Norwayne Historic District

Last updated
Norwayne Historic District
NorwayneStreetscapeSingleFam.jpg
Streetscape with single family houses
USA Michigan location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
LocationGenerally bounded by Palmer, Wildwood, Glenwood & Merriman Rds., Wayne County Lower Rouge Pkwy., Westland, Michigan
Coordinates 42°17′32″N83°21′55″W / 42.29222°N 83.36528°W / 42.29222; -83.36528 Coordinates: 42°17′32″N83°21′55″W / 42.29222°N 83.36528°W / 42.29222; -83.36528
Area1,080 acres (440 ha)
Architectural style Mid-Century modern, Bungalow, Streamline Moderne
NRHP reference No. 13000479
Added to NRHPJuly 9, 2013

The Norwayne Historic District, or Norwayne Subdivision, is an historic residential subdivision, originally built for World War II defense workers. It is located in Westland, Michigan and roughly bounded by Palmer Road on the north, Wildwood Road on the west, Merriman Road on the east, and Glenwood Road and the Wayne County Lower Rouge Parkway on the south. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. [1]

Contents

Construction

The Norwayne Subdivision was begun in 1942 by the National Housing Agency in order to house workers employed at nearby defense industry plants, including the Willow Run Bomber Plant. [2] The Detroit architectural firm of Lyndon and Smith was originally chosen to design the subdivision. However, Maynard Lyndon, one of the firm's principals, moved to California in 1942, and subsequent design work was done by Augustus O’Dell, Hewlett & Luckenbach. Substantial construction was completed in 1943, [3] but additional work was carried out through 1947, when the community church was constructed. [2] Due to wartime scarcity of materials, construction was done with materials at hand, [3] and items like gutters were left off. [2]

The original occupancy of the Norwayne subdivision was restricted to war workers and military personnel whose income was under a specific level. In 1944, the income cap was $2000 yearly for a family of two persons, with an additional $200 for each child up to $2800 maximum. [2]

The project originally had 1189 residential buildings, which contained a total of 1900 individual dwelling units. The 1189 units were 192 one-bedroom row houses, 200 two-bedroom row houses, 362 two-bedroom twin houses, 674 two-bedroom single homes, and 472 three-bedroom twin homes. The subdivision also included a management office (now the Dorsey Community Center), a fire station (now demolished and replaced), a church, two elementary schools (Lincoln Elementary School and Jefferson-Barns Elementary School), and several commercial properties. [2]

Later history

After the end of World War II, the federal government decided to sell houses to individual residents, with preference given to veterans. In 1948, the local township took over operation of water and sewer services for the subdivision, and in 1953, sales of individual homes began. However, by as early as 1962, some units had deteriorated to the point that demolition was required. [2] Over the years, home ownership declined and some units deteriorated further, earning the neighborhood the pejorative name, "Shacktown." [3] Both elementary schools in the neighborhood were closed in 2010. The Hoover Elementary School building was torn down and the site is vacant. Jefferson-Barns school building now houses the Jefferson-Barns Community Vitality Center. [3] Despite efforts to revitalize the area, low-income residents, apathy, and disrepair have remained.

Description

The Norwayne Historic District is bisected by Venoy Road, which runs north–south; Grand Traverse Street, which meanders roughly east–west, serves as a main trunkline for the neighborhood. Cross-streets and half-circle courts extend from Grand Traverse; the residential structures all face onto these cross-streets and courts, set back a consistent distance from the street. Streets in the subdivision are primarily curvilinear, following the Federal Housing Administration guidelines published in the late 1930s. Commercial and public buildings are located on or near Venoy Road, with the exception of the former elementary schools, which were located at the east and west ends of the neighborhood. [2]

Of the original 1189 residential units, 1124 are still extant. The district includes these residential structures, as well as the former Lincoln and Jefferson-Barns Elementary Schools (both closed in 2010), the Community Church, Dorsey Center, and the commercial buildings located along Venoy. In all, there are 1069 contributing and 123 non-contributing structures in the neighborhood. [2]

Rowhouses ("quads")

Each of the 69 one story rowhouses contains four units. Each of the units are entered through a door in the front façade. Each unit has a kitchen, living room and 1 bedroom and bathroom. These units were originally flat-roofed and sided with weatherboard; in the 1990s, a federally funded project added gabled roofs and vinyl siding to all the rowhouses. [2]

Three-bedroom duplexes

The 191 contributing three-bedroom duplexes measure 44 feet (13 m) long by 24.5 feet (7.5 m) wide and are two stories tall. The duplexes contain two mirror-image units, with entrance doors in the front facade at opposite ends. Each unit contains 1,078 square feet (100.1 m2), with a living room and kitchen on the first floor, and three bedrooms and a bath on the second floor. Roofs were originally flat, but many have been gabled, and most units have vinyl or aluminum siding applied over the original clapboard. [2]

