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Field of Mars: 1890
Circa 1890s. "Campus Martius, Detroit." Down the street, a "moonlight tower" arc-lamp stanchion. ... a dirty word. Grand details wherever you look. Campus Martius The Bagley fountain in the foreground is the only existing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 4:55pm -

Circa 1890s. "Campus Martius, Detroit." Down the street, a "moonlight tower" arc-lamp stanchion. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Oh, boy!This is so beautiful. What a glimpse at the past! Dave, I'm from Brazil, and I'm a huge fan of your site. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing pictures! Best regards! EmissionsIf you want to know what it smelled like to live in those times, just visit Mackinac Island. Horses are the main transport there, and you begin to get a whiff of it a mile offshore, and it's a lot cleaner than the street in this photo. Austin TowersThis very tower could now be residing in Austin, TX, as 31 used towers were purchased and relocated there in 1894-95. 17 are now still in use and listed as historical sites by the State of Texas. re: The writing on the wellThe visible side says FOR THE PEOPLE FROM. The four sides say: TESTAMENTARY GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE FROM JOHN JUDSON BAGLEY A.D. MDCCCLXXXVII The writing on the wellWhat does is say on the steeple above the well in the front of the picture? Something about fortune? Or is it some latin phrase I can't decipher? Also, there is some really beautiful architecture in this picture. Sort of looks like a Sunday to me, with everyone dressed up in their best clothes. TowerI wonder what that tower on the left side of the street with the guy wires is for? Surely this was some time before any wireless transmissions were practical on such a scale. [It is, as noted in the caption, a carbon-arc lamp. - Dave] EmissionsThe sheer quantity of horse urine and manure is striking. Street HeatStreet car #497 looks like it has a chimney for a stove on the roof. #288 doesn't seem to have a chimney. Were some of these cars heated? [They both have the same chimney. - Dave] Progress schmogressIt's the loss of wonderfully articulated buildings like the old City Hall that make progress a dirty word. Grand details wherever you look. Campus MartiusThe Bagley fountain in the foreground is the only existing work of H.H. Richardson in Michigan. Richardson also built an armory in Detroit, but it is long gone. Today the fountain sits in a different location in Cadillac Square. All the buildings in this photo have been demolished except for the Fort Street Presbyterian Church (spire just left of the lighting tower) The Hammond building is the large structure to the left. It was one of Detroit's first skyscrapers. The Second Empire building on the right is the old city hall. it was demolished c. 1960 to build a underground parking garage. in the last 5 years a modern office building has been built on the site. Before the automobile ruledIt's interesting to see all the various offices for different types of transportation in Detroit...except for cars. Less than halfway through the decade, Henry Ford's quadricycle would emerge from his humble backyard workshop to change all that. Brand new building and new age lightingAccording to the information on the front of the building, it was completed in 1889. Brand new! In keeping with new innovations, the "moonlight tower" was evidently quite the fad for a while. I had never heard of such a thing, but see the attached clip. I'm surprised that everybody didn't go blind from staring at the devices! Department of SanitationNo wonder people thought that cars (when they came along) were "clean"! I'm not a youngster, to say the least. My father, who grew up in NYC, told me how awful the cities were in the summer. Horse waste was only part of the problem but a big one. The "better neighborhoods" always got cleaned up but the poorer sections were last on the street cleaner's list. Manure would dry up an blow around onto people, into houses and onto laundry. No wonder anyone who could afford it left the city in the summer months. Moonlight TowersAustin, Texas, went in with the moonlight tower fad and originally installed them in 1895. Growing up there, I was always told that we put them up because it was the rage in Paris. Then everyone tore theirs down, but we kept them. One of them, in Zilker Park, gets strung up like a Christmas tree every year. http://www.aroundaustin.com/2004/03/austin_moonligh.html Bagley Memorial FountainDetroit's first public drinking fountain was built in 1887 with money from the estate of John Judson Bagley. Recently refurbished and moved to Cadillac Square. Bagley was a New York tobacconist who came to Detroit in 1846. He helped organize the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Co. and the Republican Party, and served as Michigan's governor from 1872 to 1876. The four sides say: TESTAMENTARY GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE FROM JOHN JUDSON BAGLEY A.D. MDCCCLXXXVII AstonishedThank you Dave for that wonderful picture! Never knew anything about light masts like this one! It's definitely absolutely new experience to me! I personally was confused as I thought it looks like cell phone base station. Live long - study forever! Thank you once more! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Horses, Streetcars)
