Conant Gardens

Conant Gardens reflects black settlement in Detroit’s northeast side during the first of two large migrations of blacks to Detroit after World War I. The neighborhood was originally designed as a community for white collar employees of the Ford Motor Company. However, it was never developed. Around 1928 blacks began to build houses here and founded the Conant Gardens Homeowners’ Association, which still exists. After 1934, Federal Housing Administration loans enabled blacks to buy property in Conant Gardens. The residents built houses in a variety of styles including Tudor Revival and the Craftsmen style. Conant Gardens was named for Shubael Conant, the original owner of the property. In 1837 Conant (1783-1867) became the founding president of the Detroit Anti-Slavery Society.