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Historic Detroit

The historic homes of the West Canfield Historic District

Every house the Ledger has written up in the West Canfield Historic District, with its architect, its year and its own story.

By Victoria JacksonEditor In Chief Published 1 min read
Detroit, The Detroit skyline as it appeared from Windsor, Ontario on a sunny Labor Day 2025, known as the “Motor City,” Detroit...
Detroit. Photo: TheWxResearcher, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0.

Address

  1. The Walter Watton House 639 W Canfield St

    1871

  2. The William B. Conley House 691 W Canfield St

    1871

  3. The Colin Fox House 627 W Canfield St

    1874

  4. The John Scott House 640 W Canfield St

    John Scott & Co, 1879

  5. The William H. Kessler House 649 W Canfield St

    1879

  6. The Dr. Henry A. Cleland House 702 W Canfield St

    Joseph E. Mills & Sons, 1880

  7. The Henry Cowie House 692 W Canfield St

    1880

  8. The William Wallace Washburn House 659 W Canfield St

    Samuel C. Falkinburg, 1881

  9. The Armon J. Fair House 650 W Canfield St

    Almon Clother Varney, 1882

  10. The George Prentiss House 662 W Canfield St

    Almon Clother Varney, 1884

  11. The Harry B. Parker House 669 W Canfield St

    1885

  12. The G. H. Whitaker House 677 W Canfield St

    1888

Each bar is drawn to scale from zero against the highest figure, 702 W Canfield St for The Dr. Henry A. Cleland House. Figures from Detroit Ledger house stories, West Canfield Historic District and Detroit Historic Designation Advisory Board.

Your next step

Walk the neighborhoods these buildings call home.

Detroit neighborhood guides

Detroit's past is still standing, brick by brick. The Detroit Ledger has documented 14 historic homes in the West Canfield Historic District.

The earliest year in those stories is 1871 and the latest is 1894.

The architects behind the district

The architects who appear most often are Almon Clother Varney (2 houses), Joseph E. Mills & Sons (2 houses), and Samuel C. Falkinburg (2 houses).

A walk past the houses

The Walter Watton House stands at 639 W Canfield St (1871). The William B. Conley House stands at 691 W Canfield St (1871).

The Colin Fox House stands at 627 W Canfield St (1874). The John Scott House stands at 640 W Canfield St, designed by John Scott & Co (1879).

The William H. Kessler House stands at 649 W Canfield St (1879). The Dr. Henry A. Cleland House stands at 702 W Canfield St, designed by Joseph E. Mills & Sons (1880).

The Henry Cowie House stands at 692 W Canfield St (1880). The William Wallace Washburn House stands at 659 W Canfield St, designed by Samuel C. Falkinburg (1881).

Final word

This guide grows every time the Ledger documents another house in the district. Keep this page handy.

Sources

Victoria Jackson

Victoria Jackson

Editor In Chief, Detroit Ledger

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends.

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