Franklin H. Walker House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Franklin H. Walker House
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Walker House c 1910
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| Location | 2730 East Jefferson Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | George D. Mason |
| Architectural style | Neo-Jacobean |
| Demolished | 1998 |
| MPS | East Jefferson Avenue Residential TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002948 |
| Added to NRHP | October 09, 1985 |
The Franklin H. Walker House was a large, beautiful home located in Detroit, Michigan. It was built a long time ago, in 1896, and was once known as Doctor's Hospital. This house was so special that it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Sadly, it was taken down in 1998. At one point, it was the biggest house left on Jefferson Avenue.
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What Did the Walker House Look Like?
The Franklin H. Walker House was a very big building. It had two and a half stories. The house was made from brown brick and rough, rocky limestone. It was designed in a style called Neo-Jacobean. This style looks a bit like old medieval castles.
The house had an unusual shape. One corner had a round tower with a pointy roof. Another part of the house had a two-story window area that stuck out. The roof was covered with tiles. The walls at the ends of the roof had special decorative shapes.
The Story of the Walker House
Who Built This Grand Home?
This impressive house was built in 1896. It was made for a man named Franklin H. Walker. Franklin was the son of Hiram Walker. Hiram Walker was famous for starting a large distillery company. Franklin became the president of this company.
Franklin H. Walker hired a well-known architect named George D. Mason. Mason was a talented designer. He created many important buildings in Detroit.
Why Was This House Special?
The Walker House was very important for several reasons. First, it was incredibly large. It stood out because of its huge size. Second, it used many different building materials. This made it look unique.
Third, its design was special. The house had a medieval look. This style was not common for homes built at that time.
From Home to Hospital
Over time, the house changed. It was turned into a hospital. It was known as Doctor's Hospital. To make it work as a hospital, the building was changed a lot. New parts were added to it.
The house was used as Doctor's Hospital until 1980. After that, it was no longer needed. Sadly, the Franklin H. Walker House was torn down in 1998.
Images for kids
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The empty lot where the Walker House once stood, in 2008.
