Cranbrook
National Historic Landmark

Cranbrook

Bloomfield Hills, Oakland County, Michigan
Listed
March 7, 1973
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73000954

About this property

The Cranbrook Educational Community is an education, research, and public museum complex in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This National Historic Landmark was founded in the early 20th century by newspaper mogul George Gough Booth with his wife, Ellen Scripps Booth. It consists of Cranbrook Schools, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Cranbrook Art Museum, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Cranbrook House and Gardens, and the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research. The founders also built Christ Church Cranbrook as a focal point for the educational complex, though it is a separate entity operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. The sprawling 319-acre (1,290,000 m2) campus began as a 174-acre (700,000 m2) farm, purchased in 1904. The organization takes its name from Cranbrook, England, the birthplace of the founder's father. Cranbrook is renowned for its architecture in the Arts and Crafts and Art Deco styles. The chief architect was Eliel Saarinen while Albert Kahn was responsible for the design of Cranbrook House. Sculptors Carl Milles and Marshall Fredericks also spent many years in residence at Cranbrook. In 2024 Cranbrook Educational Community was awarded 3 Michelin Stars in the Michelin Green Guide, on par with institutions such as the Detroit Institute of Art and the Louvre.

Location

Bloomfield Hills, Oakland County, Michigan
42.56953, -83.24558

Categories

ARTEUROPEANARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Endicott, John & Mary Elizabeth Booth, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Taliaferro, Thomas W. and Margaret, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Trowbridge Road--Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge
Industrial
1.1 mi
O'Dell, H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland, House-Inch House
Industrial
1.3 mi
Affleck, Gregor S. and Elizabeth B., House
Industrial
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cranbrook listed on the National Register?

Cranbrook was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Cranbrook?

Cranbrook is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Cranbrook a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Cranbrook has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Cranbrook?

The period of significance for Cranbrook is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1904.

Can I research the history near Cranbrook?

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