Built 1881 Opened 1881 Added to NRHP 20 December 1983 | NRHP Reference # 83003790 Area 2,024 m² | |
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Location 1394 East Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, Michigan Architectural style Queen Anne style architecture Similar Thomas A Parker House, Arthur M Parker House, Charles Trowbridge House, William H Wells House, Alexander Chene House | ||
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. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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History
In 1881, Jerome Croul commissioned William Scott to build this house at a cost of $25,000. Croul was a successful merchant of woolens and sheepskins, owning (with his brother William) the firm of Croul Brothers; he was also a Detroit Fire Commissioner.
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. The structure was converted into a boarding house with 25 rooms. 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. In 1983, the house was restored for use as office space.
Description
The Croul–Palms house boasts irregular massing, contrasting materials, and a picturesque roofline, all details characteristic of Queen Anne style architecture. The house is 2½ stories, and is constructed from red brick on a rock-faced stone foundation. There are additional curved stone details, as well as stone banding and stone window hoods. The house has bay windows stretching the full three stories, and the multi-level roof boasts projecting gables and decorative chimney caps. The exterior of the house is original but for the demolition of front and side porches and a small third-floor balconet, and the replacement of the slate roof.
There was originally a two-story brick barn behind the house, built a year after the house itself; the barn was demolished in 1954.