National Register of Historic Places

Willis-Selden Historic District

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Listed
December 1, 1997
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
97001478

About this property

The Willis–Selden Historic District is a historic district located in Detroit, Michigan, consisting of three streets: Willis, Alexandrine, and Selden, Running from Woodward Avenue on the east to Third Avenue on the west. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The land forming the Willis–Selden Historic District was originally the Park Lots, the Cass Farm, and the Jones/Crane Farm. These parcels were subdivided in the late 1800s. Due in part to the growth of Detroit during the 1860s and generous lot sizes, the Willis–Selden District became a popular area for development, particularly for the relatively wealthy professional class. In the early twentieth century, the district became home to auto industry suppliers, once again due to its location and large lots. Forty-one percent of commercial buildings in the district built between 1910 and 1930 were auto-related. In addition, large, high-density apartments were constructed to meet the demands of the huge influx of auto workers into Detroit. However, the Great Depression had a marked impact on the industry and on the Willis–Selden Historic District, sending it into decline. Detroit-Columbia Central Office Building (52 Selden) Cass Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (3901 Cass Avenue, at Selden) Coronado Apartments (3751-73 Second Avenue, at Selden) Stuber-Stone Building (4221-4229 Cass Avenue, at Willis) Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station (50 W. Willis)

Location

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
42.34957, -83.06447

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCESOCIAL HISTORY
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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Everything a full report reveals about Willis-Selden Historic District

This page lists Willis-Selden Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
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
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
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

Stuber-Stone Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Cass Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
West Canfield Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Coronado Apartments
Industrial
0.2 mi
Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Pontiac's War – Battle of Bloody Run July 31 1763
1763Colonial
1.1 mi
Battle of Bloody Run (Pontiac's War, 1763)
1763Colonial
1.2 mi
Surrender of Fort Detroit
1812Early Republic
1.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Willis-Selden Historic District listed on the National Register?

Willis-Selden Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Willis-Selden Historic District?

Willis-Selden Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Willis-Selden Historic District?

The period of significance for Willis-Selden Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Willis-Selden Historic District?

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