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Historic home, Brush Park, since 1899

Martin A. Edwards House

Standing and open

A drawing of Martin A. Edwards House from its recorded size and style. No photo we may share has turned up yet.
Built
1899
Standing
127 years

Designed by Donaldson & Meier

The Martin A. Edwards House at 305 Eliot St, built in 1899. 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

Martin A. Edwards House from the street today Photo: Street View, 2018

What is there now

Under renovation

  • Alteration permit Exterior renovations (roofing) per (HDC24-00701) & provided documents. (Subject to field approval.), estimated at $67,000 Source: City and county building permits
  • Lived in by its owner Homestead exemption on file Source: County parcel records
  • Standing Source: Historic Detroit

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The house at 305 Eliot St went up in 1899, in Detroit's Gilded Age, when stove works, shipyards and railroads made the city's first fortunes.

It carries the name of Martin A. Edwards.

Donaldson & Meier designed it.

It belongs to Brush Park, where the city protects the look of every house on the street.

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

Timeline

  1. 1899 Built Designed by Donaldson & Meier
  2. 1980 Protected by the city Brush Park
  3. 2025 Alteration permit September 9, 2025
  4. 2026 Today Under renovation

Where it is

305 Eliot St.

On this map

  1. Martin A. Edwards House This place
  2. Alpha House 90 ft
  3. Edwin W. Gregory House 140 ft
  4. Frank W. Atkinson House 140 ft
  5. Dr. Otto Lang House 150 ft
  6. Donald Miller House 160 ft
  7. Joseph Marpoom House 280 ft
  8. The Regina 410 ft
  9. James S. Heaton House 430 ft

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Donaldson & Meier
Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Donaldson & Meier

American architectural firm, founded 1882. Designed the Penobscot Building (1928) and 58 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Donaldson & Meier

More from Detroit in the 1890s

Around the block

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

Photo credits

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

  1. Martin A. Edwards House from the street today Photo: Street View, 2018

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.