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Historic home, Midtown, since 1884

George Prentis House

Standing and open

A drawing of George Prentis House from its recorded size and style. No photo we may share has turned up yet.
Built
1884
Standing
142 years

Designed by Almon C. Varney

The George Prentis House at 662 W. Canfield St, built in 1884. The family, the architect, the block it belongs to and what stands there today.

On the map

The house today, from the street

Today, from the street

George Prentis House from the street today Photo: Street View, 2026

What is there now

Standing

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The house at 662 W. Canfield St went up in 1884, as Detroit's lumber, stove and shipbuilding money went into brick and stone.

It carries the name of George Prentis.

The plans came from Almon C. Varney.

It belongs to West Canfield, where the city protects the look of every house on the street.

On the city map it falls in Midtown.

Most homes like it are lived in, so enjoy it from the sidewalk.

Timeline

  1. 1884 Built Designed by Almon C. Varney
  2. 1970 Protected by the city West Canfield
  3. 2026 Today 142 years and still standing

Where it is

662 W. Canfield St.

On this map

  1. George Prentis House This place
  2. Armon J. Fair House 70 ft
  3. John C. Day House 70 ft
  4. John Scott House 90 ft
  5. West Canfield Historic District 130 ft
  6. David O. Paige House 150 ft
  7. Henry Cowie House 160 ft
  8. William H. Kessler House 210 ft
  9. Henry A. Cleland House 220 ft

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Jerome H. Remick and Company Building, by Almon C. Varney Jerome H. Remick and Company Building, by Almon C. Varney. Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Almon C. Varney

American architect, 1849 to 1930. Designed the Jerome H. Remick and Company Building and 8 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Almon C. Varney

More from Detroit in the 1880s

Around the block

It is in Midtown. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.

In the Detroit Ledger

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. George Prentis House from the street today Photo: Street View, 2026

Sources

Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.