Significant Residents of the Boston-Edison Historic District
Numerous historically significant people have chosen to live in the Boston-Edison Historic District. Here's a sample of some of them:
Automobile Pioneers (read biographies)
- Charles W. Avery, developer of the moving assembly line at Ford - 1626 W. Boston.
- William B. Bachman, one of the founders and early president of the Automobile Club of Michigan - 803 Longfellow & 1130 W. Boston.
- George M. Bacon, designer of the Detroit Electic car - 161 Longfellow.
- Harry L. Bill, factory/general manager of Chalmers Motor Car, Saxon Motor Car, Metzger Motor Car, & Tudhope Motor Car - 10 Longfellow.
- Charles L Bockus, production manager, Studebaker Corp. - 1175 Chicago.
- Walter O. Briggs, president of Briggs Mfg. (maker of car bodies) as well as Detroit Tigers owner (Briggs Stadium) - 700 W. Boston.
- James Couzens, treasurer and original shareholder, Ford Motor Co., as well as Detroit Police Commissioner, Mayor from 1919-1922 and U.S. Senator - 610 Longfellow.
- William C. Cowling, sales manager, Ford Motor Co. - 1646 W. Boston.
- John W. Drake, president of Hupp Motor Car Co. - 650 W. Boston.
- Alfred O. Dunk, manufacturer of electric cars and president, Auto Parts Manufacturing Co - 631 Chicago.
- Charles T. Fisher, president of Fisher Body and vice-president of General Motors - 670 W. Boston.
- Edward F. Fisher, general manager of Fisher Body and director of General Motors - 892 W. Boston.
- William A. Fisher, of Henkly Motor Co. and president of Fisher Body - 111 Edison.
- Carl H. L. Flintermann, president of Wilcox-Rich Co. (automotive engine valves) - 1232 W. Boston.
- Henry Ford, president of Ford Motor Company - 140 Edison.
- Elmer W. Grinnell, manager, Grinnell Electric Auto Co - 1101 Chicago.
- Ira L. Grinnell, president, Grinnell Electric Auto Co. (and Grinnell Brothers music) - 650 W. Boston.
- Henry P. Hellmuth, of Scripp Motor Co. - 2437 Longfellow.
- Fred E. Holmes, president of Fred E. Holmes Co (automotive suppliers) - 831 & 960 Chicago.
- Benjamin A. Jeffery, founder of Jeffery Dewitt Insulator Co. (spark plugs) - 741 Edison.
- Henry B. Joy, original platter of Joy Farms subdivision.
- Henry Krohn, general sales manager and vice-president of Paige-Detroit - 1187 Longfellow.
- Charles E. Lambert, president of Regal Motor Car Co. - 611 W. Boston.
- Peter E. Martin, first Vice-President of Manufacturing, Ford Motor Co., during the Model T era - 1486 Chicago.
- William E. Metzger, organizer and sales manager of Cadillac and E-M-F Auto companies - 56 Longfellow.
- E. Mack Morris, general manager of the Model Automobile Co. & the Great Western Automobile Co. - 1136 Edison (now demolished).
- William T. Nash, secretary-treasurer of Lincoln Motor Company - 1444 Edison.
- Truman Newberry, businessman and Senator - original platter of Boston Boulevard subdivision.
- Meyer L. Prentis , treasurer of General Motors and philanthropist - 664 Chicago.
- Horace Rackham, original Ford Motor Co. shareholder and well-known philanthropist - 90 Edison.
- Adam H. Sarver, president of Detroit Durant Motor Car Co. - 655 Chicago.
- Claude Sintz, founder of Claude Sintz, Inc (fuel linkage systems) - 924 Edison.
- Barney Smith, vice-president of Cadillac Motor Co. - 1347 Chicago.
- John H. Thompson, president, Thompson Auto Co. - 1210 W. Boston.
- Harold Van Baalen, general manager of the Electric Automobile Co. - 1548 Longfellow.
- Charles H. Vincent, engineer at Hudson and Packard - 2265 Chicago.
- Sidney D. Waldon, vice-president of Packard Motor Car Co. - 160 Longfellow.
- Albert M. Wibel, vice-president and head of purchasing, FOrd Motor Co. - 1747 Longfellow.
- David E. Williams, of Liberty Motor Car Co. - 2460 Edison.
- C. Harold Wills, the designer of the Model T - 650 W. Boston.
