The Fred C. Thompson House – 19201 Strathcona Drive, Detroit, MI 48203

Located within the Palmer Woods District at 19201 Strathcona Drive, Detroit, MI 48203, The Fred C. Thompson House is a distinguished Italian Renaissance-inspired residence that was brought to life in 1929 by the esteemed early 20^th century Detroit architect Richard H. Marr for Fred Crawford Thompson (GM of the Morse Chain Company in Ithaca, New York, and Detroit).

This was a significant commission, as the Morse Chain Company was a major parts and components manufacturer that played a key role in Detroit’s rapidly expanding automotive industry – and Fred C. Thompson represented precisely the upwardly mobile class Palmer Woods was designed to attract in its early days. 

Stretching an impressive 4,700 square feet, the home features the architectural grandeur, restraint, and impressive detailing that defined Palmer Woods during its most influential developmental period. 

As for the home’s design hallmarks, Marr’s entire catalog of work placed a strong emphasis on symmetry, classical order, and the elegance associated with Italian Renaissance architecture as a whole.

The home features:

• Doric Limestone Columns
• A Dignified and Ceremonial Entryway 
• Keystones, Arched Windows, and Carefully Rendered Balustrade
• European-inspired Accents

Today, the Fred C. Thompson House at 19201 Strathcona Drive remains a stunning example of Italian Renaissance residential architecture in Detroit thanks to its golden age construction, elegant composition, and close association with Richard H. Marr — a property renowned for its beauty, craftsmanship, and connection to Detroit’s early twentieth-century industrial leadership.