EBERHARD ROOM

For many years, The Rev. Dr. David Eberhard has had a hobby of building miniature dollhouses and shadowboxes that were on display only during "Christmas at Historic Trinity." The Eberhard room, two rooms, was built to display these dollhouses and shadowboxes all year long as an added attraction for those touring Historic Trinity. The display cases were designed and built by Ralph Rode.

The Rev. Dr. David Eberhard served as a City of Detroit Councilman for 24 years (1970 -1994). The Eberhard Room also displays photos and items from those political years, as well as photos of his family.

Dr. Eberhard began building the dollhouses and shadow boxes in 1984. He starts with a basic kit of a house and then alters it and adds to it to come up with a specific house. The exterior, interior, and floor of each house is different. The furniture, display items, and figures are a combination of items he has made and items he has collected from all over the world. Individuals have gifted to him various items that are included in the houses. Each house or shadow boxes include miniature photos of group and individual photographs of his family. Some house are lighted with "doll house" miniature lighting and supplemented with larger bulb lighting designed and installed by Dr. Eberhard. This larger lighting provides greater lighting for the display of each room or box. Most houses or boxes have a theme or contain miniature dolls or characters to add interest to the exhibit. He builds these homes and boxes more for entertainment and pleasure rather than for artistic or craft perfection. Dr. Eberhard does these as a hobby, and does not build house or boxes for sale, nor does he repair others dollhouses. This is a recreation not an avocation.

The display includes these dollhouses and shadow boxes:

Schoolhouse