The Heart of Detroit: 1907
Detroit circa 1907. "The Campus Martius." Landmarks include the Detroit Opera House, Soldiers' and Sailors' ... Street. True Crime Another fantastic pic of the Campus Martius area, giving the rare view up Monroe Street where Gies's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/29/2012 - 10:13am -

Detroit circa 1907. "The Campus Martius." Landmarks include the Detroit Opera House, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Cadillac Square, Wayne County Building, Hotel Pontchartrain. Panorama of three 8x10 glass negatives. View full size. A calamity?Something big must be going on behind the Pontchartrain! A fire engine speeding left to right and dozens of men appear to be running toward the same destination. Or is it happy hour at the establishment proclaiming Kentucky Whiskey available here? Even the group of folks standing at the corner of the Hotel have their attention turned in that direction! So much going on here! High speed photographyNo Shorpy spirits, except the sprinters already mentioned. Concerning those lights, how much illumination did they actually cast? Is a radio towerin the center of the picture? It appears to be a large tower. [It's a street light. -Dave] Horse SenseThe Motor City with more horses than motors! In back, the classic sign of economic progress -- smokin' chimneys. Rajah CoffeeCan Starbucks be far behind? SeedyJust sayin' Moonlight TowerI believe that the structure in the center foreground of the photo is a moonlight tower. It was an early form of street lighting where there would be one tall tower with bright, probably carbon-arc, lights instead of multiple smaller lights closer to the ground. Austin, Texas is the only city that still has these in operation, although they have been updated to use a modern light source. [A Shorpy favorite, seen in many of our Detroit photos, for example, here, here and here.] re: SeedyThe Ferry Seed Warehouse seen in the background is at the western end of what is now Greektown. It's now an office building. Women downtownI have noticed over and over on Shorpy that almost every city street scene in the northern states features women bustling about, presumably doing their shopping, having lunch with their friends, walking with their daughters, etc. In the photos of southern cities, you almost never see women on the streets. Nearly every southern city street scene comprises pretty much entirely men. Why is this? Heat? No place for "a lady" to be seen? Has anyone else noticed this? "Man of the Hour," againAlso playing on Shorpy at https://www.shorpy.com/node/11486 The NYT called it a "Virile Melodrama," and said: "A youthful Mayor who cannot be bribed or intimidated, a financier who wants to get control of a street railway franchise in perpetuity, and a pair of political bosses, who are at odds with each other and who are fighting to gain supremacy in their organization -- these are the chief characters in George Broadhurst's play "The Man of the Hour."" D.M. Ferry and U of Michigan sportsDexter M. Ferry, the man behind the seed company in this picture, donated the land in south Ann Arbor on which today's U of M athletic venues stand. One of which, the outdoor track and field venue, is named Ferry Field. Before today's Michigan Stadium, Ferry Field was the home of the football Wolverines, and the iron gate with the "FERRY FIELD" name remains in place on south State Street. True CrimeAnother fantastic pic of the Campus Martius area, giving the rare view up Monroe Street where Gies's European Hotel operated (the attached building to the left of the Hotel Fowler, center of pic). In 1894, the infamous H. H. Holmes lodged Mrs. Pitezel there for a few days, the poor woman never knowing her daughters Alice and Nellie were but five blocks away. (Panoramas, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
The Detroit 200
... Floats in civic & industrial parade." Looming over the Campus Martius, the Majestic Building and one of the city's celebrated "moonlight ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/15/2022 - 11:24pm -

