Jacob Hoffstetter House, Ann Arbor

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Jacob Hoffstetter House, Ann Arbor

Jacob Hoffstetter House, Ann Arbor

Jacob Hoffstetter House stands as a striking testament to late Victorian elegance. Built in 1887 for German immigrant Jacob Hoffstetter, the two-story red‑brick residence sits proudly on a coursed ashlar foundation. Guests will be drawn to its Queen Anne details—segmental-arched windows capped with carved stone keystones, oculus attic windows, king-post gable ornaments adorned with pierced trefoils, and bracketed cornices gracing the bay windows.

Jacob Hoffstetter emigrated to Ann Arbor at five years old in 1854, joining a wave of German settlers who shaped the city’s cultural character. By 1872, he had built a thriving grocery and saloon on Main Street, living above it with his wife and two sons. With the success of his business, Hoffstetter sold it in 1887 and commissioned this elegant home. Within a year, parts of the house began to serve as lodgings, most notably housing members of the newly formed Alpha Tau Omega fraternity from 1888 to 1894.

In 1937, the house underwent adaptation, converted into apartments with a new southeast entry. Nonetheless, many original wood trims were preserved. Then, in 1980, Peter Heydon restored the structure for mixed commercial and residential use, earning recognition from the Historical Society of Michigan for his careful work.

Today, the Jacob Hoffstetter House endures as one of Ann Arbor’s most handsome late-19th‑century structures and a rare relic of the neighborhood that once surrounded it. Visitors traversing Washington Street are invited to pause and reflect on its architectural flourishes—a tangible echo of the city’s immigrant heritage and the success stories that helped shape its history.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ann Arbor. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Jacob Hoffstetter House on Map

Sight Name: Jacob Hoffstetter House
Sight Location: Ann Arbor, USA (See walking tours in Ann Arbor)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Create Your Own Walk in Ann Arbor

Create Your Own Walk in Ann Arbor

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Ann Arbor Introduction Walking Tour

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It started off as a small strip of land registered in 1825 as "Annarbour", named after the wives of its co-founders, both called Ann, and the stands of bur oak trees. Following the move of the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
University of Michigan Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Ann Arbor's Historical Buildings

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The abundance of down-home charm, especially in the historic district, is richly complemented by plethora of time-tested architectural landmarks in...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles