The William E. Scripps Estate used to be the home of one of Detroit’s original newsman. Now it’s the estate itself that continues to make the news.
According to estate curator Leslie Pielack, the estate was recently awarded the Michigan Architectural Foundation’s Evans Memorial/Clannad Foundation Award, a $10,000 competitive grant.
Pielack said the money is earmarked to specifically repair an outdoor area in the landscaping grounds that was designed by Bryant Fleming, a famous landscape architect that planned country estates before the Great Depression.
‘This is the only known surviving design by him in Michigan,? she added.
The space, referred to as an outdoor ‘room,? is a long rectangular area enclosed with garden walls and bordered with a built-in stone bench, graceful stair and dramatic two-stage wall fountain.
The space also features a Samuel Yellin wrought iron gate that opens from the room to the rolling parkland beyond the terrace. This gate is also currently being restored in a separate project, funded in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
According to Pielack, key to the restoration work are the faded and fragile original drawings for the walls, gate and fountain, and in fact, through old records, they have discovered that the quarry where the original stone was purchased is still in operation. Through estate records and records on hand at the Ohio-based quarry, they are able to restore the grounds with the same stone that William E. Scripps ordered when it was originally created.
‘Once the outdoor door is completed, it will be the site of small outdoor performances, such as music and small theater performances, as well as outdoor workshops, lectures and wedding ceremonies,? Pielack said.
According to Pielack, they are looking to complete the restoration by the fall, specifically hoping to have it done by Scripps Days, held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13 and 14. That event will once again feature arts, autos and architecture, and Pielack said the event’s musical performances, slated for Sunday, will be held in the newly restored outdoor room.
For those interested in seeing the estate before Scripps Days, both house and garden tours are available this summer, and are posted online at www.friendsofscrippsestate.org.
‘This really is an important grant because it helps demonstrate what we have known, and now what the Michigan Architectural Foundation knows,? Pielack said. ?(The Scripps estate) is one of the most important architectural sites in Michigan.?
For more information about the Scripps estate, Pielack can be reached at (248)391-4445.