Emanuel Schloss House
234 Winder in Brush Park near the intersection of Woodward and I-75
Emanuel Schloss was a dry goods merchant and haberdasher who,
with his brother, ran a prosperous store in downtown Detroit in the decade
after the Civil War. In 1870, he decided to have this lovely, although strongly
rectangular, home built in Brush Park, which was then emerging as the
residential neighborhood for Detroit's elite. This is a two-story Second
Empire solidly built home with extensive
gray stone trim. You will observe projecting bays on the Winder street frontage
with decorative stone hoods and keystones. The traditional mansard roof displays
attractive dormer windows reflecting the style of that era. This is one of
the best examples of Second Empire home design to be found in Detroit today.
Second Empire refers to the architecture popular in France during the reign
of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870. A feature of this architectural style
was
the use of Mansard roofs.
There are interesting questions about how extensive and firmly enforced were the residential restrictions that Jews faced in Detroit and other US cities before the 1960s. The Boston Edison neighborhood, in its earliest years, was distinctive for being open to Jewish residents. Emanuel and Rebecca Schloss—German Jews—were much involved in the early development of Detroit Jewish community. The first congregation was Beth El founded in 1850. Apparently, Jews were welcome to build their homes with Detroit's elite when Brush Park was developed.
Date of Construction: 1872
Architectural Style: Second Empire
Architect and Builder: Unknown to me
State Registry of Historic Sites: P252400. Listed
August 18, 1988
Photo: Ren Farley, July, 2003