July 25, 1901. "Cadillac Memorial Parade -- Detroit bicentenary celebration. Floats in civic & industrial parade." Looming over the Campus Martius, the Majestic Building and one of the city's celebrated "moonlight towers." Detroit Photographic Co. glass negative. View full size. Extent of extantThe only structure that still exists might be the oldest in the photo - the Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Its cornerstone was laid in 1867, and most of the buildings around the square were from the 1890s. Moon TowerIf I'm not mistaken, that is a "moon tower," in the background. [Just like it says in the photo caption! - Dave] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_tower Sorry, Dave! I was so excited to see the moon tower, I didn't read your caption. My mistake! Detroit 300I found out the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was repositioned during a reworking of the Campus Martius plaza and rededicated at the end of that project in 2005. I'm guessing this was part of Detroit's 300 year celebration in 2001. Detroit has had a few different opera house buildings. The one in the photo now has the address of One Campus Martius, and was replaced by the building in the Google Street View with the Meridian (health insurance) name over the entrance. But Woodward Avenue still has streetcar rails. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Horses)
Woodward Avenue: 1917
... Still busy Not like this, but the ice skating rink at Campus Martius is already set up and would be approximately directly in front of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 9:50pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1917. "Looking up Woodward Avenue." Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "Mellow as Moonlight"If I was a drinkin' man, I would be sippin' some a that Cascade whiskey. Motor city, for sure!Not one single horse in view. Temporal AcheMan, this is one of those Shorpy photos that really make me wish I had a time machine. Not much leftAbout the only thing still remaining is the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, and even it has been moved about 300 feet from where it stood for 130 years. An amazing photo. Casting against TypeI see the film "Somewhere in Georgia" is playing, where Ty Cobb stars surprisingly as a small-town Georgia baseball player who signs with the Detroit Tigers. Health InsuranceAlmost 100 years later, the country is in a major pique over health Insurance and the Detroit Creamery had the answer all along. This maybe the best urban photograph yet, it certainly is the busiest. Notice the #2 streetcar?It's got one of those fancy-schmancy 'people scoopers' on it, like this: https://www.shorpy.com/node/4468 HodgepodgeOne of the best urban pictures yet! Too much to take in at one sitting; The Opera House, that wonderful memorial, the traffic, those streetcars. I wonder what the tent was for in front of that fountain, just across from the Opera House. FascinatingThere's so much to look at in this photo. I especially enjoy seeing people going about their daily lives, not posing for a camera. The movie theater sign says "All Next Week, Somewhere in Georgia". According to IMDB.com "Somewhere in Georgia", starring Ty Cobb, was filmed in the winter of 1916 and released in June 1917. Is the 1915 date on the photo in error? [Do we know what "circa" means? - Dave] An Edison ElectricI notice that the Edison Electric is being driven by a woman. My grandmother (who lived in Detroit) said that the only car she ever drove was an Edison Electric. She was afraid of driving a gasoline-powered car. [Women liked electrics because there were no gears to shift, and no clutch -- shifting and clutching on cars of that era required quite a bit of muscle. - Dave] Cloudy crystal ballCover story in Time Magazine, October 5, 2009: "The Tragedy of Detroit: How a great city fell, and it it can rise again." Speaking of moonlightFarewell, good moonlight towers. Twenty years gone by the time of this photo. Is it a coincidence that Shorpy has hit upon another star of the silent screen? The theater beneath the Blackstone Cigar sign (far right)features Gladys Brockwell, who, like Kay Laurell (1890-1927), died in her thirties. Horrific 1929 car crash in California. Merrill FountainThe Merrill Fountain in front of the Opera House still exists, too. Granted, it was moved about seven miles up the road to Palmer Park. Before it was called Wootwart (Woodward)The definition of the "good old days" ... Traffic LightsGreat image. Did traffic lights look different then, or did they not have them in Detroit? [In 1917, traffic signals came on two legs. - Dave] Re: An Edison ElectricLooks more like a Detroit Electric car than the very rare Edison. The main reason the ladies like the electric car was no crank starting. Charles Kettering changed that a few years later with the electric starter motor if IC engines. Notice the complete absenceof horse poop. And horses. Stop sign doesn't apply...Surprised to see that pedestrains do not follow traffic signs as they crossed the streets. It seems that those signs were for trolleys and cars only. It anwered my question why my g-g-great uncle got killed by a trolley. ProsperityWow! You can almost hear the hustle and bustle of prosperity in this amazing photograph -- the essence of early 20th century proud American urbanity. Go to Google Earth or some other mapping web site and visit the corner of Woodward and Fort today -- a dreary, faceless, lifeless desert of glassy highrises without a pedestrian in sight. HeartbreakingWhen I go through Detroit now