My snapshot posts have been in part, an excuse to redo some of the posts that I killed off when the images went dead. Our Valentines trip to The Whitney in Detroit, being one of them. The building is well worth talking about again, in fact I highly doubt I talked about it much the first time around being somewhat too worrisome to talk about Detroit on the blog because of stats (urgh).
The David Whitney House stands proud as it did when first constructed between 1890 - 1984 for a mere $400,000 (approx $9.5 million in today's money). Named for David Whitney - a mightily wealthy lumber baron, then one of Michigan's richest inhabitants. Standing along Woodward Avenue, it's home to 52 rooms with 10 bathrooms, several Tiffany stained glass windows, a secret vault in the dinning room and the Detroit's first elevator (or as us Brits know them, lifts) in a residential building. It was one of the places to be for receptions, teas and evening parties often held by Mr and Mrs Whitney.
The Tiffany glass windows are worthy of noting and are considered themselves to be worth more than the house itself. Their designs often come to reflect the role of each room, but in the case of the grand staircase, you'll find a knight (second photograph) - one who symbolize all those of the Whitney family line knighted and their royal lineage.
Many believe Mr Whitney and his wife - both of whom died within the house in 1900 and 1917 respectively, haunt the building with disturbances noted on all three levels. Most particularly haunted is the elevator, which is known to move on it's own accord. Spooky!
The house was turned into a restaurant back in 1986, offering afternoon tea, dinner service and hosting wedding receptions - which we actually looked into for ourselves. We visited on a chilly February afternoon all suited and booted while they were offering their Valentines afternoon tea - which itself was a delight and they welcome you going up the second floor and having a wander around. It's an enchanted building, one that has been beautifully preserved (although at a $3 million cost back in 1986). Dinning there is a great opportunity to sample how grand the houses of this era in Detroit must have once been and certainly a must stop if you're ever in the city.
The Whitney
4421 Woodward Ave.,
Detroit, Michigan, 48201
Where are your top places for a spot of afternoon tea?
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