Oliver House, 219 North Scott Street, 1937, Tudor Revival Style
Built in 1937, the Oliver House at 219 North Scott Street is one of the largest and most important examples of Tudor Revival architecture in Adrian. While newer than the homes in Adrian’s historic district, it showcases an important architectural style prevalent in the early 1900s and also demonstrates how Adrian’s wealthy citizens moved away from the downtown district during that era.
The Tudor Revival style, based on an old English style of architecture popular in the 1500s and 1600s, emphasized “half timbering,” or wooden beams placed at geometric angles over walls clad in brick, stucco or stone. Although it first became popular after 1910, the majority of Tudor Revival homes in this area of Michigan were built in the 1920s and 1930s.
In addition to half timbering, the Oliver House includes many other features characteristic of Tudor architecture, including an asymmetrical layout with distinctive twin front gables that incorporate curving rooflines. When approaching the house, one passes between stone gateposts and enters through a high stone archway, making visitors feel like they are entering a medieval English manor. Inside, the house emphasizes wide open spaces and polished woodwork with elaborate details such as stone fireplaces, a large arched window, and a curving staircase with decorative railings leading to the second floor.
The Tudor Revival style, based on an old English style of architecture popular in the 1500s and 1600s, emphasized “half timbering,” or wooden beams placed at geometric angles over walls clad in brick, stucco or stone. Although it first became popular after 1910, the majority of Tudor Revival homes in this area of Michigan were built in the 1920s and 1930s.
In addition to half timbering, the Oliver House includes many other features characteristic of Tudor architecture, including an asymmetrical layout with distinctive twin front gables that incorporate curving rooflines. When approaching the house, one passes between stone gateposts and enters through a high stone archway, making visitors feel like they are entering a medieval English manor. Inside, the house emphasizes wide open spaces and polished woodwork with elaborate details such as stone fireplaces, a large arched window, and a curving staircase with decorative railings leading to the second floor.
When approaching the house, one passes between stone gateposts and enters through a high stone archway, making visitors feel like they are entering a medieval English manor.
The spacious interior of the Oliver House includes a private office with doors hidden in the wood paneling that lead to a wet bar.
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The Tudor Revival style occurred mainly in suburbs in the years preceding and during the Great Depression. In the 19th century, Adrian’s wealthy businessmen mainly lived close to the business district in areas such as Dennis Street and State Street, within walking distance of their businesses. Because of the increasing availability of the automobile in the early 1900s, the city’s well-to-do no longer felt the need to live so close to downtown and could instead choose to reside on the quieter, more rural outskirts of town. The large early 20th-century homes that line Scott Street showcase its status as the residence of many of Adrian’s wealthy families during this period.
Two families have owned the Oliver House for most of its existence, both of whom played major roles in Adrian’s industry and commerce. Edd C. Oliver and his wife Genevieve owned it from the time he designed and built it in 1937 until 1973. Although Mr. Oliver died in 1946, Mrs. Oliver continued to live there until her own death in 1973. Edd Oliver was well-known in Adrian as a business tycoon and inventor. When he founded the E. C. Oliver Instrument Company in Detroit in 1913, it was just a small tachometer-manufacturing outfit. His first major breakthrough was a filing machine, the first of its kind, which Mr. Oliver designed himself. Because he could not compete with Detroit’s major automakers in keeping workers, Oliver moved his company to Adrian in 1916. Edd Oliver was not only the president of the company, but an ideas man who invented many new machines and concepts, eventually building Oliver Instruments into an international machine tools business. The Daily Telegram featured Oliver’s memorable reply when he was asked in 1940 where he did business. “You’ve seen a globe, haven’t you? Put your fingers on the globe and you’ll touch places where we trade.” Oliver Instruments is still in business at 1111 East Beecher Street over 100 years later. Edd Oliver’s business success meant that he could afford to erect one of Adrian’s largest homes in 1937, even during the economic downturn of the Great Depression. This was not the first house that the Olivers built on Scott Street. In 1928, nine years before they constructed their mansion at 219 North Scott, they purchased an older home at 207 North Scott next door and rebuilt it as a smaller Tudor Revival residence. It would seem that Mr. and Mrs. Oliver had a fondness for the Tudor Revival! In addition to designing and building one of Adrian’s most palatial homes, Edd and Genevieve Oliver also developed the spacious grounds of their mansion, surrounding it with gardens, flower beds, and expansive lawns. In this, they fully followed the pattern of Tudor Revival homes, which often occupied large, elaborately cultivated lots in keeping with their suburban décor. In 1940, the Oliver gardens boasted 3,000 tulip blooms. For many years, Genevieve Oliver served as president of the Adrian Garden Club, which held yard and garden contests in Adrian in the 1930s. The Olivers also participated in Christmas decoration contests, winning second prize in 1940. |
Although the Great Depression dominated daily life in 1937 when the Olivers built their house, the hard economic times did not directly affect the lives of those as wealthy as Edd and Genevieve. The house became an active social center in Adrian, hosting many parties and other gatherings. The wealth accumulated by the Oliver business enabled Mrs. Oliver to indulge her enthusiasm for world travel after her husband’s death. Over a period of twenty-two years from 1948 to 1970, Genevieve Oliver took no fewer than sixteen multi-month cruises to faraway lands. In her house, she displayed souvenirs from exotic locations such as Africa, India, South America, and the Far East.
The Hickmans were the second family to own the Oliver House. Stephen and Sally Hickman lived there from 1975 until 2001. Stephen served as president of the Brazeway Corporation, which his father Charles had founded in 1946. In 2000, Stephen and Sally built a new home on Lenawee Hills Highway, and their daughter Stephanie, who would later become the president of Brazeway, took up residence in the Oliver House.
Essay © Paul Plassman, 2025
The Hickmans were the second family to own the Oliver House. Stephen and Sally Hickman lived there from 1975 until 2001. Stephen served as president of the Brazeway Corporation, which his father Charles had founded in 1946. In 2000, Stephen and Sally built a new home on Lenawee Hills Highway, and their daughter Stephanie, who would later become the president of Brazeway, took up residence in the Oliver House.
Essay © Paul Plassman, 2025
