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Constructed in 1871 for respected Downtown Detroit dentist Dr. Walter Watton, the Walter Watton House at 639 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201 is the oldest surviving house in the West Canfield Historic District – a charming tree-lined boulevard that attracted many other accomplished professionals who wanted to put down roots in an upscale residential environment that was close to downtown yet removed from its hustle and bustle.
Dr. Watton and his family occupied the 639 W Canfield St property until 1915, marking its longest stretch of occupancy and shaping its early history as one of the foundational residences of the district during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Though later residents did not live in the 639 W Canfield St residence anywhere near as long as the Wattons, its historical significance as one of the original structures that defined the character of the West Canfield Historic District during its earliest developmental phase cannot be denied.
Today, the Walter Watton House stands as a tangible link to 1870s Detroit and the professional-class community that helped shape its distinguished Victorian streetscape.