Indian Village Historic District

Indian Village was platted and named in 1894 from a farm once belonging to Abraham Cook. Construction began in a few years and by 1904 thirty houses had been erected. The number increased to 142 by 1916 and by 1922 the total was 243. Since there are only about 300 buildings within the district it is apparent that all but 60 are over 50 years old. The newer buildings are scattered throughout the area, providing no clear demarcation between themselves and the historic structures. Indian Village provides what is probably the best collection of Georgian Revival homes in Michigan although other styles, such as Tudor and Spanish, are present to break the otherwise dull repetition of a single style. From its inception until the present the village has definitely been a haven of the upper middle class. Practically all of the prominent families who have resided here are to be found in the various social registers. The Indian Village Association has taken the lead in preserving both the physical and social aspects of the community and it has been singularly successful.

Indian Village Historic District consists of about 300 buildings located along three north-south streets on Detroit's near east side. The district is bounded on the south by Jefferson Ave. and on the north by Mack Ave. The eastern boundary is the rear line of the properties on the east side of Burns Ave. The western boundary is the rear line of the properties on the west side of Seminole. Most of the houses could be described as small mansions, probably two-thirds of them are Georgian Revival while a scattering illustrate the Spanish and Oriental influences that were becoming popular in the early twentieth century. Individual lots measure about 50 feet by 170 feet. The houses are commonly located on two of these lots, providing ample space for landscaping and mature shade trees. Gas street lights have recently been installed throughout the district. Indian Village's boundaries are readily apparent on the map. It has remained an island of well-maintained, single family, upper-middle class homes while the surrounding area consists of deteriorating buildings that were not as pretentious as those in the village even when newly built.