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A little blog about my big loves; family, friends, stitching and yep, chocolate!

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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Want to take a tour?

I had the great pleasure of taking a walking tour of one of Detroits most beautiful neighborhoods today. DF Sheila and I, along with her father, BIL and nephew walked through the historic neighborhood of Palmer Woods which is right smack dab in the middle of Detroit. Don't be afraid.....

This neighborhood is a gem in the middle of a city that normally gets a bad rap. This neighborhood has a wonderful park like setting with winding roads and Tudor Revival, Neo-Georgian, Mediterranean, Modern and Craftsman homes designed by architectural legends such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Minoru Yamasaki, Albert Kahn, Maginnis & Walsh, C. Howard Crane, Richard H. Marr and others. It was a drizzly day today but not wet enough to dampen our spirits or that of our tour guide.



All pictures are clickable so you can take a closer look. The stonework, the slate roofs and the gardens are all spectacular. Many of the homes have stained or lead glass windows - they were all so pretty. The gardens, many behind gorgeous wrought iron fences, were just breathtaking. The neighborhood is very park like in feel and it was of course, designed that way. There are no curbs and there are wonderful, little islands in the middle of streets to help maintain the parklike setting.



If you live in the metro Detroit area and haven't seen this gem, you should go - get out, walk around or better yet, go on a tour. Thank you Sheila, and Mr. B for letting me tag-a-long!

I hope you'll stick around to the end of the tour because I saved the best for last!

The last picture I'll show you is the largest home in Detroit - it's 40,000 square feet and was once the home of a Detroit Bishop. Later, John Sally (Detroit Piston) lived there (I'll bet the residents loved the parties he threw) but it has since been sold and is now owned by a minister in a non-denominational church. Because it was a Catholic residence, there is even a chapel - you'll see - it's gorgeous.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this little tour of one of Detroit's prettiest neighborhoods:






Can you just imagine a chandelier hanging from the center of this glass structure (greenhouse???) with an elegant dinner party going on?











There was a modern home thrown in every now and then - not my favorite.... I thought this one looked a bit like a contemporary church:



Okay... back to the houses I loved:








And finally, here is the Bishop's home. I've included the historical marker so you can read for yourself - suffice it to say this is a whopper of a house - 40,000 square feet of pure opulence. It even has a chapel, I love the angel over the stained glass.





How special is this?


Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on my SB finish! You're all so sweet!

I got a sweet gift from a dear friend but I'm waiting on her response to see if I can post pictures of it. Let me just say - you could have knocked me over with a feather it was so special and such a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much, Andrea! You are just the best!

Aren't these friendships we've made, and continue to make, wonderful? Did you ever imagine that friendships with those close by would be strengthened and that new friendships, made across the country and across the world, would be so special? This blogging experience has surpassed any and all expectations I ever had about it. Thanks to all of you for your friendship, support, encouragement and inspiration!

Peace,
Terri

41 comments:

Margaret said...

Thank you for the lovely tour! I really enjoyed it! I don't know if I'll ever visit that area of the world, so it was well worth it for me!

aprilmecheelesdulllife said...

Loved all the homes. Thanks for letting us see them. Beautiful !!!

The Eveningstitcher said...

Gosh Terri....how beautiful! I remember going to one of the homes in the 50's. My grandmother's boss lived in Palmer Park and she used to babysit for him and his wife. They are just gorgeous!! Thank you for all the pictures..they were lovely!

Cari said...

Oh Terri - thank you so much for a lovely tour of the city!! It is just beautiful...so peaceful. And, I love the angel over the windows...just spectacular.

And thank you for being such a great friend too! Hugs

Andrea said...

Wow, what gorgeous homes! I love old houses like that, the modern looking ones do nothing for me. There are some great places here in the Dallas area with beautiful old houses....

Glad you liked your package :-)
You've been so sweet to me, it was fun to do a little something for you!

xoxo

MANUELA ALBANESE said...

wow, a very interesting tour, every house is most beautiful than the precedent, i think that some of those house have an european style, lovely photos ... excuse me for my english.
Have you a nice sunday
bye
Manuela

Raven/Missy said...

These are beautiful homes, thank you for sharing the pictures. I love the angel over the windows, just wonderful!

Bertie said...

Oh Terri, your country has a lot to offer for us foreigners, the buildings are breathtaking and great history.
Thanks for showing us.

Hazel said...

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing them. x

Jane said...

Homes, more like mansions - but oh so beautiful!

Vinniey said...

Oh Wow!! I love all those houses! So beautiful. I love that "Greenhouse", it must be very beautiful at night. Thanks for the tour, Terri! :)

Mary said...

Loved your tour Terri. Isn't it amazing what wonderful pockets of history are still available if you only know where to look. And walking is the best way to fully appreciate them too. Thanks for your email re my threads for Elizabeth it was much appreciated.
Mary

Sherry said...

What a great tour! Thanks for sharing it with us. I love older homes and all the special details they have.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a fabulous walking tour of Palmer Park! What beautiful homes! Thanks for sharing with us all!

And your friendship is a treasured gift to those who receive it!

Robin

Kathy A. said...

Oh that was so wonderful! I wish I had walked that tour. My BIL lives in Windsor. Maybe the next time we are there, that walking tour may be an option!!

Carol said...

Totally agree with you on the friendships that have sprung up as a result of blogging, Terri! I never would have believed it--wish I had begun blogging much earlier :)

Those homes are amazing--just think of all the secrets and memories they hold!

jayne@~an eye for threads~ said...

