Designed by Rogers, Bonnah & Chaffee for Clarence M. Burton in 1913.

Clarence Monroe Burton was born Nov. 18, 1853, in Whiskey Diggins, Calif., to Dr. Charles and Annie Burton. His father was a doctor-turned-gold prospector who had moved from Michigan to the West Coast in search of Gold Rush riches. Two years later, the Burton family packed it up and headed back to Michigan, moving to Hastings on the west side of Michigan, about 40 miles south of Grand Rapids.

Burton would move to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan in 1872, where he graduated with a law degree two years later. It was at U-M in 1874 that a 20-year-old Burton caught the bug after listening to a lecture on “The Northwest in the Revolution,” in which the speaker discussed the importance of documenting and preserving history of the cities they called home. Burton said he decided to acquire at least one historical item or book every day of his life going forward.

After college, Burton moved to Detroit, where he took a job with real estate attorneys John Ward & Eugene Skinner. Here, his passion for research and history would only grow, as he poured over family histories, birth and death records, wills, and property titles. He would embark on a lifelong pursuit of collecting historical documents, newspaper clippings and genealogical papers. Throughout his life, he amassed a vast collection of books, pamphlets, and manuscripts detailing the history of Detroit, Michigan, and the old Northwest.

After setting out to build this house in Boston-Edison, in 1914, Burton decided to donate his house at 473 Brainard St. and his collection to the Detroit Public Library, forming what is now known as the Burton Historical Collection.

Additionally, Burton authored several books and pamphlets on Detroit's history, including "The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922" and "A Sketch of the Life of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, Founder of Detroit."

Burton lived here until his death of a cerebral hemorrhage on Oct. 23, 1932, in the house. He was 79. His funeral was also held at the house, on Oct. 26, 1932. He was interred in his beloved Detroit at Grand Lawn Cemetery.