Charles Trowbridge House
Encyclopedia
The Charles C. Trowbridge House is located at 1380 E. Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan
. It is the oldest building in the city of Detroit, and was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976.
built this house in 1826 at a cost of $2500 on what was then farmland, far from the heart of Detroit. At the time, the River Road (now East Jefferson) ran behind the house; the original access to the house may have been from what is now the rear. Houses of this type often had similar front and rear layouts, with entrances at both ends of a central hallway.
Trowbridge lived in the house for 56 years until his death in 1883. The house, originally built in a Greek Revival style, was updated with Victorian
elements such as the bay window in the front.
After Trowbridge's death, the house remained in the family, and was converted to a rooming house in 1936. In 1942, the Trowbridge family sold the house to Marie Cavanaugh and it was converted back to a single-family residence. Today, the house is privately owned and houses multiple businesses including Trowbridge Law Firm, Trowbridge Realty, Dickson & Associates and RBD Creative.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is the oldest building in the city of Detroit, and was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976.
History
Charles Christopher TrowbridgeCharles Christopher Trowbridge
Charles Christopher Trowbridge was an explorer, politician, businessman, and ethnographer of Native American cultures who lived in Detroit during the 19th century...
built this house in 1826 at a cost of $2500 on what was then farmland, far from the heart of Detroit. At the time, the River Road (now East Jefferson) ran behind the house; the original access to the house may have been from what is now the rear. Houses of this type often had similar front and rear layouts, with entrances at both ends of a central hallway.
Trowbridge lived in the house for 56 years until his death in 1883. The house, originally built in a Greek Revival style, was updated with Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
elements such as the bay window in the front.
After Trowbridge's death, the house remained in the family, and was converted to a rooming house in 1936. In 1942, the Trowbridge family sold the house to Marie Cavanaugh and it was converted back to a single-family residence. Today, the house is privately owned and houses multiple businesses including Trowbridge Law Firm, Trowbridge Realty, Dickson & Associates and RBD Creative.