I received E-Mail that said:
None of these houses have actual names, so far as I know. They are all located in Bloomfield Hills, MI. The first is on Rathmore Rd, off of Long Lake Rd west of Woodward Ave. Bear left at the fork, and you can't miss it. There's actually 2 in this neighborhood, one on the left, at the fork (brand new construction), and the other house, much older, is on the left just past the fork. The older one is by far more impressive. The next house does have a name, but unfortunately I cannot remember. I don't remember the street name either, but I can give exact directions: Off Quarton Rd (16-mile) between Cranbrook Rd and Woodward Ave is Chesterfield Rd. Turn north on Chesterfield (through the stone gates). Go straight - sort of: mini-rotary - at 4-way. This brings you to a cul-de-sac. However, at the back side of the cul-de-sac there is another dirt road. Go all the way to the end, and you can't miss the house. The third, and by far the most impressive, is on Vaughan Rd at the corner of Orchard Ridge Rd, Between Long Lake Rd and Lahser Rd. The house is beautiful, with huge brick and wrought-iron gates, its own pond, and I can't even begin to count the number of towers. All I know is that it is currently occupied by the Aldrich family, and the house is rumored to have a ballroom with walls of solid gold. On 4-29-05, I received E-Mail that said:
Regarding the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan castles:
I attended Cranbrook school in Bloomfield Hills from 1980 to 1984 (I lived on campus). The homes around the school were absolutely fabulous. Were they castles? Well that depends on what you define to be a castle. Modern castles perhaps.
Cranbrook school itself was built in the late 1920’s by George Booth. The booth house was built in 1926, I believe by Booth. He pulled most of his money out of the stock market before the Crash of 1929, with which he built the school(s), art institute and museum. Most of the mansions in the surrounding area were built around this timeframe. Of note is the old Vernors Estate which is on the NW corner of Lone Pine Rd. and Lahser Rd. (Vernors was the founder of the Vernors ginger ale).
I think that most of the homes are modern homes made to look like castles. I don’t think there are any “historic” castles there but I may be mistaken on this. Someone else might provide better info. The home mentioned on your webpage on the corner of Vaughan Rd and Orchard Lake is simply incredible. Some of these homes have servants housing that was bigger than any home I have ever lived in! The road goes around the entire property.
On 5-17-05, I received E-Mail that said:
I attended Cranbrook school in Bloomfield Hills from 1980 to 1984 (I lived on campus). The homes around the school were absolutely fabulous. Were they castles? Well that depends on what you define to be a castle. Modern castles perhaps.
Cranbrook school itself was built in the late 1920’s by George Booth. The booth house was built in 1926, I believe by Booth. He pulled most of his money out of the stock market before the Crash of 1929, with which he built the school(s), art institute and museum.
Most of the mansions in the surrounding area were built around this timeframe. Of note is the old Vernors Estate which is on the NW corner of Lone Pine Rd. and Lahser Rd. (Vernors was the founder of the Vernors ginger ale). I think that most of the homes are modern homes made to look like castles. I don’t think there are any “historic” castles there but I may be mistaken on this. Someone else might provide better info.
The home mentioned on your webpage on the corner of Vaughan Rd and Orchard Lake is simply incredible. Some of these homes have servants housing that was bigger than any home I have ever lived in! The road goes around the entire property.
Does anyone have more information about these? Do they look like castles, or are they just large houses? Is there someplace I can get another picture of one of them?
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