Sugar Hill Historic District (Detroit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sugar Hill Historic District
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Garfield Street, looking east from Woodward. The building to the left is the Garfield Building; the John Dingell Detroit Veterans' Administration Hospital is in the background, and the Garfield Manor Apartments in the center.
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| Location | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Built | 1946 |
| Architect | T.W. Cooper |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts, Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000068 |
| Added to NRHP | March 3, 2003 |
The Sugar Hill Historic District is a special area in Detroit, Michigan, known for its history. It includes 14 buildings located on East Forest, Garfield, and East Canfield streets. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 because of its important past.
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A Look Back: Sugar Hill's History
The Sugar Hill area started as a neighborhood for wealthy Detroit families in the 1880s. They wanted homes away from the busy downtown. Famous people like Alex Dow, who led the Detroit Edison Company, and Dr. Guy L. Kiefer, who started a hospital, lived here.
Around 1900, many Jewish families and medical staff lived in this area. It stayed mostly Jewish until the 1930s. As more people moved to Detroit, large homes were divided into smaller apartments. In 1936, the first nightclub, the Harlem Cave, opened in the district.
The Rise of a Music Scene
At the same time, many African Americans lived in areas of Detroit like Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. As their community grew, they started moving north. However, there were rules that limited where black residents could live. This meant certain areas, like those west of John R Street, remained separated.
In 1941, something important happened. Ernest White, an African American, bought the Gotham Hotel nearby. This helped open the door for more African Americans to move into the area and start businesses. More clubs began to open in the Sugar Hill district. Some were owned by Jewish people, but more and more were owned by African Americans.
By 1950, this quiet neighborhood had become a lively place for entertainment. The area east of Woodward Avenue became the heart of Detroit's jazz music scene. Many famous musicians stayed in hotels and played in clubs here. These included Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, B. B. King, Dinah Washington, and John Lee Hooker. Some clubs even welcomed people of all races, which was a big step for the time.
The Legacy of Sugar Hill
The Sugar Hill jazz district was very popular into the 1960s. It helped start the careers of many young artists who later became famous. These included Berry Gordy, Al Green, Jackie Wilson, and Marvin Gaye. They all played a part in creating the famous Motown sound.
However, in the 1960s, many old buildings in Detroit were torn down to make way for new projects. The expansion of hospitals in the Detroit Medical Center area led to many clubs being demolished. For example, the John Dingell Detroit Veterans' Administration Hospital was built where many clubs used to be. Even in the 1990s, some of the remaining buildings in Sugar Hill were almost torn down.
But there's good news! People are now investing in the district again. In 2010, the Garfield Manor Apartments were renovated. They are now homes and studios for artists. The building uses solar power and other green technologies. There are also plans to build a new residential and commercial building called the "Sugar Hill Building."
What You'll See: Buildings in the District
The Sugar Hill Historic District has 14 buildings built between 1885 and 1938. These include houses, apartment buildings, a church, and shops. It's the biggest part left of a lively neighborhood from the 1940s and 1950s. This area had many jazz clubs and businesses owned by African Americans.
The Garfield Building and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit are right next to the district. But they are not officially part of it.
Sadly, two buildings that were once part of the district have been torn down: the York Apartments and the Randora Hotel.
Here are some of the interesting buildings you can still find in the district:
Historic Houses
- Agnes Inglis House, 102 Garfield (1891): This house was built for Agnes Inglis. Alex Dow lived here from 1907 to 1922. It later became a school and then a rooming house. It's a 2½-story brick house with a unique shape, showing the Queen Anne style.
- Dr. N.W. Webber House, 76 E. Forest (1885): Dr. Nathaniel W. Webber, a famous doctor, lived here. It was later divided into apartments and even had a club. This 2½-story brick house also features the Queen Anne style with a tall, pointed roof.
- McCollester House, 4635 John R. (1905): Dr. Guy Kiefer lived here for a few years. It was later turned into apartments. The basement has been a barber shop since the 1950s. This two-story building is built in the Tudor Revival style, with bricks and wood siding.
Hotels and Apartment Buildings
- Garfield Manor Apartments, 71 Garfield (1922): This building was first for doctors and nurses. Later, car factory workers lived here. It has recently been updated. The Garfield Manor is a three-story brick building in the Beaux Arts style. It has a fancy entrance and decorative tiles.
- Lay Thorne Apartments, 4413–15 John R. (1910): This building was designed by architect T.W. Cooper to house six families. It's a three-story brick building with a flat roof, showing the Commercial Style.
- Carlton Apartments, 4425–27 John R. (1909): This building looks very similar to the Lay Thorne Apartments.
- Carver Hotel, 87-89 Canfield (1926): The Carver Hotel was built for white guests, but by the 1950s, it served black guests. It also had a restaurant. This four-story brick hotel is in the Renaissance Revival style. It has five arches at the ground level.
The Church
- Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian), 92 E. Forest (1915): This church was used by its first congregation until 1940. Then, the Grace Baptist Missionary Church moved in. It later housed a social service group. The building is a simple two-story brick structure in the Gothic Revival style. It has large arched windows.
Commercial Buildings
- Palmetto Garage, 52 E. Forest (1926): This building was originally a parking garage for nearby apartments. It later became an auto repair shop. Today, it houses the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art. It's a one-story brick building.
- Welker Letter Company, 66 E. Forest (1938): This building was a printing company from 1938 to the 1960s. It's now part of the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art. It's a single-story brick building in the International Style.
- Canwood Garage, 99 Canfield (1929): This garage likely provided parking for guests at the Carver Hotel next door. It's a one-story, red-brick building in the Commercial Style.
- Unnamed Building, 109–117 Canfield (1918): This building has three storefronts. One corner store was a Jewish-owned pharmacy for many years. It's a one-story, red-brick building in the Commercial Style.
