Council and People for Palmer Park. A resident of the Palmer Park apartment district from 1974 to 1991, his research led to its designation as a National Historic Places District in 1992.

Table of Contents

Foreword Dan Austin 9

Acknowledgements 11

Introduction 13

1 The Early Years 15

2 Palmer's Adventures in South America 19

3 Palmer and Suffrage 31

4 Palmer's Other Political Positions 35

5 The Palmers and the Building of the Detroit Museum of Art 41

6 The Palmer Children 43

7 The Palmer Retire 47

8 The Palmers and the Establishment of the Merrill-Palmer Institute 51

9 The Establishment of Palmer Park 53

10 The Log Cabin 55

11 Landscape Plans for the Estate 59

12 Picnics at the Farm 61

13 The Merrill Fountain 65

14 The Spanish Bell 69

15 The Mansion at Woodward Avenue and Farnsworth Street 71

16 Walnut Lane Mansion in the Park 75

17 Lake Harold and the Pavilion 79

18 The Spruce Log 83

19 The Palmer Park Apartments National Historic District 85

Afterword 135

A Note from the Author 137

Index 139

About the Author 141