George A. Owen earned his wealth from the dry goods business in downtown Detroit. He commissioned well-known Detroit architect, John Scott, to design this classic Victorian home. It includes two fireplaces and a very large staircase with elaborate wood trim. The current owners of the home, The Inn on East Ferry Street, renovated the Owen’s home so that it now includes nine guestrooms for their clients. I have not been inside this property but I infer that the new owners retained the original Victorian styling and décor throughout.
In writing this, I am struck by how rapidly our language changes. When I was growing up, the term dry goods store was frequently used and needed no definition. But we would not call today’s K-Marts or Walmarts, dry goods stores. Indeed, I presume some young people who ask what is a dry goods store?
Architect: John Scott
Architectural style: Victorian
Date of Construction: 1887
Use in 2014: This is a component of the Inn on Ferry Street
Website: http://www.innonferrystreet.com/
City of Detroit Designated Historic District: This residence is within the East Ferry Avenue Historic District listed July 17, 1981.
State of Michigan Registry of Historic Sites: This residence is within the East Ferry Avenue
Historic District, P4, 495 listed December 14, 1976.
National Register of Historic Places: This residence is within the East Ferry Avenue Historic
District, #80001921, listed March 10, 1980.
Photograph: Ren Farley; August 4, 2012
Description prepared: February, 2014
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