- DuBois Young, vice-president (later president) of Hupp Motor Car Co - 1197 Longfellow.
Other Businessmen - Retail and Manufacturing (read biographies)
- Frank H. Alfred, president of Pere Marquette RR and superintendant of Detroit Schools - 1422 Longfellow.
- Lewis B. Alger, Detroit Soda Products - 1602 Edison.
- Frank H. Dodge, general manager, Burroughs Adding Machine - 1405 Chicago.
- Sidney Barthwell, Barthwell Drugs - 2035 W. Boston.
- Emerson Davis, president of Detroit Chemical Works - 1973 Edison.
- Charles E. Feinberg, president of Argo Oil Co. and noted collector of Walt Whitman and art - 872 & 2215 W. Boston.
- Frank Feinberg, Argo Oil Company - 872 W. Boston.
- Herman Finsterwald, furniture - 2265 W. Boston.
- Osman E. Fisher, Fisher Wallpaper Company - 2027 Edison.
- Roy R. Fisher, president of Argo Oil Company - 1250 Edison.
- Wolf Himelhoch, founder of Himelhoch's Department Store - 929 W. Boston.
- Ernst Kern, Kern's Department Store; Kern Block - 121 Edison.
- Otto Kern, Kern's Department Store; Kern Block - 1244 W. Boston.
- Edward C. Kinsel, Kinsel Drugstore - 1st 24-hour drugstore - 130 Chicago.
- James W. Knox, publicist - 112 Edison.
- Sebastian S. Kresge, founder of S.S. Kresge (now K-Mart) - 70 W. Boston.
- James E Larrowe, President, Farmers and Manufacturers Beet Sugar Association - 1211 W. Boston.
- Samuel Mintz, hardware - 690 Chicago.
- William B. Morgan, organizer of Detroit Electric Light & Power - 1100 Chicago.
- Charles W. Munz, furniture, vaudeville and film theaters - 610 Chicago.
- John Riccardi, of Roman Cleanser Co. - 640 Chicago.
- Louis Robinson, of Robinson Furniture - 2522 Chicago.
- Fred W. Sanders, of Sanders Ice Cream -1937 W. Boston.
- Bernard Schwartz, manufacturer of cigars - 1448 Longfellow.
- Benjamin Siegel, women's clothier - 150 W. Boston.
- Jacob Siegel, women's clothier - 51 W. Boston.
- Joseph Siegel, women's clothier - 610 W. Boston.
- Carl B. Tuttle, vice president and treasurer, S.S. Kresge Co. - 859 Longfellow.
- Edward Wagner, founder of Wagner Bakery / Wonder Bread - 1496 W. Boston.
- John Wagner, founder of Wagner Bakery / Wonder Bread - 859 W. Boston.
- Richard Wagner, Wagner Bakery / Wonder Bread - 1970 Chicago.
- J. B. Webber, of Hudson's Department Store and Hudson-Webber - 1239 Chicago (now demolished).
- J. L. Webber, of Hudson's Department Store and Hudson-Webber - 1477 Edison.
- Alexander F. Walker, co-owner of Walker Brothers Catering - 1549 Longfellow.
- Roy Williams, president, S.S. Kresge Co. - 1261 Chicago.
- Leonard A. Young, founder of L.A. Young Spring & Wire Co - 918 W. Boston.
Politicians and Public Servants (read biographies)
- John N. Anhut, state senator - 100 Longfellow.
- Hon. Trudy DunCombe Archer, Judge, 36th District Court, First Lady of Detroit - 1642 Longfellow.
- Edward L. Baker, Postmaster General of Detroit - 803 W. Boston.
- Martin L. Bass, honorary Liberian consul - 826 Edison.
- Hon. Arthur M. Bowman, Judge, 3rd Circuit Court - 1966 W. Boston.
- Hon Vincent M. Brennan, Judge, 3rd Circuit court and U.S. Congressman - 627 Edison and 2266 W. Boston.
- Henry Butzel, Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court - 101 Edison.
- William B. Campbell, member of the Michigan legislature - 1485 Edison.
- Arthur Cartwright, member of the Michigan state house and senate - 1540 & 2495 W. Boston.
- James Couzens, Detroit Police Commissioner, Mayor from 1919-1922, and U.S. Senator - 610 Longfellow.