it is a vast third world, broken down, trashed city, with gangs and thugs peering from behind collapsed buildings. How in the name of all that is worthy could this magnificent American city come to what it is today? Almost makes me want to watch Glenn Beck. Oh what a feelingI had to smirk a bit when I opened of the intersection on Google streets and the first thing I saw was a shiny Toyota. FABULOUSThis image is go busy and wonderful. There is so much to notice. I wonder what the conversations were and so much more. There is a tent in the middle of the square to the left of the statue. Why? What is the statue of? All in WhiteI love the woman all in white crossing the street with her plaid skirted friend (near the front of the photo, just before the frontmost car). She looks so different than everyone else. I bet the two women just walking into the frame below them are talking about her. She's showing ankle AND calf! I'm sure she'll be a flapper in a few years! The girl in whiteI think that the girl in white is in fact a girl - probably a young teen accompanying her mother (the lady in the plaid skirt). Therefore she would be perfectly well dressed for her age. However that also means that she would be in the right demographic to become a flapper once the twenties (which would coincide with her twenties) rolled around. Great picture - Lord I could look at it for hours! That banner over the street"ENLIST NOW! YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU" And to your left...Seems even Detroit had its requisite "Seeing..." touring bus company. I count three "charabancs" in this photo, one across the street from Bond's with "WELLS" emblazoned on the back, and two in the centre-left crammed with mostly female tourists. Wonder what they were off to see next? I'm loving the little insignificant human moments the photographer caught and immortalized: the man at the lower left trying to make something out on a bulletin board; the hefty many putting his arm around his companion's waist next to the memorial; three ladies converging outside the theater. Fantastic. The building on the far leftis the 1896 Majestic Building, designed by the famous Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. Among other things, Burnham also designed the Flatiron Building in NYC, and oversaw the construction of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The Majestic was Detroit's tallest building until 1909, when the Ford Building (also a Burnham creation) was completed. The Ford still stands today, as well as Burnham's other Detroit creations, the David Whitney Building and the Dime Building. Sadly the Majestic was torn down in 1962 to make way for the exponentially less-interesting 1001 Woodward Building. “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistence. Remember that our sons and our grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty.” -Daniel H. Burnham Sight Seeing in Detroit ca. 1917The Dietsche Sight Seeing Company was one of several companies that offered tours of Detroit back in this time period. Below is a photo of their advertisement offering their services to local companies who might want to entertain their out-of-town customers with a "Sight Seeing Trip around the city, Belle Isle, or Water Works Park." Given the description of the street banner, this photo was probably taken sometime around June 5, 1917, which was the date on which all men between the ages of 21 and 31 were required to register for the draft. Soldiers and Sailors MonumentStill nearby, but not as nicely maintained. Very Nicely MaintainedThe Soldiers & Sailors monument is actually very well maintained. Notice how it's not all blackened with soot as in the old photo. When you view it up close you can also see where some very nice restoration has recently been done. Not everything in Detroit is a rotting hulk. Still busyNot like this, but the ice skating rink at Campus Martius is already set up and would be approximately directly in front of the Detroit Opera House. Downtown Detroit is not the home of thugs or crime at all, really, but is sadly quiet when the businesses are closed. Many of the buildings are still here, and magnificent. Come visit before they tear them all down. I'll be ordering a large print of this image! Thank you Shorpy. Re. "Mellow as Moonlight"I saw this photo a few days ago, and, like GeezerNYC, I was quite struck by the Cascade Whiskey billboard. Now, I know that Geo. Dickel is still in business, and I was familiar with Dickel's Tennessee Sipppin' Whiskey and Old No. 8, but I had never heard of Cascade. It must have gone the way of the buggy whip and Lydia Pinkham, I thought. But then today I stopped at the liquor store after work to pick up a bottle of wine, and GUESS WHAT THEY HAD?!?! shhhh...too loud. So, then and I bought some. And do you guys know what? It's pretty goood. I';m drikning it right now. And I just wanna True story I swear. Hey! do you know what? I bought some oft hat Cacsade whiskey? Or is it whishky? Aanyway, I just wanna You know what/ You guys are greatf. I just wanna Hudson's Grows, and...Hudson's grew with Detroit, and perhaps inevitably, declined with Detroit. Cascade HollowThe current Cascade Hollow Whiskey was created to deal with a shortage of the Dickel No. 8 and then just hung around. They didn't have enough whiskey of a certain age so they made a new brand and put their younger stuff in it so that the quality of the No. 8 wouldn't suffer. The Cascade Hollow has been discontinued, but it's still on the shelves in many places. The name Cascade was replaced by the Dickel name after Prohibition and a number. In order of price (& quality) the current Dickel offerings are: (Cascade Hollow) Dickel No. 8 Dickel No. 12 Dickel Barrel Select (which is one of the best whiskeys I've ever had. And I've had a lot.) Anyway, Dickel is currently owned by the evil international spirits conglomorate Diageo, which also owns Guinness, Hennessey, Smirnoff, Johnny Walker, Tanqueray, Bushmills, Cpt. Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Crown Royal and many many more. I can't relate to this picture at allThere is no one in this picture that looks like me or anyone else in my family and for that matter most of my friends...maybe that's how most of the people making comments about it want Detroit to look like. Movie ID helpIn the background, there appears to be a movie showing called "The Spoilers", but Wikipedia says it came out in 1914, not 1917. Just below that it looks like "Barrymore (?) as Georgia" and to the left of that is "Ty". Anyone have some ideas as to which movies are being advertised? [The movie is "Somewhere in Georgia," with Ty Cobb, released in 1917. - Dave] Re: Re: An Edison ElectricMy great-great-grandfather Frank Montgomery Foster was selling Kissel Kars in Detroit. In 1913, he also had "one of the Detroit's finest garages at the corner of Gratiot Avenue and Grand Boulevard." It looks like the two cars in the bottom left of the photo (with the barrel fronts) may be Kissels, but I don't know enough about autos of the era to ID them. KernsMy co-worker's last name is Kerns. I showed him this picture one day and eventually forwarded it to him. He then forwarded picture to his family and learned that his mother Americanized their Polish name around 1917 after seeing that building "Kern's Children's Clothes." One of the best!The photo is insanely busy and the comments led me on a couple scavenger hunts online. Introduced to Gladys Brockwell, Daniel Burnham, Cascade, Dietsche company, etc. A very entertaining hour and a half on this one pic! Of course, being from Detroit makes it that much more interesting. Also, Heartbreaking, Detroit is a pheonix. You watch what she can do! The people have so much spirit. We love our city like a member of our family. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Martyrs & Heroes: 1905
... IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY AND UNION Detroit circa 1905. "Campus Martius -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Detroit Opera House." 8x10 inch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2022 - 11:19am -

ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN IN HONOR OF THE MARTYRS WHO FELL AND THE HEROES WHO FOUGHT IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY AND UNION Detroit circa 1905. "Campus Martius -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Detroit Opera House." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Oh! It's a shield!I thought that was a big shovel at the top ... https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/soldiers-and-sailors-monument The campus marches onHere's the monument at roughly the same angle, with the Detroit Opera House's replacement in the background. How we rememberThe Detroit Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument reminds me of the one in Indianapolis; both completed just before the turn of the last century; both grand and inspirational. After WWII our war monuments became more intimate. I'm thinking of the memorials at the battlefield at Vicksburg versus the one over the USS Arizona. To me, the least grand and most intimate is the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D. C., where a small rope chain you could easily step over somehow keeps you pinned near that wall, near to those tens of thousands of names. Mush.The monument was moved about 20 years ago for the readjustment of Woodward Avenue. A time capsule was found beneath it. With great fanfare, the sealed box was opened, and, alas, all the papers that had been put into it had turned into mush. Only salvageable item was a period silver dollar, which is now at the Detroit Historical Museum. (The Gallery, Civil War, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Detroit: 1910
... Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Campus Martius." Frequent photographic subjects of the Detroit Publishing Co. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/02/2022 - 1:05pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Campus Martius." Frequent photographic subjects of the Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Big BrotherIt must have been a challenge trying to operate the tiny Hotel Metropole in the shadow of the giant Pontchartrain. And what a testament to the brand power of Coca-Cola. Ninety-five years later, that logo is so modern that it sticks out like a photobomb. Times They Are A-ChangingIf you were to have taken this picture 5 years before the horses would outnumber the cars. Who's Selling What??Love to know what "Misfit" is advertising. ["Misfit" seems to have been the retail category for what we would today call clothing seconds, or maybe something more like Big & Tall. There's another Misfit sign shown here, in New York, and here, in St. Louis. - Dave] WildlifeI love the stag and deer statues. Those things are huge! Misfits explainedBelieve it or not, people would have their pictures taken and not show up for the prints. Photogs would sell the orphan or - Misfits - pictures to recoup their losses. The main market for these Misfts, were immigrant bachelors who wanted to send pictures of their sweeties back home, but they either didn't have sweeties, or they didn't have enough to have their pictures taken. Hence, an immigrant bachelor who wanted to impress the family back in County Cork, or Berlin, would finger through the Misfit bins and pick out athe girl of their dreams. [That's a colorful explanation but, as noted below, these are clothing stores. This particular Misfit was the haberdashery owned by Sol Berman (you can see BERMAN on the awning) at 120 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Below, another Misfit Clothing Parlor in New York. - Dave] Migrating Wildlife The "stag and deer" statue is actually of elk. It's one of several temporary monuments that were erected in Detroit for the 1910 national convention of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), which was hosted by the Pontchartrain Hotel. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Turkish Trophies: 1910
Detroit circa 1910. "Campus Martius -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Elks Monument and Wayne County ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/02/2022 - 5:58pm -

Detroit circa 1910. "Campus Martius -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Elks Monument and Wayne County Building." Far right, the Hotel Pontchartrain. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Ferry talesWow! - wethinks - wouldn't it be swell if the truly ginormous D.M. Ferry warehouse was still around ?? Well we're (sort of) in luck: it (sort of) is. The "sort of" part being, sadly, that the westernmost building in the complex (above) - the back of which we see in the main picture, isn't the part that's still around. Oh deerI can find the Soldiers and Sailors monument on googmaps, but looks like the arch thing with Bambi's mom and dad on top is no longer with us? Comparing 1910 to 2022, seems like I always prefer the old to the new. So much more lively and real. Dyslexia Hotel Usually Shorpy hotels burn. But here, we have the Burns Hotel. Hello, Dolly?This looks a lot like the still photo that opens the film version of Hello, Dolly. Is it? [That was New York on a Hollywood backlot -- a still that morphs into live action. - Dave] Interurban StreetcarAt the bottom right is an interurban streetcar that would have travelled to any number of Michigan locations, and even Toledo, Ohio. The interurban system was extensive, covering over 500 miles of track. This car looked quite deluxe compared to the city cars -- in railway car style, it even has an open rear platform. Hotel PontchartrainThere are better photographs of the Hotel Pontchartrain. But I'm taking this opportunity to share what I found. There was a good article with photographs in the January 1908 Architects' and Builders' Magazine, when the Pontchartrain was new. The architect, George D. Mason described the mechanics, features, and decor of the hotel. He wrote the hotel was designed anticipating four stories might be added later. In April 1908, an ad said rates were $2 per day and up. In 1913 five stories were added, and a review in The Architectural Review included exterior and interior photographs, plus floor plans. Here is the basement. Arch RivalThe arch was a temporary build celebrating the 1910 convention of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The inscription is the Elks' motto: "The fault of our brothers we write upon the sand. Their virtues upon tablets of love and memory." There was another, larger arch at the other end of downtown; the Elks must have brought a lot of business. Rajah CoffeeOkay, let’s do the math: 23 cents per pound, or two and a quarter pounds for 50 cents, which is 22.22 cents per pound. Which is such a bargain? You've got a long way to go yet babyAlthough it would be another 19 years or so before the Edward Bernays ‘Torches of Freedom’ campaign kicked in, it appears as if some of the tobacco companies had already taken such initiatives as early as 1910, if not earlier. True, the Turkish Trophies cigarette billboard does not show the woman actually smoking, but in my mind the connection is clear. (Panoramas, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Motown: 1915
