The Moross House is a house located at 1460 East Jefferson Avenue in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. It is one of the oldest surviving brick homes in the city; it was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971 and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1972.

History

The Moross House: A Legacy of Art, History, and Community Built circa 1840 by French brickmaker Christopher Moross, a descendant of one of Detroit’s earliest French settler families who arrived shortly after the city’s founding in 1701, the Moross House stands as the oldest remaining brick residence in Detroit. Originally one of two homes constructed by Moross on the site, the house is a testament to the city’s early craftsmanship and enduring architectural heritage. The property was owned by prominent figures, including Colonel Freeman Norvell, son of U.S. Senator John Norvell of Michigan. Colonel Norvell was a veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg, a University of Michigan Regent, a Michigan State Senator, and co-owner of the ''Detroit Free Press''. In the 1960s, the Detroit Historical Commission acquired the home and conducted a full restoration between 1971 and 1973. In 1972, it was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Operated as the Moross House Museum, the property also served the community through the Detroit Garden Center, which hosted events, meetings, and horticultural displays in the gardens—home to what the University of Michigan identified as the oldest wisteria in the Midwest. In 2002, the City of Detroit sold the property to Mr. and Mr. Roland Scott. In April 2016, ownership transferred to LTD Limited, LLC, a Michigan-based company owned by Linda K. Schinkel Rodney and her sons, Theodore M. Schinkel and N. Douglas Schinkel, with Theodore holding additional individual ownership. Today, the Moross House is the creative home of '
Schinkel Fine Art, LLC
'', the working studio and showroom for mother-son artist duo Linda Schinkel Rodney and Theodore M. Schinkel. Known for their luminous, dimensional mixed-media metal works, the Schinkels create using an original process developed onsite—bringing together historical context and contemporary artistry. Now known as '
Schinkel Fine Art
'' at the Moross House the property has returned to its legacy as a vibrant center for creativity and community. In 2024, Schinkel Fine Art opened its showroom providing access to exhibitions, tours and event rentals that honor both the home’s rich history and its evolving artistic future. The '
Detroit Secret Garden
'', operates at the Moross House for viewing art outdoors and as an event venue. The ivy covered brick walls transport the garden into a secret urban oasis. ----

Description

The Moross House is a three-bay townhouse, built in a vernacular Federal style with

Greek Revival Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...

details, including heavy stone lintels and sidelights and a transom surrounding the entrance.Eric J. Hill, John Gallagher, American Institute of Architects Detroit Chapter
''AIA Detroit,'' Wayne State University Press, 2002, , p. 234 It stands two stories tall, built on a foundation of river limestone.
from the state of Michigan The roof is parapeted with wood shingles, and a pair of chimneys bracket the roof. A single-story addition sits to the rear, and a second is on the side.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Houses in Detroit Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Houses completed in 1848 Michigan State Historic Sites National Register of Historic Places in Detroit Federal architecture in Michigan