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{{short description|Historic house in Michigan, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Alexander Chapoton House
| nrhp_type =
| image = AlexanderChapotonHouseDetroit.jpg
| caption =
| location = 511 Beaubien Street<br>[[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]
| coordinates = {{coord|42|19|54|N|83|2|26|W|display=inline,title}}
| area =
| built = 1885
| architect = Alexander Chapoton
| architecture = [[Queen Anne style architecture|Queen Anne]]
| added = March 10, 1980
| refnum = 80001919<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref>
| designated_other1 = Michigan State Historic Site
| designated_other1_date = April 21, 1980<ref name="state">{{cite web|title=Chapoton, Alexander, House |publisher=Michigan State Housing Development Authority |url=http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/24930.htm |access-date=September 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517131556/http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/24930.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2012 }}</ref>
| designated_other1_number =
| designated_other1_num_position = bottom
}}
The '''Alexander Chapoton House''' is a [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne style]] [[Row houses|row house]] located at 511 Beaubien Street in [[Downtown Detroit|Downtown]] [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. It was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1980.<ref name="nris"/><ref name="state"/>

==Alexander Chapoton==
[[File:AlexanderChapotonDetroit.jpg|left|thumb|Alexander Chapoton]]
Alexander Chapoton was a descendant of one of the oldest Detroit families.<ref name="city">[http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/historic/districts/chapoton_hse.pdf Alexander Chapoton House] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011104202/http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/historic/districts/chapoton_hse.pdf |date=2007-10-11 }} from the city of Detroit</ref> His ancestor Jean Chapoton was a surgeon in the French army, and was assigned to [[Fort Pontchartrain]], arriving in 1719.<ref name="det1701">[http://detroit1701.org/Chapton%20House.html Alexander Chapoton House Local Historic District] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215125440/http://www.detroit1701.org/Chapton%20House.html |date=2007-12-15 }} from Detroit1701.org</ref> Jean remained in Detroit until his death in 1762.

Years later, Jean's descendant Alexander Chapoton inherited his father Eustache's<ref name="land">[https://books.google.com/books?id=4n8fC5f3eccC Robert Budd Ross, George Byron Catlin, Clarence Monroe Burton], ''Landmarks of Detroit,'' 1898, Evening News Association, p. 167</ref> masonry business and a fortune to go along with it.<ref name="city"/> He later expanded his business and became an important contractor in Detroit, helping to build several commercial blocks and residences, including the [[Globe Tobacco Building]].<ref name="det1701"/> He also served on the Water Board and was appointed to a commission that selected an architect for the [[Michigan state capitol]].<ref name="det1701"/> Chapoton's son, Alexander Jr., joined the family business and eventually inherited a greater fortune than his father had.<ref name="city"/>

Chapoton built this house in the late 1870s as rental property.<ref name="city"/> However, Chapoton himself lived in the home until his death in 1893.

==House==
The house is a three-story brick building with its foundation placed at the edge of the sidewalk. The stone-faced basement raises the first floor several feet off the ground.<ref name="det1701"/> The facade is asymmetrical, with a three-bay first floor upper floors of differing height.<ref name="det1701"/> The brick and stone hoods over the windows vary from floor to floor.<ref name="det1701"/> It is believed that the first and second stories were once separated by cast iron panels which were removed during renovation.<ref name="det1701"/>

The interior floor plan is unusual, having space for Victorian Living hall. The interior still retains the original trim, staircase and parlor fireplace.<ref name="city"/>

==Later years==
When this house was built, it was one of a row of similar homes on Beaubien.<ref name="aia">[https://books.google.com/books?id=sZGskamYzjUC Eric J. Hill, John Gallagher, American Institute of Architects Detroit Chapter], ''AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture,'' 2002, Wayne State University Press, {{ISBN|0-8143-3120-3}}, p.36</ref> In the years following the house's construction, the area around it was cleared for commercial development. The development was especially prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s; as a result, only a few row houses remain. The Alexander Chapoton House is one of the last examples of Queen Anne style row houses in the city.<ref name="city"/>

The house was used as a rooming house for several decades. In the 1980s, it was purchased and renovated.<ref name="city"/> Currently, the first floor is art gallery, studios are located in the basement and offices are on the upper floors.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Downtown Detroit}}
{{Metro Detroit Historic Homes}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Michigan}}

[[Category:Houses in Detroit]]
[[Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1885]]
[[Category:Queen Anne architecture in Michigan]]
[[Category:Michigan State Historic Sites]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Detroit]]

Alexander Chapoton House - Revision history

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