- Frank Couzens, Mayor of Detroit, 1933-1938; son of James Couzens - 2000 W. Boston.
- Hon. Charles C. Diggs, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives - 2522 W. Boston.
- Hon. Ira W. Jayne, Judge, 3rd Circuit Court & member of the National Board of the NAACP - 1416 Chicago.
- Harry F. Kelly, Governor of Michigan & Michigan Supreme Court justice - 2465 Chicago.
- Franz C. Kuhn, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court - 112 Edison.
- Esther Lamarr, head, Detroit Commission on Children and Youth - 2030 W. Boston.
- Sen. Carl Levin, U.S. Senator - 2055 W. Boston.
- Hon. Sander Levin, U.S. House of Representatives - 2055 W. Boston.
- Hon. Joseph A Moynihan, Judge, 3rd Circuit Court - 1432 Longfellow & 2525 Chicago.
- Hon. George D. O'Brien, U.S. House of Representatives - 2475 W. Boston.
- Henry Peoples, Tuskegee airman and Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force - 1518 Edison.
- Truman Newberry, businessman and Senator - original platter of Boston Boulevard subdivision.
- Hon. Joseph G. Rashid, Judge, 3rd Circuit Court - 1726 W. Boston.
- Jessie P. Slaton, Common Pleas Judge - 1232 W. Boston.
- Hobart Taylor, Jr., Asst. Wayne Co. Prosecutor- 2265 W. Boston.
- Paul Voorhies, Wayne County prosecuting attorney, state Attorney General, and president of the Kresge Foundation - 1180 Longfellow (now demolished).
- Arthur Webster, Judge, 3rd Circuit Court - 1466 Longfellow.
Sports Figures (read biographies)
- Walter O. Briggs, Detroit Tigers owner when Briggs stadium was built (and president of Briggs Mfg.) - 700 W. Boston.
- Ty Cobb, Tigers center-fielder - 800 Atkinson (just south of Boston-Edison).
- Harry Heilmann, Tigers right-fielder, 1914 and 1916-1929 - 2225 Edison.
- Willie Horton, Tigers left-fielder, 1963-1977 - 112 Edison.
- Joe Louis, Heavyweight Champion of the World - 1683 Edison.
- Frank Navin, Detroit Tigers owner (Navin Field) - 36 Longfellow.
- Paul "Dizzy" Trout, radio announcer and Tigers ballplayer - 1935 & 2024 Edison.
- Ty Tyson, first radio announcer for the Tigers - 758 Atkinson (just south of Boston-Edison).
Religious Leaders (read biographies)
- Rabbi Morris Adler, of Congregation Shaare Zedek - 2062 Edison.
- Rev. Henry Hitt Crane, minister of the Central Methodist Church - 671 Edison.
- Rabbi Leo M. Franklin, of Temple Beth El, 1899-1941 - 26 Edison.
- William A. Hilliard, Bishop of the AME - 690 Chicago.
- James L. Lofton, Reverend, Church of Our Prayer (with 500 voice gospel choir) - 800 Chicago.
- Rev. Tracy Pullman, minister of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church - 834 Edison.
- Carlyle F. Stewart, Methodist minister - 1959 W. Boston.
- David Wilkus, president of Temple Beth El - 2435 W. Boston.
Musicians, Music Producers, and Entertainers (read biographies)
- Brace Beemer, the voice of The Lone Ranger - 1725 Chicago.
- Clara Clemens, mezzo soprano and daughter of Mark Twain (married to Ossip Gabrilowitsch) - 611 W. Boston.
- Celeste Cole, concert soprano, the first Black Aida, and founder of the Celeste Cole Opera Workshop - 693 Edison.
- Joan Freeman, concert pianist - 2499 Longfellow.
- Ossip Gabrilowitsch, conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, 1918-1936 and responsible for Orchestra Hall (married to Clara Clemens) - 611 W. Boston .
- Berry Gordy, Jr., founder of Motown Records - 918 W. Boston .
- David Alan Grier, actor and comedian - 2200 W. Boston.
- Elmer W. Grinnell, of Grinnell Brothers music - 1101 Chicago.
- Ira L. Grinnell, president, Grinnell Brothers music (and Grinnell Electric Auto Co.) - 650 W. Boston.
- Mischa Kottler, concert violinist - 853 Chicago.
- Lloyd Storey, tap dance teacher - 908 Edison.