Two-bedroom duplexes

The 193 two-bedroom duplexes measure 37 feet (11 m) long by 24.6 feet (7.5 m) wide and are two stories tall. The duplexes contain two mirror-image units, with entrance doors in the center of the unit. Each unit contains 864 square feet, with a living room and kitchen on the first floor, and two bedrooms and a bath on the second floor. Roofs were originally flat, but many have been gabled, and most units have vinyl or aluminum siding applied over the original clapboard. [2]

Two-bedroom single family homes

The 618 single-family houses measure 36.2 feet (11.0 m) long by 24.8 feet (7.6 m) wide. They were originally built as a single story, but some have a second story addition. There are two entrances; one in the front and one in the rear. Each unit contains 834 square feet (77.5 m2), with a living room, kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms and a bath. The houses have gable roofs, and most units have vinyl or aluminum siding applied over the original clapboard. [2]

Community Center NorwayneCommunityCenter.jpg
Community Center

Dorsey Community Center

The Dorsey Community Center (originally the management office for the subdivision) is located at the southwest corner of Dorsey Road and Grand Traverse Road. It is a one-story structure built of beige brick with a flat roof. Large single-light casement windows are located on each side of the building. The interior includes office space, a conference room, and a large multi-purpose room. [2]

Fire station

The subdivision originally had a fire station located just behind the Dorsey Community Center. The station had a single bay, a kitchen, dayroom, sleeping quarters, and bathroom. The station was demolished and replaced with another station at a different location in the 1980s. [2]

Norwayne Community Church NorwayneChurch.jpg
Norwayne Community Church

Norwayne Community Church

The Norwayne Community Church is located at the southeast corner of Grand Traverse Street and Dorsey Road, atop a small but prominent rise. It is a two-story T-shaped structure built from block, with a gabled roof and a small square belfry. The entrance is in the middle of the front facade under the gable, with eight steps leading to a brick porch. Tall windows line the side elevations. The church has been painted brown. [2]

Schools

Jefferson-Barns Elementary School NorwayneSchool.jpg
Jefferson-Barns Elementary School

The Lincoln and Jefferson-Barns Elementary Schools were constructed roughly in the center of each half of the subdivision. Both school buildings are single-story brick structures, with wide flat roofs and a T-shape construction to accommodate both daycare and classrooms. Both have a taller multi-purpose room. Lincoln elementary was constructed with a longer classroom wing, although both schools have had additions constructed at some point. Both elementary schools are closed. The Lincoln Elementary School building was torn down in 2016. The Jefferson-Barns building is now the home of the Jefferson-Barns Community Vitality Center. [2]

Parks in the Norwayne District

There are five parks in the Norwayne subdivision. Before 1958, they were simply vacant lots, but the township acquired the lots and cleaned them up. The parks include picnic pavilions and playground equipment. [2]

Commercial building NorwayneCommercial.jpg
Commercial building

Commercial structures

A few commercial structures, located on the east side of Venoy Road just south of Dorsey Road, were part of the original Norwayne development. The two-story building at 2345 Venoy Road originally housed a grocery store, dry cleaner, barber shop, beauty parlor, and taxicab office on the first floor and a physician's and dentist's offices on the second. An addition to the building housed a drug store. A second commercial building housed a five-and-dime store [2]

Related Research Articles

Old Faithful Historic District United States historic place

The Old Faithful Historic District in Yellowstone National Park comprises the built-up portion of the Upper Geyser Basin surrounding the Old Faithful Inn and Old Faithful Geyser. It includes the Old Faithful Inn, designed by Robert Reamer and is itself a National Historic Landmark, the upper and lower Hamilton's Stores, the Old Faithful Lodge, designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, and a variety of supporting buildings. The Old Faithful Historic District itself lies on the 140-mile Grand Loop Road Historic District.

Snake River Land Company Residence and Office United States historic place

The Snake River Land Company Residence and Office are structures associated with John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s acquisition of land in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States. Under the guise of the Snake River Land Company, Rockefeller bought much of the land that he eventually donated to the National Park Service, first as Jackson Hole National Monument and a year later as Grand Teton National Park. The buildings are located in the park, in the community of Moran. They served as the residence and office for SRLC vice president Harold Fabian and foreman J. Allan from 1930 to 1945. The buildings are still used by the National Park Service. The property was owned from 1926 to 1930 by John Hogan, a retired politician from the eastern United States. The Snake River Land Company bought the property in 1930.

Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District United States historic place

The Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District is a Forest Service compound consisting of eleven historic buildings located in the Mount Hood National Forest in the Cascade Mountains of northern Oregon. It was originally built as a district ranger station for the Clackamas Lake Ranger District. It was later converted to a summer guard station. Today, the Forest Service rents the historic ranger's residence to recreational visitors. The Clackamas Lake Ranger Station is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Manning–Kamna Farm United States historic place

The Manning–Kamna Farm is a private farm adjacent to Hillsboro in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Settled in the 1850s, ten buildings built between 1883 and 1930 still stand, including the cross-wing western farmhouse. These ten structures comprise the buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 as an example of a farm in the region from the turn of the 20th century. Until the 1950s the farm was used to grow seeds, including rye grass and vetch. Listed buildings on the property include a barn, smokehouse, pumphouse, woodshed, and privy.

