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The brainchild of architect Joseph E. Mills, the John C. Day House (completed in 1889 and located at 674 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201) is one of the most sophisticated old Detroit residences within the West Canfield Historic District.
A model of refined residential work constructed by an architect known for several notable civic commissions within the city of Detroit, the 674 W Canfield St home fit in seamlessly with the many other commissioned homes within the West Canfield District as it began its transition into one of Detroit’s most distinguished Victorian boulevards.
As for the home’s occupancy history, the John C. Day House’s first and longest resident (30 years, from 1889 to the early 1920s) was John C. Day himself, a man of great esteem and one of Detroit’s most upwardly mobile business figures during the city’s Golden Age thanks to his job as manager of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
This was a time when West Canfield was on its way to becoming a preferred address for Detroit’s professional class, with everyone from insurance executives to attorneys, architects, physicians, and businessmen flocking to live there.
The John C. Day House reflects this era through its stunning design pedigree and impressive occupancy history, standing as a well-preserved example of Victorian-age architectural greatness—a living testament to Joseph E. Mills’s architectural mastery and to John C. Day’s long and influential presence within one of Detroit’s most prominent residential corridors.