Breathtaking and one would so not expect to see such wonderful architecture right there in the Big D. Thank's for sharing Terri, I can see the tour was worth every step even in the rain.
Be always in stitches.

Julie M said...

What a wonderful tour Terri! I'm with you, I love the older homes, the contemporary one did resemble a church.

Blogging friends are great! Thanks for being one of them!

Love to Stitch said...

Outstanding tour!! To think there are some fortunate folks to live in homes like that! There are 4 favs I would like to have, including the one with the glass atrium. Yes, I did pause for a second, to think about what I would be wearing at my party in that home!!! The bishops house, I thought about all the wonderful space to hang our gorgeous samplers, and how each of these homes would house them just perfectly!! Thank you so much for sharing this tour-- I would love to see them someday :)

Deb said...

Detroit is so often thought of as a very violent and dirty, rundown place, but there are surely gems in the city. Love the pictures of those homes. I'm really partial to those and the homes on Boston Ave. and in the Indian Village area when I lived for a couple years. The architecture is so beautiful. People just don't realize what wonderful places there are in the city.

Annie said...

Great tour! I didn't even have to leave my armchair. Kind of like the 'Accidental Tourist'!

Unknown said...

My grandparents lived in a big, brick house right in Detroit and raised four children in the house. The city and neighborhoods began to see more violence and they sold it and moved to Livonia. I remember the old house in Detroit with it's big rooms and high ceilings and wonderful front porch where everyone would gather in the evening. My aunts drove me to it a few years ago, but sadly, the house was gone.

Thanks for sharing these pics with all of us.

Tricia T said...

What a beautiful tour. I almost felt like I was there with you... drizzle and all!

marylin & poussy said...

That's why I like the USA everything is big!!!! My god that these residences are beautiful! The words miss me! Well my parcel arrived at the post office here in France I shall have him(it) on Tuesday because here tomorrow on Monday to us is a holiday thus on Tuesday I shall have him(it) I very want to see the contents I shall say to you as soon as it will be in my hands! Big kisses to you my friend!

Jody said...

Wow those homes were gorgeous....thanks for sharing!

Sherry :o) said...

Boy, just down the road a piece and I've never toured that neighborhood. Love the Bishop's home and there's one other with quite the quilt pattern type bricks that criss-cross - cool!

Yes, too, I agree that this blogging world is one of new and old friends - commented on that earlier in my posting...thanks for introducing me to it (to you and Deb)!

Isabelle said...

Thank you so much Terri for this wonderful tour : how many gorgeous homes you could admire : it must have been a great moment for you and your friends.
Have agreat Monday,
Isabelle

Katrina said...

Gorgeous tour! I love all the houses, thanks for sharing.

woolwoman said...

Terri - this was so fun to tag along on your tour - I love doing this type of thing. I am fortunate enough to work in a neat old home in a historic area of Jacksonville called Riverside - the home is almost 100 years old and the architect was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and it is true prairie style. Not as huge as the ones you showed but since a grand old house. Thanks mel

Giovanna said...

Gorgeous pics, Terri, thanks for sharing!

MyLifesAStitch said...

Oh Terri!!!

Sorry I missed posting on your last post! The SB finish is adorable!!

Thank you so much for this post! I LOVE and ADORE looking at houses! I love the 4th house down - I think it might be my favorite! Love love love all the Tudor style homes too. And the ones with the turrets? Beautiful!

That last one is ginormous, lol! Maybe they have like 20 kids?? It reminds me a bit of Hampton Court Palace, actually... I wonder if it was designed to echo that?

Anyway, great eye candy post! :)

Can't wait for Saturday!!

The Crackling Crows Banners said...

YEAH...I saw my dream house :)
OMG I would love to live there!!!

Thanks for sharing the pics :)

Smiles Ivonne :)

SiobhĂ¡n said...

Thank you SO much for the tour! I love seeing homes like that, especially older, historic homes. Beautiful!

bea de caracas said...

Wonderfull houses!
Best regards, Terri....

mainely stitching said...

Wow, those are some amazing properties. I'm all for the 40,000 square feet (as long as I get some staff to keep it clean!). ;)

Mylene said...

WOW! What beautiful houses. Thanks so much Terri for sharing all the pics.

Loraine said...

Wow! I had no idea such amazing houses were in Detroit! Thanks for the tour.
And your SB finish is adorable. I have that one in my stash. I really love the rickrack on it.
Dear friend, I am feeling totally guilty and behind on my birthday thank you. Please forgive this busy and slow girl!!!
I hope all is well with you. I'm counting the days until September!
Hugs.

Patricia Lessell said...

I loved your tour. Most of the homes were just gorgeous. You are so right about the friendships we have formed through having blogs. It's just the best.
Lots of Love
Patti xxx

Linda said...

Hi Terrie
Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures. I was born and raised in the other "most-downtrodden" of US towns, Youngstown Ohio. I don't know of any walking tours, but it has the same sort of amazing stately homes. These estate, castle-like structures, can sometimes be bought for a song. It's wonderful to see locals preserving the history,
Linda

Brigitte said...

Oh my, I'd love to live in one of these houses for a while. Must be a dream ....

Pumpkin said...

SPECTACULAR! I love looking at all those houses and all the gorgeous details. What a great tour.

I'm continually amazed at the friendships I have made over the years :o) I just wish I could meet some of you!