151 / 230
3
GPHS to Conduct Tour of Community Churches
Architectural Legacy Celebrated
The Grosse Pointe Historical Society will celebrate the architectural legacy
in the community that spans nearly two centuries with a new program touring
three Grosse Pointe churches on October 20.
Traveling by bus, guests will visit St Paul on the Lake (left) whose story begins
in the 1820s. The carvings, windows and façade explain the rich history of
this parish.
Next they will visit St. James Lutheran Church, which is based on a plan of an
historic Boston church and celebrates an American architectural style.
The tour’s final stop is the mid-century modern design of First English
Lutheran Church which melds glass, form and style into a uniquely
American form.
The tours will be led by local historians and church docents. The tour leaves
the Grosse Pointe Historical Society Provencal-Weir House at 9:15 a.m. (please
arrive by 9:00 a.m.) and returns at 1:30 p.m. The cost is $25 for Society mem-
bers, $30 for non-members and includes bus transportation to the churches
and lunch. For more information or to make reservations, please call 884-7010.
eBay Auction Items to Benefit the Society
You can get it on eBay—and benefit the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.
Through an arrangement with former antiques dealer Diane Reh, a portion of the selling price of items given to the
Society from local household sales companies that are sold through her site on eBay will go directly to the GPHS.
Here’s how it works:
• Log on to ebay.com and sign in, then click on the site map (on the upper right).
• Under the “More Ways to Find Items” category (scroll down to find this on the
left), click on “Search for Items.”
• Under the Search column on the left, click “Items by Seller.”
• Enter decodiane as the seller’s user ID, check “Include completed listings” and click on Search. You will see a list of
the items Reh is offering, indicating those which will benefit the GPHS.
About 60 percent of the final price goes back to the GPHS and generally Reh will get a lot more for an item than in any
other sale venue.
“I just sold a book for $67 that would’ve only got about $3 at a garage sale,” she said. She also sold a collectible cookie
jar for more than $200.
Reh was contacted a few months ago by GPHS member and Rose Terrace Quester Nancy Pacitto who collected items to
sell from local household sale companies and wanted a better venue than a garage sale.
“It’s a wonderful way to make money for an organization,” Reh said.
With the money already raised on eBay, the GPHS has purchased a laptop computer to use in the Resource Center and
at the Provencal-Weir house at events and on Second Saturdays, so visitors can access the website.
Anyone with upscale items they feel would be appropriate for this on-going fundraiser to benefit the Society should
contact Reh at (586) 783-5537.
Restore a Piece of History
The Grosse Pointe Historical Society has begun a campaign to renovate the porch of the Provencal-Weir House.
The entire house had a significant renovation in the 1990s, but the porch still needs major work. We estimate the
cost to be about $4,800 including labor and materials (including a board tear-down session). Anyone interested in
sponsoring, contributing or working on this project should contact the GPHS at 884-7010.