Grosse Pointe Historical Society Presents Gala Fundraiser 'Kaleidoscope on Cloverly'

2026 Gala Fundraiser to benefit the Grosse Pointe Historical Society

GROSSE POINTE, MI, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The annual Grosse Pointe Historical Society Gala fundraiser will be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, 7:00 – 10:00 PM, at the home of Brittany and Gregg Russell in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. Proceeds from the event benefit the general operations of the Society, which protects historic artifacts, shares Grosse Pointe area history on its campus and web site, and brings history to life for current and future generations through research, programs, lectures, exhibits and activities.

Tickets sales for the event are open to all but are limited in number. General admission tickets are $225 each, and may be purchased through the GPHS web site: www.gphistorical.org, or by contacting the Society office at 313 884-7010. Sponsorship opportunities are featured on the web site and through the office.

“Kaleidoscope on Cloverly” guests will be part of a memorable evening in the tradition of Grand Grosse Pointe events. Valet parking and a sampling of the home are part of the arrival experience, and the party includes open bars, hors-d’oeuvres and a catered, strolling supper and entertainment.
Sponsors will be welcomed at a pre-Gala preview reception in the home, with special house access, cocktails, special hors-d’oeuvres, and entertainment. Guests will see the opening preview of an exhibit on architect Robert O. Derrick, designer of the house. Music for the evening will be provided by Dearing Concert Duo, a popular classical guitar and flute team.

The home, the street, the architect

Turning a kaleidoscope reveals an endless variety of patterns. It's an apt metaphor for the Grosse Pointes! The Kaleidoscope on Cloverly blends architecture, history, creativity, diversity, life events, and more, and presents ever-fresh perspectives. With a fascinating backstory, the home is fresh with eye-pleasing decor for today's living style and a truly breathtaking yard.

The story of this year's home begins in 1842 with the construction of a house surrounded by an estate -"Cloverleigh" - which extended to the lake. It became home to Henry B. Ledyard, Jr., his wife Mary, and their four children. Ledyard was an American soldier and businessman who served as president of the Michigan Central Railroad and the Union Trust Company. After his death in 1921, the old Ledyard homestead was demolished and the property subdivided as the Grosse Pointes quickly became the desired community for homes which exemplify the success of the era. Detroit's business, political, and social leaders settled in the Pointes.

Hugh Ledyard, youngest of Henry and Mary's children, was living in the old homestead when it was subdivided, and he joined the new homeowners on the property by commissioning this year's Gala House. He engaged Robert O. Derrick for the project.

Robert Ovens Derrick (1890-1961) was a favorite home builder in Grosse Pointe. He is best known as the architect for Henry Ford's Greenfield Village. Derrick was the designer of 25 buildings in the Grosse Pointes as varied as the Farms water pumping station on Moross, the Grosse Pointe Club - also known as the Little Club - and the Punch and Judy theatre which opened in 1930. He served in WWI in Europe and was discharged in 1919. He and his wife Clara raised their family in a home of his own design on Ridge Road in Grosse Pointe Farms and later moved into a house on Lincoln Road. Derrick is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

The builder of the Gala home, Hugh Ledyard (1885-1951), was Secretary and Treasurer of the Art Stove Company in Detroit. The headquarters building (c. 1907) still stands at the corner of Russell and Milwaukee in Detroit, a rare survivor of times when Detroit was the Stove City before it became the Motor City. The adjacent factory building has been long-since demolished. Art Stove company manufactured the Laurel Stove and Range line and offered a money-back guarantee. It held its own against the much larger Peninsular Stove Company and Detroit Stove Works, finally selling to the latter in 1923.

His father's death in 1921, the subdivision of the family estate, and the sale of Art Stove in 1923 closely precede the building of Hugh's own home on Cloverly in 1924. He lived there until his death in 1951 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery. Newspaper clippings and club affiliations suggest he retired at age 38 to a life of leisure and social activities, often entertaining with his sister, the Baroness von Ketteler.

The current homeowners relocated to Michigan from Texas in 2015 and quickly embraced the Pointes. They undertook extensive home restoration and a spectacular garden makeover. The Grosse Pointe Historical Society is thrilled that they have opened their home to support preservation and education about Grosse Pointe history.

Sponsors
Sponsorship opportunities are featured on the web site and through the office.

Sponsors at press time include:

Brittany & Gregg Russell
Woodmaster Kitchens
Pearl
Grigg Graphic Services
Grosse Pointe News
Denise and Frank Mullen
Cynthia and Edsel Ford
Wolverine Packing Co.
Aitken & Ormond Insurance
Dr. David S. Balle
Molly and Cleary Corbin
ICRYO
Thomas and Maria Jones
Mary and Ron Lamparter
Susan and Craig Larsen

Exhibit:

“Robert O. Derrick, Architect of Dreams”
Robert O. Derrick was the quintessential Grosse Pointe architect. The Grosse Pointe Historical Society (GPHS) is organizing a summer exhibit “Robert O. Derrick, Architect of Dreams.” The exhibit will preview at the gala fundraiser. “Architect of Dreams” will continue with additional display items and resources from the Moran Resource Center, local historians, and archives. It will be open the public at the Grosse Pointe History Center through the summer months.

The Grosse Pointe Historical Society
The Grosse Pointe Historical Society (GPHS) was founded in 1945 to preserve and protect the rich local heritage of all five Grosse Pointes and neighboring communities and share it with the public. GPHS works to make history of our area vital, relevant, and accessible. Through programs, facilities and events, GPHS brings history to life, protects historic artifacts, and collects and shares Grosse Pointe-area stories.

Patti Timmins
Grosse Pointe Historical Society
+1 313-884-7010
development@gphistorical.org

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