The Motor City circa 1915. "Campus Martius, Detroit." With the Dime Savings Bank rising behind City Hall. Detroit ... a current view showing the Dime Building upper right. Campus Martius is in the traffic circle with Woodward Avenue running from top ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 8:20pm -

The Motor City circa 1915. "Campus Martius, Detroit." With the Dime Savings Bank rising behind City Hall. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. VertigoDig the window-washer on the Dime building opposite the top of the clock tower. Also that fire escape running up the side looks terrifying! Don't worry, tired horsiesDetroit City has a plan to get you some rest. No more work hauling freight in the city for you! Right Hand DriveAren't all three of the cars near the lower-right of the picture right-hand drive? That seems odd at such a late date. [Many, if not most, motor vehicles in the United States in 1913 used right-hand drive. Ford, an early LHD adopter, made the switch in 1908 with the Model T. - Dave] Old City Hall, RIPCity Hall lived to the ripe old age of 90, at which time it seemed to be generally regarded as something of a money pit, firetrap and eyesore. Although it did have its partisans -- there's an entertaining account here of competing efforts to save it and tear it down over the years. Finally razed in August 1961, City Hall was replaced by Kennedy Square Park, current site of 1 Kennedy Square. Dime buildingThe Dime Building may be the shorter one to the left of city hall. [The tall building is the 23-story Dime Savings Bank. Now called the Dime Building. The old Dime bank is the shorter building. Below, a current view showing the Dime Building upper right. Campus Martius is in the traffic circle with Woodward Avenue running from top left to bottom right. - Dave] Getting to Know YouOld photos never cease to intrigue me, and bring on a number of emotions. All those people, now long gone, captured for one instant. And in cases like this, never even knowing their pic had been taken, let alone imagining that 100 years later other people would be looking at it via undreamed of technology. The strange flagThe building just left of City Hall - the Hammond Building - is flying a large and unusual flag. Part of the explanation appears on the Hammond Building's page on buildingsofdetroit.com: "Captains of freighters headed up the Detroit River would look to the Hammond’s roof, where flags during the day and oil lanterns by night signaled storm conditions on the Great Lakes." On days when the Tigers were playing, a white flag with a blue circle flew. But I can't identify a weather flag that includes a circle. Solutions? Penobscot Building The short building to the left behind the City Hall is the original 13-story 1903 Penobscot Building. There were two later additions: 22-story and 47-story. In the current view, you can see the base of the 47-story tower adjacent to the Dime Bank Building. Missing Building?Love this shot, but found the "original" at the LOC's American Memory site and found an extra building in the background just right of center. Also, the rest of the right side of the images appear identical, but the left sides are not. The two men walking near the street lamp on the lower left of the Shorpy view do not appear below in the LOC shot. [Viewed full-size, it's clear the "missing building" is a painting. Undoubtedly a case of creative re-use of an older photo for an up-to-date postcard. At that size, and colored, it wouldn't be obvious. - tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Detroit: 1910
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "City Hall and Campus Martius." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 3:10pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "City Hall and Campus Martius." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. +101If the Soldiers and Sailors Monument hasn't moved in the past 101 years, this is the street view of basically the same area today. Looks like Detroit has leveled all the structures that were standing in 1910. [It has moved twice over the years. To the left of the Google Street View below is the 100-year-old Dime Bank. - Dave] View Larger Map Fantastic!This photo is absolutely perfect! There are men, cars, advertising, women, children, horses and so much more. I love it. What a great window into the past. The Food To Tie To Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the Year 1911. Patentees of Designs, Trade-marks, Labels and Prints. … Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Co., Battle Creek, Mich. "The Food To Tie To" (For Prepared Cereal Foods.) No. 2,877; Nov 7; Gaz. vol. 172; p. 258. … Apparently, "The Food To Tie To" failed as an ad campaign — it does feel awkward to pronounce. Prior to this post, a Google search of this