Franklin H. Walker House Explained

Franklin H. Walker House
Location:2730 East Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates:42.3392°N -83.0197°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Marker:building
Mapframe-Zoom:12
Mapframe-Caption:Interactive map
Built:1896
Demolished:1998
Architect:George D. Mason
Architecture:Neo-Jacobean
Added:October 09, 1985
Mpsub:East Jefferson Avenue Residential TR
Refnum:85002948

The Franklin H. Walker House was a private residence located at 2730 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was also known as Doctor's Hospital. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, but subsequently demolished in 1998.[1] It was at the time the largest remaining house along Jefferson Avenue.

Description

The Franklin H. Walker House was a two-and-one-half-story structure, constructed of brown brick and rock-faced limestone. The massive Neo-Jacobean house was irregular in both floorplan and in height. A medieval-influenced octagonal tower with a pointed roof projected from one corner of the house; at the other corner, a two-story, three-sided bay window unit projected from the main bulk of the house. The gable roof was covered with tiles; walls at the gable ends terminated in fractables.

History and significance

This home was built in 1896 for Franklin H. Walker, a son of Hiram Walker and president of the Hiram Walker Distillery.[2] Walker hired George D. Mason to design the house. The house was notable for its immense size, diverse building materials, and medieval motif.

The house was eventually converted into a hospital, and extensively remodeled and added on to. The house was used until 1980 as Doctor's Hospital. It was demolished in 1998.

Notes and References

  1. News: Detroit News . Demolition Planned . August 12, 1998.
  2. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1916/06/18/99440582.pdf Franklin H. Walker Obituary