Detroiters discovered the Grosse Pointe summer lifestyle, and established vacation homes along the lake shore.

The Summer People
By the 1880's, Detroiters discovered the beauties of Lake St. Clair and it's cooling summer breezes. They began building "cottages" along the lake and transformed the farming/fishing community into an entity entirely different from what it had been.

 Some of the cottages were modest; as time passed some of the building was more elaborate and grew into the local version of Newport, Rhode Island's warm weather retreats for the millionaires of the period.

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

 

J.V. Moran House, 1880's.
A summer cottage.
 

1880 - 1900 Community Facilities

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

As the population grew, so did a need for community facilities. At left is St. Paul's Catholic Church, one of the oldest churches in the community.

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

This is The Ivy-Covered Church, later to become Grosse Pointe Memorial (Presbyterian) Church

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

The Interurban rail line, which ran from Detroit to Grosse Pointe from the 1890's to the 1920's further opened up the area. This photo is circa 1900.

The cottages began to change in scale...

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

By the last decade of the 19th century, the beach cottages started to become more elaborate. This is the William McMillan house. Built in the 1890's, it was moved from its original location in 1913 and used as a year-round residence.

Photo courtesy of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

 

The H. Jewett House, built in 1909 as a summer cottage, was later converted to a year-round residence.

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Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan 48236
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