Gifford–Walker Farm United States historic place

The Gifford–Walker Farm, also known as the Alice Walker Farm, is located on North Bergen Road in North Bergen, New York, United States. Its farmhouse is a two-story Carpenter Gothic style structure built in 1870.

Terwilliger–Smith Farm United States historic place

The Terwilliger–Smith Farm is located on Cherrytown Road near the hamlet of Kerhonkson in the Town of Rochester in Ulster County, New York, United States. It was established in the mid-19th century.

Benjamin Franklin Gates House United States historic place

The Benjamin Franklin Gates House is an historic home and farm complex located on Lee Road in Barre, New York, United States. It is centered on a Greek Revival house built in the 1830s using the unusual stacked-plank structural system. The accompanying barn and privy are also included in the listing.

St. Anselms Catholic Church, Rectory and Parish Hall United States historic place

St. Anselm's Catholic Church, Rectory and Parish Hall in Anselmo, Nebraska are three separate structures that together form the St. Anselm parish complex. The church, also known as The Cathedral of the Sandhills, was built in 1928–1929, along with the rectory; the parish hall was constructed in 1905 and served as the original church building.

Jackson Park Town Site Addition Brick Row United States historic place

Jackson Park Town Site Addition Brick Row is a group of three historic houses and two frame garages located on the west side of the 300 block of South Third Street in Lander, Wyoming. Two of the homes were built in 1917, and the third in 1919. The properties were added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 27, 2003.

Thomas Hall House United States historic place

The Thomas Hall House is a historic home located along the 3000 block of Tyler Road in Christiansburg, near Childress, Montgomery County, Virginia.

Roba Ranch United States historic place

The Roba Ranch is a pioneer ranch located near the small unincorporated community of Paulina in Crook County, Oregon. The ranch is named for George and Mary Roba, sheep ranchers who acquired the property in 1892. Most of the important ranch buildings were constructed by the Roba family between about 1892 and 1910. Today, the ranch covers 1,480 acres (6.0 km2) and is privately owned. The ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

John and Katharine Tunkun Podjun Farm United States historic place

The John and Katharine Tunkun Podjun Farm is a farm located at 9581 East 1 Mile Road in Ellsworth, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Elk Lake Guard Station United States historic place

The Elk Lake Guard Station is a United States Forest Service cabin located in the Deschutes National Forest southwest of Bend, Oregon. The guard station was built in 1929 on the north shore of Elk Lake. It was used as a home base for Forest Service personnel who protected forest resources, maintained facilities, and aided summer visitors in the Cascade Lakes area of Central Oregon. After decades of use, the cabin was renovated in the late 1990s. Today, the historic guard station serves as a Forest Service visitor information center along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. The Elk Lake Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lithgow House United States historic place

The Lithgow House is a historic house on Blinn Hill Road in Dresden, Maine. Built about 1819, it is a little-altered Federal period house, distinctive for an extremely unusual floor plan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Springwells Park Historic District United States historic place

The Springwells Park Historic District is a historic residential neighborhood located in Dearborn, Michigan and bounded by Rotunda Drive, the Michigan Central Railroad line, and Greenfield and Eastham Roads. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Langford and Lydia McMichael Sutherland Farmstead United States historic place

The Langford and Lydia McMichael Sutherland Farmstead is a farm located at 797 Textile Road in Pittsfield Charter Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. It is now the Sutherland-Wilson Farm Historic Site.

Gordon Hitt Farmstead United States historic place

The Gordon Hitt Farmstead is a former farm located at 4561 North Lake Road near Clark Lake, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. It now serves as a vacation rental.

John Lee Webber House United States historic place

The John Lee Webber House, also known as "The Webber Place", in Yountville, California, was built around 1859. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Almond A. White House United States historic place

The Almond A. White House is a historic house in Motley, Minnesota. Built in 1902, the Queen Anne architecture is unique compared to other buildings in the town, and locally, it is referred to as the Motley Castle. Believed to be built as a rural retreat for Mr. A.A. White, a lumber businessman, the house remains a showplace in Motley, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1986.

Rosa Parks Flat United States historic place

The Rosa L. (McCauley) and Raymond Parks Flat, or simply the Rosa Parks Flat, is a two-story brick duplex located at 3201-3203 Virginia Park Street in Detroit, Michigan. The building is significant as the home of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who lived in the first floor flat with her husband Raymond from 1961 to 1988. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

References

  1. "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 7/08/13 Through 7/12/13". National Park Service. July 19, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rebecca Binno Savage (April 10, 2013), National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Norwayne Historic District (PDF), Michigan SHPO
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lauren Abdel-Razzaq (May 26, 2013). "Residents strive to revive Westland's historic Norwayne neighborhood". The Detroit News.