A Michigan Morning....my drive to work (caution dialups **weighs a ton)

Most mornings I go out, about to my job, feeling like I live in the "armpit of America" as my brother puts it....and then this happens...


A barge moves along the water way, no silent after a summer's traffic jam of boaters.

This is on Lake St. Clair, right where it enters the Detroit River:



It was a peaceful ride...Now, when one looks to the other side of the street, one sees the ostentatiousness of those who have bought themselves this view to the tune of Millions of Dollars....The residents of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park and Grosse Pointe Farms (3 of the 5 Pointes located along this stretch). Some of the biggest and most expensive houses in the country:




This is one of the largest:



Here is the house everyone knows as the Darth Vader house:



If you look closely at this house you will see the larger than life Nativity scene sprawled across its and its next door neighbor's yard. Note the three "harking" angels on the roof....




Yes, Grosse Pointe, the playing ground of Fords, Dodges, Strohs....most major names. They kept their summer homes up in my next of the woods...5 miles North. Sadly, many of the stately older homes are being replaced by architectural nightmares..."super Mcmansions" I call them. Once upon a time these homes were known almost as well by who designed them as who lived in them.

That's your lesson for today. Class dismissed. ;)

I found it very interesting. But I'm an architecture person. Can you name any of the architects?

If you can give me the addresses of those houses (which would be on Lake Shore, right?), I have an AIA Guide to Detroit here and might be able to provide that info for momophile.
John
Up here in Saginaw.
Don't forget about FUNDAY XII, which begins in just 195 days, 18 hours and 59 minutes.

Enjoying the drive on Jefferson, I see

Bringing back those memories of life on the East Side!

I've heard of an area that has a really cool community yard sale in the spring or summer? Is this the area?

As well as the definition of 'Super McMansions'. The first time I've heard of 'Mansions' was when I found my dad's Playboy collection. ;)

Nice photos! Thank you for sharing!

I can't ever remember which; it was on Lakepointe off Jefferson in the least-swanky part of them. They didn't have a car so we would often take them back home from Christmas Eve at our grandparents' in Mt. Clemens and drive down Lakeshore Drive to see all the mansions decked out for Christmas. It was beautiful.

Now many of the mansions' lawns have been subdivided and you can't see them anymore. Bummer.

Nice pics!

:hi: