Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments
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Lot where the Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments once stood
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| Location | 227-29 and 237-39 East Palmer Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Almon Clother Varney |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Demolished | November 2005 |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000921 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 1997 |
The Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments were two small apartment buildings in Detroit, Michigan. They were located on East Palmer Avenue. These buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Sadly, they were torn down in November 2005.
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Why These Buildings Were Important
The Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments were good examples of apartment buildings from the early 1900s. A famous architect named Almon Clother Varney designed them. He was known for creating many apartment buildings in Detroit during that time.
These buildings also had a special owner. One of Michigan's first suffragists, Sarah A. Sampson, owned them. A suffragist was someone who worked to get women the right to vote. Sarah A. Sampson and her husband lived in the Lancaster building from 1906 to 1919.
A Look at Their History
The land where these apartments stood was first mapped out in 1878. Joseph B.H. Bratshaw owned the land. In 1882, he gave the property to his daughter, Sarah A. Sampson, and Susan M. Swales. The land was re-mapped in 1888. In 1903, Susan Swales gave her share of the land to Sarah Sampson.
Sarah A. Sampson was a very active person in Detroit's politics. She worked hard for women's voting rights. Her husband, George L. Sampson, was a successful businessman. He owned a large grocery company.
In 1901, Sarah Sampson hired architect Almon Clother Varney. He got a permit to build an apartment building on the land. It is believed that both the Lancaster and Waumbek buildings were built using his plans. They were likely finished in 1904. The apartments were named after places important to George L. Sampson. Lancaster, New Hampshire, was where he was born. Waumbek is an old Native American name for the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
Many early residents of the apartments were well-known families. The Sampsons themselves lived in the Lancaster building for 13 years. In 1919, Mrs. Sampson sold the apartments to Robert B. Weaver. The Weaver family owned them until 1961. By the mid-1990s, the buildings were empty. They were torn down in November 2005.
What the Buildings Looked Like
The Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments were next to each other on East Palmer. They were both three-story buildings made of red brick. They were designed in the Tudor Revival style. This style often looks like old English country homes.
Each building had stone details and slightly different decorations. They had parts that stuck out, called projecting bays. There was also a small open space in the middle for light. Both buildings were about 36 feet wide and 70 feet deep.
The buildings looked the same on both sides. In the middle of each, there was a tall entrance area. This area had brick supports that went up two stories. Smaller brick supports were on the third floor. The main entrance was an arched doorway on the first floor. You reached it by walking up a few steps.
The details around the entrance arches were different for each building. The Lancaster had cut stone blocks around its arch. The Waumbek had a special molding under its nameplate. On either side of the entrance were three-story bay windows. These bays had three windows on each floor. At the very top, the buildings had a low wall called a parapet. The parapet designs were also a bit different on each building.
Inside, both buildings were similar. They had oak stair halls with wood panels on the walls. Each floor had two apartments, one on each side of the hall. The apartments had a similar layout. There was a living room with a bay window and a fireplace at the front. A long hallway led to two bedrooms. The dining room and kitchen were at the back of the apartment.
See also
In Spanish: Lancaster and Waumbek Apartments para niños
