National Register of Historic Places

Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Listed
February 13, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75000968

About this property

The Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings, also known as the Monroe Block, is a historic district located along a block-and-a-half stretch at 16-118 Monroe Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, just off Woodward Avenue at the northern end of Campus Martius. The district was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The thirteen original buildings were built between 1852 and 1911 and ranged from two to five stories in height. The National Theatre, built in 1911, was the oldest surviving theatre in Detroit, a part of the city's original theatre district of the late 19th century, and the sole surviving structure from the original Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings historic period.

Location

16-118 Monroe Ave.
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
42.33274, -83.04583

Categories

ARCHITECTUREPERFORMING ARTS
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
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
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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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Bagley Memorial Fountain
Listed
0.1 mi
Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Listed
0.1 mi
Barlum Tower
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Federal Building
Modern
0.1 mi
Lawyers Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Surrender of Fort Detroit
1812Early Republic
0.1 mi
Siege of Fort Detroit — American Recovery 1813
1813Early Republic
0.1 mi
Battle of Bloody Run 1763 (Detroit)
1763Colonial
0.1 mi
Pontiac's Attack on Fort Detroit (May 1763)
1763Colonial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings listed on the National Register?

Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings?

Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings?

The period of significance for Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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