The Joseph Campau House is a private residence located at 2910 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1985. The house is currently used as a law office.

Description

The Joseph Campau House is a two-story house with a symmetrical three-bay facade; the exterior is faced with flush board siding on the front and clapboards on the other three sides. A porch, constructed in the 20th century, spans the front. The exterior is plain, with a pediment

Pediment

A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...

al window head center gable

Gable

A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...

d second story window and a plain entablature

Entablature

An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...

 board under the eaves as the only decorations.

Significance

The house is one of the oldest residences in Detroit. It was built on land that was originally part of the Joseph Campau farm, a large tract of land awarded Joseph Campau's grandfather in 1734. Joseph Campau was among Detroit's leading citizens and wealthiest landowners at the dawn of the 19th century. Although he never lived in this house, it is the only residence identified with Joseph Campau.