The Kresge Mansion on Woodward

Woodward 313-248

This is a glimpse at life from a lifelong Detroit resident

Join me on my journey along Woodward Avenue from Detroit to Pontiac, Ferndale to Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham to Highland Park, and anywhere that's accessible from Woodward Avenue. We'll venture through historic old neighborhoods, and visit new ones about to make history. We'll go to little known, and well known restaurants, visit art galleries, and meet artists. We'll walk in public parks, see monuments, learn historical facts, see the beautiful and the not so beautiful, the old and the new. Along the way we'll meet the movers, the shakers, the visionaries, the dreamers, and a few the interesting people that make 313 and 248 tick.

Springtime in Detroit

It's been a long hard winter but spring has finally arrived. I've always enjoyed driving along Woodward  looking for signs of spring. Winter coats, and gloves are being replaced with short-sleeves and shorts. Car windows are down, doors are open, days are longer, the grass is growing, and the trees are greening up

One of my most favorite signs of spring on Woodward is seeing the Kresge mansion gardens in bloom

Located on the corner of Woodward and Boston  this beautiful estate is an example of where Detroit's  Royalty once lived. Woodlawn Cemetery (also on Woodward) is where Detroit's Royalty (including the original owner of this home) are buried, but that's another story, and an upcoming post

S.S. Kresge's five and dime stores, later became K-Mart's, remember those stores ?  There are many buildings and landmarks along Woodward that owe their existence to the Kresge family's philanthropy. "The Kresge Eye Institute" at Wayne State University, the "Kresge Court" at the world famous Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), "The Kresge - Ford" building at the Center for Creative Studies (CCS)  to name just a few here in Detroit, there are many more across the country.

The gardens in the spring are a ocean of "Bluebells" that have naturalized in the lawns around the  entire house.

"Wisteria" vines (not yet in bloom) have reclaimed the wrought Iron fence that surrounds the property

This is a house and a garden with a history. Built in 1914. The house has gone through several owners and restorations but the "Bluebells" remained

Looking through the fence I often wonder if this was the vision of this palatial urban estate's first Gardner when those first little bluebell bulbs were planted. This is a view from the back of the house on Edison Street looking towards Woodward.

This house and the gardens are just a one of the historic Gem's you'll find along Woodward Avenue here in Detroit.

There was a pheasant hanging out in the yard on the day I visited.