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3 Underground Vaults? Restored Detroit Home Offers Prohibition-Era History

A home built in 1913 has been completely revamped to showcase its original owner’s secret life as a whiskey maker. The fascinating Detroit residence, which was designed and built for only $6,000, still retains many of its original elements, including three underground vaults. The home is now on the market for $1.5 million.

During Prohibition, original owner Edward Eisenburg ran a bootleg liquor business below ground.

“He was a businessman during the day, and he ran a distillery out of the basement at night,” says listing agent Michael P. Burch. “He had his whiskey, his money, and his furs in the home’s three walk-in vault safes.”

Rumor had it that a tunnel ran under the house so that the booze could make to its destination without detection. A buyer won’t acquire the fabled tunnel, but those vaults have been well-preserved.

And each of these vaults now offers a Prohibition-inspired perk: The whiskey vault was transformed into a home theater, the second vault is now a wine room, and the third vault is currently configured as a poker room.

The 7,400-square-foot home has seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two half-baths. Original highlights include refinished hardwood floors, reglazed tubs, and a large mirror and pillars in the entry. 

With help from the local historical society, the sunroom was rebuilt to avoid collapsing. The separate carriage house now comes with a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment with polished concrete floors and a three-car garage below. 

New air conditioning and updated bathrooms complete the modern comforts of the home, which is available furnished. The walls currently showcase works by local artists as well as iconic Detroit scenes. 

If you’d like to try before you buy, you can experience the Prohibition history for $9,500 a month. Or, rent the furnished carriage house for $2,500 a month.

Either way, your cash will make a difference. A portion of the rental income or the home’s purchase price will go toward supporting a local football camp for kids who otherwise couldn’t afford to go.

We can raise a glass to that!

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