The village of Del Ray was founded in 1850 by Augustus Burdeno in what is now southwest Detroit . A decade later, salt beds were found there and, quite rapidly, this became a major industrial area. Rail lines and direct access to the Detroit River facilitated the mining of salt and the manufacture of steel and iron.
Del Ray Township school officials, in 1894, erected the two-story,
16-classroom building that you see. It replaced a previous school on this site
that was razed by fire. Untended trees now obscure this attractive building
with its appealing arched entrance, If you walk close to this school where you
can appreciate the care and detail of the architect, you will see the impressive
central tower with its no-longer-working clock and its hip roof. You will see
projecting outer bays and interesting fenestration. This is a “classical” urban
school from the early industrial era. I do not know the original name of this
school.
In 1907, the Detroit School Board took over Del Ray Township schools and converted McMillan to a secondary school but, in 1916 it was converted back to an elementary school. The institution was closed in 1960 and remains an empty building.
James McMillan played a brief but important role in the country’s history. He was a Canadian immigrant who came to Detroit and made a fortune in the rail and railway car business. He built the Duluth South Shore and Atlantic railroad that ran from Duluth to the Sault and founded the Michigan Car Company.
Pierre L’Enfant drew up a magnificent plan for Washington early in the Nineteen Century, but it did not influence the development of that city in that century. When steam railroads came to Washington, they built lines throughout the city, including across the Mall between the Capital and White House, making the city dirty and smoky. In 1899, the Michigan Republican Party appointed the very prosperous James McMillan to the United States Senate. This was before the direct election of senators. Given his lack of seniority, Senator McMillan was appointed to chair the District of Columbia committee. He tirelessly devoted himself to a revival and reinvigoration of L’Enfant’s plan. In particular, he demanded the removal of railroads from the Mall and encouraged the building of the beautiful Union Station that remains this country most marvelous and among the busiest railroad hubs. He died in 1902, but many of his plans for Washington were applauded and eventually carried out.
Architect: Unknown to me
Date of Construction: 1894
City
of Detroit Local Historic District: Listed July 13, 1999
State of Michigan
Registry of Historic Places: Not listed
National Register of Historic Places;
Not Listed
Use in 2004: Abandoned and deteriorating school
Photo: Andrew
Chandler or Ren Farley; June, 2004
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