Farmington Hills in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Spicer House

Photographed By Joel S., August 27, 2011

1. Spicer House Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Architect Marcus Burrowes designed this lovely home in 1925 for David and Martha Gray. Burrowes selected the site and built the house to blend with the land, yet retain an historic English architectural form.

The Grays never lived in the house. After her husband's death, Martha Gray gave the house as a wedding gift to Eleanor Goodenough (1910-1982) when she married John Spicer in 1935. Ellie had grown up next door at Longacres; she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luman Goodenough, who gave their home as a Community Cultural Center in 1968.

Mrs. Spicer's home became a working farmhouse on the 211 acre farm, as well as "home" for her five children. For 47 years she raised sheep and kept riding horses, while a suburban community developed around her. The City purchased the home and property from her estate in 1985.

Erected 1988 by Farmington Hills Historical Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.

Location. 42° 28.554′

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N, 83° 22.733′ W. Marker is in Farmington Hills, Michigan, in Oakland County. Marker can be reached from Farmington Road. The marker is in Heritage Park, which is on Farmington Road (about 0.4 miles south of Eleven Mile Road). From the park entrance, take the road towards the Visitor Center, Nature Center, and Heritage & History Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 24915 Farmington Road, Farmington MI 48336, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gray - Spicer House (within shouting distance of this marker); "The Stuart Little Pond" (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Spicer Barn (about 300 feet away); Goodenough - Spicer Stable (about 500 feet away); Lemuel Botsford House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Kirby White House (approx. half a mile away); Oakwood Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Village Center (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Farmington Hills.

Also see . . . Nick Spicer. Video tour of the grounds of Heritage Park with Nick Spicer, Ellie Spicer's son. (Submitted on June 5, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Photographed By Joel S., August 27, 2011

2. Spicer House Marker

Spicer House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel S., August 27, 2011

3. Spicer House

Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 23, 2014, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 1,029 times since then and 361 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 23, 2014, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.