Harvey, John, House

The John Harvey House, built in 1885, is significant because of its architectural grandeur and the status of its first owner. Its architectural style is representative of the eclectic nature of American architecture in the late 19th century. Its owner, John Harvey, businessman and philanthropist, and his family were instrumental in educating and feeding the city's poor children during the period immediately following the Civil War and on into the early twentieth century. The establishment of Detroit's Industrial School and later the Sabbath Mission School did much to aid the city's indigent children.

This eclectic dwelling is unique in its massing and its plan. It is asymmetrical in its arrangement of elements but is yet fairly ordered both vertically and horizontally. With its geometric complexity, its simple detail, and its red brick banded with stone, it reflects very strongly the English version of the Queen Anne, although its mansard roof would label the building Second Empire in style. Set on ashlar foundations, stylized wooden brackets emerge from the stone watertable to support the sills of the multi-storied towers and bays of the front facade. The entrance appears fairly centered on the front facade of the building; although the steps are gone, most of the porch detail has survived. Heavy round Eastlake columns support a porch roof with stylized detailing. The original double doors are presently hidden by the boarding of the building. Above the porch roof at second story level is a single double hung sash window. Common to windows throughout the major elevations of this building are shared continuous sills resting on console brackets, stone string courses at the halfway point up the window (at sash level), and the continuous stone lintel. A molded stone belt course runs between the second and third stories all along the front facade and side elevations. This treatment results in a horizontal banded effect. Otherwise, the building at 97 Winder flaunts its many vertical elements well. The four-story tower on the southeast corner and the three story bay or engaged tower on the opposite corner of the front facade are emphatically vertical elements. The gabled dormer between the two towers in the central section, projects vertically from the heavily bracketed mansard roof with molded cornices. Roofs on the towers of the front facade and side elevation are multi-sided and have molded cornices bounding the lower roof slope above and below. Brick chimneys also provide vertical thrust to the side elevations.