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C. Howard Crane

American architect, 1885 to 1952, born in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.

Fox Theater Building, Detroit, 1928 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Designer of the Fox Theater Building, the theater that opened in Detroit in 1928, a National Historic Landmark since 1989. It is one of 31 works by Crane on record across Detroit, built from 1871 to 1930.

works on record in Metro Detroit
31
of work here, 1871 to 1930
59 years
Detroit neighborhoods
9
still standing
21 of 31

C. Howard Crane's skyline

The 28 best documented of Crane's 31 works on record, oldest at left. None has a height on record, so each is drawn at one standard size in the shape of its kind.

The 7 best documented of Crane's 31 works on record, oldest at left. None has a height on record, so each is drawn at one standard size in the shape of its kind.

Fox Theater Building

1928, Detroit, height not on record, drawn at one standard size

Still standing, photographed 2025

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The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The Fox Theater Building heads Crane's work in Metro Detroit, a theater in Detroit, finished in 1928 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1989. C. Howard Crane, an American architect, was born in 1885 in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. and lived until 1952.

Crane's Metro Detroit work on record runs from the Liberty Theatre in 1871 to Guardian Detroit Bank (Brightmoor Branch) in 1930, 59 years. No decade kept Crane busier here than the 1920s, with 14 works. Outside Metro Detroit, Crane's work includes the Music Box Theatre in Manhattan, New York (1921), the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., United States (1924), and the August Wilson Theatre in Manhattan, New York (1925).

Inside the city, Crane's buildings stand in 9 neighborhoods, from Indian Village to Tech Town. Elmer George Kiehler is credited beside Crane on the Somerset Apartments and the Fox Theatre.

On the Majestic Theatre, Crane shares credit with Bennett & Straight. Of Crane's 31 works here, 10 are gone, the Liberty Theatre in 1926 and the Palace Theatre in 1953 among them. Today, 21 of Crane's works still stand.

Theaters were a calling card for Crane, 16 of them on record, the Fine Arts Theatre and the Majestic Theater among them. Of the works on record, 4 are Art Deco, the style that runs through Crane's work. The Ralph E. Burnham House at 2151 Seminole St is a good first stop for anyone tracing Crane's buildings.

Charles Howard Crane (August 13, 1885, August 14, 1952) was an American architect who was primarily active in Detroit, Michigan. His designs include Detroit's Fox Theatre and Olympia Stadium, as well as LeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio, which remains that city's second tallest building.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Every Crane work on record here

Built in
Today

31 works

Where their buildings stand

30 works on the map

Loading the map

  • Standing
  • Demolished
  • Altered
  • Works close together

30 works on the map

1 more work on record without a map point yet.

Beyond Metro Detroit

6 notable works by C. Howard Crane in 5 places, from 1921 to 1937, as Wikidata lists them.

Who Crane worked with

Where the work stands

In the Detroit Ledger

Photo credits

All 19 photos on C. Howard Crane's page, each with its author, license and the original.

  1. The Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2025 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Jury of the Ideal Cellar Competition, as chosen by Architectural Forum Original caption: The members of the jury were..., 1925 Photo: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Majestic Theater, Detroit MI Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. [Majestic Theatre, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  5. [View of Madison Theatre and Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  6. United Sound Systems in May 2024 Photo: JCBPCK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  7. Max M Fisher Music Center Detroit Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  8. [Detroit Opera House, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  9. Somerset Apartments on Jefferson Avenue Jefferson Avenue, in Detroit, Michigan Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  10. "State Theatre" (Filmore Theatre), Detroit. self made, 2006 Photo: Mikerussell at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  11. The Fillmore Detroit, 2022 Photo: JJonahJackalope, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  12. Film exchange building from a block away, 2012 Photo: ACGray, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  13. Olympia Arena, 5920 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Wayne County, MI Photo: Carla Anderson, Historic American Buildings Survey, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  14. The Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2025 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  15. Music Box Theatre Photo: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  16. Warner Theatre Photo: AgnosticPreachersKid at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  17. August Wilson Theatre Photo: Photo: Andreas Praefcke; cropped by Beyond My Ken, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  18. Earls Court Exhibition Centre Photo: Fernandopascullo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  19. LeVeque Tower Photo: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

The facts on C. Howard Crane come from Historic Detroit, Wikidata, Wikipedia, and Photos; Rebuild Detroit wrote the story above from them, and each photo names its license.