- Richard A. Whiting, composer of popular music from 1900-1935 - 2418 Edison.
- Eddie Wingate, owner, Ric Tic and Wingate Records (bought by Motown) - 2307 Edison.
Attorneys, Real Estate Men, and Financiers (read biographies)
- John Ballantyne, president of Merchants National Bank of Detroit - 2275 Chicago.
- Isadore A. Berger, attorney and photographer - 2244 Edison.
- Frank W. Blair, president of Union Trust (commissioned the Guardian Building) - 1716 W. Boston.
- Clarence M. Burton, president, Burton Abstract & Title Co., and donator of the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library - 121 W. Boston.
- Joseph Dumouchelle, art and antiques auctioneer - 111 Longfellow.
- Frank H. Goddard, general contractor who built Ford House on Edison Avenue - 751 W. Boston.
- Nathaniel H. Goldstick, chief corporation counsel, city of Detroit - 2434 Longfellow.
- Oscar C. Hull, president of the Michigan Bar, state representative - 915 Longfellow.
- Edwin O. Krentler, president of Detroit Mutual Fire Insurance Co. - 2295 Chicago.
- Henry M. Kelly, lawyer - 2465 Chicago.
- Ralph Lee, builder - 2215 Chicago.
- Anthony Maiullo, attorney - 151 Edison & 52 Chicago.
- Richard H. Marr, architect - 1186 Edison.
- Nels Michelson, timber, real estate - 918 W. Boston.
- Walter C. Piper, Realtor and president of National Assn. of Real Estate Boards - 121 Longfellow.
- Emil C. Pokorny, builder - 819 Edison.
- Hartley Rowe, engineer - 875 Edison.
- Eugene Sloman, real estate - 155 Chicago.
- Robert Sloman, attorney (nephew of Eugene Sloman) - 1529 W. Boston.
- Harry A. Stormfeltz, real estate developer - 803 W. Boston.
- Edward W. Voigt, real estate and other businesses - original platter of the Voigt Park subdivision.
- David Wilkus, real estate; and president of Temple Beth El - 2435 W. Boston.
Physicians, Educators, Newspapermen, and Organization Leaders (read biographies)
- Archie R. Ayers, president, Detroit Institute of Technology - 901 W. Boston.
- Dr. Wendell F Cox, dentist & co-founder of first Black-owned radio station - 1961 Chicago.
- Allen B. Crow, president, Economic Club of Detroit - 155 Chicago.
- Albertus Darnell, Dean, Wayne State University College of Arts and Letters - 1216 Edison.
- Beth DunCombe, Chair, Detroit Econ. Dev. - 1642 Longfellow.
- Dr. Nellie H. and Amos S. Ebersole, founders of the Art Center Music School - 736 Chicago.
- Hugo A. Freund, M.D., physician to James Couzens, among others - 52 Chicago.
- Vincent Giuliano, founder, Italian Tribune - 803 W. Boston.
- Dr. Clayton H. Gracey, dentist and designer of "Gracey currettes" (dental tools) - 2455 W. Boston.
- William H. Grier, psychiatrist and author - 2200 W. Boston.
- Elijah Mark Houghton, M.D., physician and pharmacologist; director of production of diphtheria antitoxin - 680 Longfellow.
- Joseph A. Johnston, head of pediatrics, Henry Ford Hospital - 1937 W. Boston.
- Dr. and Mrs. George Kamperman, obstetrician and arts patron - 79 Longfellow.
- Dr. James J. McClendon, member of the National Board of the NAACP - 2341 W. Boston.
- Dr. David C. Northcross, administrator, Mercy General Hospital - 2314 Longfellow.
- William H. Oliver, head of the UAW's Fair Practices division - 1743 Edison.
- Victor A. Rapport, dean, Wayne State University College of Arts and Letters - 2234 Chicago.
- Walter P. Reuther, labor leader with the United Auto Workers - 2292 Longfellow.
- Remus G. Robinson, M.D., surgeon and Detroit School Board president - 664 Chicago.
- Ruth Rutzen, librarian, president of the Michigan Library Association - 2234 Longfellow.
- George W. Stark, Detroit News columnist and Detroit Historical Society president - 2067 W. Boston.
- Nat Weinberg, director, UAW Research Department - 2426 Longfellow.
- Leonard Wiggins, former Tuskegee airman - 1694 W. Boston.