Here is an event worth attending on May 21 and it all goes to a good cause.

The Friends of the Dearborn Symphony (formerly WADOS) will sponsor their 30th annual home tour this year on May 21. The tour this year is unique because it focuses not only on the homes in the neighborhood, but also on who owned them.

“I was excited about it because this year’s home tour focuses on the Riverbend neighborhood,” Carla O’Neill, co-chair of the tour told the Dearborn Press & Guide, “and three homes have ties to the Henry Ford Family.”

Several of the homes in the historic Riverbend neighborhood were owned by the automotive tycoon’s family and company executives, and Ford lent himself to much of their design and architecture.

Because the classic Henry Ford Estate on Evergreen Road is closed for renovations, FODS took the opportunity to show people other examples of Ford homes in the area. One such home was built for Henry Ford’s chief chemist, Russell Hudson Carroll. According to another co-chair of the tour, Gretchen Ackermann, the Carroll home has several key features, including a front door commissioned by Ford himself, made exclusively of Poplar found along the Rouge River, and a chandelier recovered from the Dodge Main Plant.

Henry Ford’s Chief Engineer Lawrence Sheldrick, who helped develop the 1927 Model-A owned a 4000 square-foot home in this neighborhood, which has been restored using original materials.

One other home, owned by Ford’s sister, was recently renovated by award-winning interior designer Dan Davis, who will be speaking to guests before the tour about his work.

The Home Tour is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at several local outlets, including Cherry Hill Pharmacy, 23100 Cherry Hill, or online at www.dearbornsymphony.org/HomeTourTickets. Prices are $13 for pre-sale, or $15 at the door. Davis’ seminar will start at 9:30, and though guests can attend for $10, seating is limited.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 14th, 2011 at 9:40 am and is filed under Arts & Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.