Haley Read

HON 1000-514
9 November 2016
Written Assignment #2
Where Are We Going? The Whitney Detroit

The Whitney Mansion, belonging to David Whitney Jr., was completed in 18942. It was rather
out of place at the time as it was much larger and more exquisite than the surrounding area. The
process of deciding on which site to do this assignment on was a bit challenging but in the end,
the Whitney creates a distinctive Way of Seeing that provides the viewer with the sight of the
city beautiful that Detroit never was, creating history in the city without a history.

1 2008.033.602. Documenting Detroit. 1960. Detroit Historical Society. Detroit. Detroit Historical Society.
Accessed 7 Nov. 2016
2 About The Whitney.The Whitney Detroit. The Whitney, n.d.Web 07 Nov. 2016.

The process of deciding which site to choose was a tedious one. Other options include
sites such as Comerica Park, Ford Field, The Detroit Historical Museum and the City County
Building. One partner wanted to choose the Whitney because he wanted to have the opportunity
to taste the food. I have always been drawn to the Whitney even when I was a child. Ultimately
our group chose the Whitney but I believe we all had different reasons.
I personally believe that the Whitney is a good representation of who we are today as
individuals. Presently the Whitney is being used as a restaurant which preserves the history of
building3. When the it was built, the Whitney was out of place due to its extravagance. It was
also out of place because Detroit as a city was built with no history and was all about moving
forward into the future with tall skyscrapers and such. The Whitney was built in the Romanesque
Revival style4. This was popular in the 19th century. Although the Whitney was not a good
representation of who we were back when it was built and occupied by the Whitney family, it is a
good representation of who we are today. If you look at the city of Detroit today, you can see a
handful of buildings and areas such as Renaissance Center which is trying to bring back the
elements of city beautiful along with people. The Whitney shows how even when people were
moving out of Detroit into houses that all looked alike, you can still show your individual
preferences. The Whitney is also a great representation that shows that being the same as
everyone else is not a bad thing and can lead to the preservation of its beauty.
Detroit is everchanging but the Whitney is able to exist and show a different Way of
Seeing that is not usually associated with Detroit and cities. The Whitney Mansion is showing
sight of the city beautiful which never seemed to take part in Detroits Urban Form. The main
3 About the Whitney. Web.
4 Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780: A guide to the styles. Cambridge, MA: The MIT
Press, 1969, 61

idea about cities was that there was no history, yet the Whitney stood with all of the city and
display its beauty and history. The stone built from the house was imported from South
Carolina5, the style dates back to churches in the 19th century, there are so many eye-catching
details that were not present in any other form in Detroit. Also, after the Whitneys died, the
mansion went to the medical society6. This shows the support for the progression of change and
medicine which is a large part of society today.
The Whitney shows us how there is city beautiful in growing cities. Cities were originally built
to have no history but as time goes on, as the Whitney shows, there is history in them. As time
goes on, history is being made. The DIA is a great example in Detroit as it shows the historical
significance of the city. The DIA has over 100 galleries which include many pieces of art that
range back over centuries7. This city beautiful and history expands out past Detroit. In New York
City, the idea of the Twin Towers crashing on 9/11 created a piece of history that will never be
forgotten. People have since then created a new World Trade Center based off of the history of
the old ones. The history and remembrance helps to create the city as do the rest of the buildings,
even the other old skyscrapers. We are creating a history to be remembered and it is becoming
beautiful in many ways and not just aesthetically pleasing. History is being made every day
around the world, our cities are just now catching up and creating its own history.

5 Detroit Free Press. An American Palace.: New Residence of Mr. David Whitney Jr.. Detroit Free Press,
4 Feb. 1894, pp.19.

6 About The Whitney. Web.

7 Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. Detroit Institute of Arts, n.d. Web.
07 Nov. 2016.

The Whitney was originally built to please David Whitney Jr.s wife, it is now come to represent
something much larger. The mansion has been passed to different owners, each having their own
view on how the Whitney should be used. Although the Whitney is now just a restaurant, it
shows a new way of seeing the city as beautiful instead as profitable as it was intended to be.
This Way of Seeing cities as beautiful is not only evident to the city of Detroit but it is becoming
apparent in other cities across America as well.

Works Cited
2008.033.602. Documenting Detroit. 1960. Detroit Historical Society. Detroit. Detroit Historical
Society. Accessed 7 Nov. 2016.
About The Whitney.The Whitney Detroit. The Whitney, n.d.Web 07 Nov. 2016.
Detroit Free Press. An American Palace.: New Residence of Mr. David Whitney Jr.. Detroit
Free Press, 4 Feb. 1894, pp.19.
Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. Detroit Institute of Arts,
n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780: A guide to the styles. Cambridge, MA: The
MIT Press, 1969, 61.