Solomon Sibley moved to Detroit in the late 1790s; he was one of the first lawyers to live in what was then a small village.[3] He served in a number of political positions while living in Detroit. In 1799, he began service in the territorial legislature; in 1806 he became mayor of Detroit; from 1815 to 1824 he was US District Attorney for Michigan.[3] Sibley served as Michigan's representative in Congress from 1820 to 1823, and from 1824 to 1827, he served on the territorial Supreme Court.[3]
Sibley died in 1846. Shortly thereafter, his widow, Sarah Sproat Sibley, built this home for herself and their two daughters.[3]
Description
The Sibley house is a clapboard, side-gabled Greek Revival-style home.[3] The symmetrical front façade faces Jefferson Avenue, and is divided into five-bays separated by trabeated windows.[2] A central, columned portico entrance fronts the building.
Later use
The home was occupied by descendants of Solomon Sibley from its construction until 1925, when it was sold to the next-door church Christ Church Detroit.[3] Christ Church used the home for a variety of purposes until 1946, when it became the parish rectory.[3]
