Samuel and Lillian Burchfield House, 605 Miller Ave, built 1907

Built in 1907, this home is a unique variation on the Arts and Crafts style that was just becoming popular. The early date of the building is seen in the orange common brick and rubble stone foundation (later Arts and Crafts buildings used hard-fired bricks and had cinder block foundations). The asymmetrical design with different-sized windows on the front facade is a holdover from the Queen Anne period. The most striking features of the building are the brick-faced dormer with flared front gable and the arched front entry with hints of the Mission style.

The home was built by Samuel and Lillian (Hobson) Burchfield. Samuel Burchfield was a merchant tailor who owned a shop at 106 E. Huron St. Burchfield was active in the Republican Party and served as county coroner for many years. He was an avid outdoorsman and a member of the American Iris Society, where he gained notice for his hybrid irises after he introduced new varieties during the 1920s. Samuel died on November 14, 1928 and Lillian continued to live in the home until 1942. It has remained a single-family home and has been restored, maintaining an interesting example of an early Arts and Crafts-style building in the city.

Return to Miller Road/Water Hill/Sunset neighborhood from Historic Ann Arbor: An Architectural Guide