Detroit Architects: Crombie & Stanton

Founded by architects Henry F. Stanton and Charles Crombie, Crombie & Stanton was a Detroit architectural firm that had a lasting impact on the city’s most prestigious residential districts at the turn of the century.

Their work was defined by high-style domestic architecture – tasteful revival designs, balanced proportions, and intricately crafted façades that indicated wealth and cultural refinement in equal measure.

While not as extensively represented in upper-class enclaves like Indian Village as some of the larger architectural firms of the era, their contributions showcase early Detroit’s commitment to exclusivity, particularly the Crombie & Stanton-designed J. Frazer Whitehead House at 2474 Seminole.

This residence is a perfect embodiment of Crombie & Stanton’s approach: confident architectural expression without excessive ornament, a strong sense of symmetry, and the long-lasting workmanship expected of homes commissioned for Detroit’s upwardly mobile leadership class in the city’s most distinguished historic communities.