The Bernard Ginsburg House is a single-family private residence located in
Midtown Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, within the
Brush Park
The Brush Park Historic District, frequently referred to as simply Brush Park, is a 22-block neighborhood located within Midtown Detroit, Michigan and designated by the city. district. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1991.
Significance
The Bernard Ginsburg House is significant for both the original owner and the architect.
[Bernard Ginsburg House](_blank)
from the state of Michigan Owner Bernard Ginsburg was an important figure in philanthropy, civic service, and the
Jewish community in Detroit during the late 19th and early 20th century.
Architect
Albert Kahn went on to become well known in industrial and commercial architecture; the Ginsburg house and its English Renaissance style exhibited is typical of Kahn's early work.
Bernard Ginsburg
Bernard Ginsburg was born in
Columbus, Indiana
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 50,474 at the 2020 census. The relatively small city has provided a unique place for noted Modern architecture and public art, commissio ...
, in 1864; his parents were Polish immigrants who had arrived in America in the mid-1850s.
[Albert Nelson Marquis](_blank)
''The Book of Detroiters: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Detroit,'' 1914, p. 199 The family moved to New York and then to Detroit, where Bernard graduated from high school in 1881. Than same year, Bernard and his father began in business as iron merchants under the name, "R. L. Ginsburg". The business was successful, and Bernard became very well-to-do.
He served as Public lighting Commissioner for two years and as a member of the Public Library Board. He was active in Jewish charities, particularly supporting the Eastern European Jews who were migrating into the country.
He served as President of the United Jewish Charities, vice president of the National Conference of Jewish Charities, director of the Jewish Orphan Asylum in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
,
and President of
Temple Beth El from 1918 to 1919.
[Irving I. Katz, ''The Beth El Story,'' Wayne State University Press, 1955, p. 104.]
Description
The Bernard Ginsburg House is a two-and-one-half-story structure made of red brick and stone.
A carved wood arcade atop stone walls runs the width of the front porch.
Unique and beautiful statues support the porch roof.
[Bernard Ginsburg House](_blank)
from Detroit1701.org The openings for windows and doors have frames and quoins constructed of limestone.
See also
*
History of the Jews in Metro Detroit
Jews have been living in Metro Detroit since it was first founded, and have been prominent in all parts of life in the city. The city has a rich Jewish history, but the Jewish community has also seen tensions and faced anti-Jewish backlash. Today ...
References
{{Metro Detroit Historic Homes
Houses in Detroit
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
Houses completed in 1898
Jews and Judaism in Detroit
National Register of Historic Places in Detroit
Albert Kahn (architect) buildings
Tudor Revival architecture in Michigan