Detroit Architects: Dalton R. Wells (1878–1951)

Dalton R. Wells (1878–1951) was a Detroit-based architect whose work helped define the elegant, upscale residential identity of early 20th-century Detroit. 

Wells’s work is noted for his brilliant understanding of revivalism, which saw him blending a high-level of craftsmanship with the city’s early automotive-era industrial affluence. He received his formal architectural training in both New York and Detroit, later joining forces with fellow architect Marcus R. Burrowes to start the firm Burrowes & Wells (1910-15), which went on to be a driving force behind a number of prominent old-world homes. 

Together, the duo commissioned Edmund R. Vier House at 75 Arden Park Boulevard, while Dalton R. Wells commissioned the distinguished Albert A. Grinnell House at 294 E. Boston Blvd. and George W. Renehard House at 300 Arden Park Blvd. all on his own – all three of which are located within Detroit’s esteemed Arden Park-East Boston Historic District.