Program - Society of Architectural Historians

SAH 2012 TOURS
Unless otherwise noted:
All tours, except on Sunday, will depart from Cobo
Center. Meet at the bottom of the escalators near
the SAH Check-in/Information Desk at Cobo Center.
Sunday tours will depart from the ground floor lobby
of the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. A sign will be
posted in these areas. Volunteers with signs will
guide you to your tour.
All tours are a combination of walking and bus.
Times noted for each tour indicate the time the tour
departs and the time the tour will return to either
Cobo Center or the hotel.
Note that weekday tours may overlap with afternoon
paper sessions. Please plan accordingly.
Lunch is not provided on midday tours, so please plan
to eat pre- or post-tour.
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/ Tours • wednesday \
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
TR1
Mobility Levels Key:
Walk a few blocks, climbing a few stairs, get on and
off a motor coach easily, stand for short periods of
time.
In addition to level 1, climb a few flights of stairs,
walk on uneven surfaces, maintain a walking speed
with the majority of the participants, stand for short
periods of time.
In addition to level 2, able to participate with longer
standing and walking periods, various terrains, long
driveways, steep driveways, several flights of stairs,
unpaved areas, stand for 30 minutes.
Wednesday, April 18
The Architecture of Nineteenth-Century Detroit
Wesley R. Thompson, Eastern Michigan University,
Tour Leader
During the late nineteenth century, Detroit was a
bustling post–Civil War industrial boomtown. The Detroit River,
along with the cities’ many railroads, allowed Detroit to quickly
become the manufacturing hub for a diverse selection of goods,
ranging from railroad freight cars to cigars and pharmaceuticals.
Detroit’s many local architecture firms would feed off this growth
and create a wonderful mix of fine homes, manufacturing facilities,
and churches within the city limits. We will explore the gems of
nineteenth-century Detroit, beginning at the Detroit River with
the Dry Dock Engine Works and Stroh’s River Place (formally the
works of Parke, Davis & Company). Proceeding down Jefferson
Avenue, we will visit the Christ Church Detroit and drive by two lone
sentinels of fine Avenue living. Heading to Midtown, our experience
will include the Globe Tobacco Building and nineteenth-century