Located at 895 Ouellette, the Anderson Funeral Home, is one of those buildings in the city you drive past a hundred times a year without giving it a second thought.
Built in 1951, the building has a distinctly late Art Deco/Moderne look to it. My assumption for the late (for the style) date of construction is that the plans were drawn up and construction delayed due to World War II.
The building is classic in it’s styling, the lettering on the front facade is in great shape and probably original.
A view of some of the more interesting architectural elements on the front facade.
I never noticed until reviewing my photos that the front door has an “A” incorporated into it.
Beautiful well maintained building … As are most of the funeral homes in Windsor… Kellys on Wyandotte in Walkerville is another beautiful and well maintained (fantastic landscaping) building.. I was there last year and had to walk around the building just to take it all in !!!
However, Kelleys tore down of of walkerville best homes to expand thier parking lot back in the 90s.
How did I know that was coming? 😉
Ha. My browser got funky and messed up my rant a bit. Still, I’d never be buried by a funeral home that tore down such a magnificent home!
Is that home/parkinglot liked here at IM?
Didn’t Andersons have their name in block letters that stood up from the top of the carport section (behind the tree)? Has that been taken down? (I’ve spent the last three school years away from Windsor so I’m feeling quite out of touch with all these changes).
Well Andrew, 1951 actually seems like an accurate year for this to be built in Windsor. I did some of the research for the Windsor Modern show, and most of the dates of the homes, libraries, churches, etc. all seem to be about 10 years behind the big cities. (ex. Art Deco in Windsor piqued in the ’40s instead of the ’20s), at least that’s what the trend seemed to be in private homes. Though it certainly wasn’t uncommon for projects to be put on hold during the war in order to conserve materials and supplies.
Kevin, my money’s still on 1940 as Andrew knows. But apparently he has info it being built in 1951, which I found surprising.
I remember the house behind Kelley’s, Shawn. That was an outrage when they tore it down.
Write it into your wills! Protest anti-urbanism even when dead.
I had thought that house was in a poor state with an absentee landlord? Sure it was grand but it was a rooming house wasn’t it? Or am I confusing that house with another?
Andrew, if you have a picture of said house maybe you could post it here?
It was a rooming house, but a sound one. And it roomed, at various points, most of Windsor’s arts community.
Former grand homes that became rooming houses are being constantly turned back into grand homes. One of Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, Rosedale in Toronto, had a period where the houses were subdivided and chopped up (in and around the war and a couple decades after). Now, you can’t touch anything for under a few million. Same with The Annex ‘hood.
I had a friend who was one of the final tennants. It was quite a house.
I wish I had taken photos of it. 🙁
Hello all,
As a funeral director at Anderson’s currrently, I can vouch for the fact the original building was built in the 1950’s (completed late 1951 or early 1952). Although the building itself has gone through many additions over the years, it is interesting to mention that one of the additions incorporated a Pelisser Street home, its top floor and roof still visible today at the Northwestern part of the building.
The southwest corner of Ouellette and Eliot is now flat, the last wall came down yessterday. Speaking of old estate homes, look behind Jason’s, once the Commodore, Windsor’s first true night club, I believe that it is the old Ouellette house. When it was the Commodore and had apartments in it, I lived there for seven months and it is or was gorgeous inside! It is still there. Take a walk through the alleys of the core, there are still a lot of houses there!
Troy – Thanks for dropping by, and confirming that the date I had (1951) was correct.
Jodi – I’m not sure about the carport letters, although it is possible…