Kellogg's slogan yielded only two results: both google-book scans of a 1912 government publication of patent listings. Follow the Google search of this slogan to witness the steady accumulation of search-engine results as a multitude of blog/web-sites scrape and automatically re-post content from Shorpy. P.S. Undoubtedly this black-and-white image of the Kellogg's "The Food To Tie To" sign on the Campus Martius fails to capture the contrast and readability that the full-color signage would have presented. It is difficult to read the slogan and one must look closely to see the cowboy and his lasso. Any Shorpy photo-colorationists willing to lend their skills to offer historical palette schemes which might have attracted the eye of a 1910 breakfast-cereal consumer? View TodayHas anyone got a modern view of this site? Given Detroit's decline, it would be interesting to see it from this angle. [See above. The notion that downtown Detroit is some sort of decaying urban wasteland is a mistaken one. - Dave] Parallel ParkingIn 1964 I managed to fail the parallel parking portion of my driver's test while driving a relatively small 1962 Dodge Dart with power steering and automatic transmission. It appears the taxi guy is trying to park that 3 ton beast without the benefit of power steering or automatic trans. He's a better man than I. [Circa 1910 Hudson Model 20 touring car. At around 1,800 pounds, it weighed less than a ton. - Dave] If onlyIf only time travel were possible. To me, that era was the most serene. Discounting any wars, epidemics or such. I would go. The BoothInformation? Tickets of some kind? It looks too small to be a news or food vendor booth. [It's a kiosk of the kind used for posting bulletins, news, weather etc. - Dave] The Kellogg signThe original Kellogg Toasted Corn Flakes box was not colorful by today's standards, being dark green and red lettering on a beige background, but with those three banks of lights focused on it, I am sure it stood out on the sign. On close inspection it appears that the rope lasso also might have had its own string of lights just above it. As far as what the lighting on the cowboy might have been, it is anyone's guess. To get an idea of the original box (and tin) colors, just Google "Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes" images. [The rope itself is a string of lights. This sign probably used hundreds of bulbs. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
First National: 1921
... seen here in the vicinity of Cadillac Square and the Campus Martius. Note the traffic control tower and the tally board labeled DETROIT ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2017 - 3:44pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1921. "First National Bank." The building that replaced the enormous but short-lived Hotel Pontchartrain, a favorite subject of the Detroit Publishing Co. along with the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, another landmark seen here in the vicinity of Cadillac Square and the Campus Martius. Note the traffic control tower and the tally board labeled DETROIT STREET TRAFFIC KILLINGS. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Traffic deathsIt's no wonder so many people are killed. That intersection is nuts! Almost DoneYou can move right in just as soon as we finish putting up those fancy little doodads on the roof! The building is still there, but, sadly, the doodads are gone. And you can hardly see the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument anymore for all the shrubbery and new age beautification in the square. Municipal lipstick, I s'pose. Impressive LobbyThe architecture firm for which I used to work was planning to occupy the second and third floors (the tall windows with the colonnade). The original bank lobby was in this space and was a beauty: marble columns, gold leaf ornamentation, huge chandeliers and such; you definitely got the feeling that this was an institution to be reckoned with. Sadly, in 1974 they gutted the entire space and divided it with a floor, the better to have more space to lease. When our firm made plans to move in, all the modernizations were removed to reveal some interesting features: the original vault, intact original elevator annunciators, original doors that were walled off for decades and a few surviving ornamentations. Our firm created plans to preserve as much as possible while still having an ultramodern feel; sadly we were not able to go through with the lease at that time. The intersection is now replaced by Campus Martius Park. Still not any safer, though. Sandwich anyone?Can anyone make out the sandwich board on the sidewalk in the lower left? [Left? - Dave] Sorry, I must've been looking in the mirror. The GayetyI am always loving all the extra research everybody does on the monuments, people, and locations in the pictures, so here's something I found about the large burlesque theater in the background. The Gayety, designed by Fuller Claflin, seated 1,362 and opened Sept. 15, 1912. For the theater's entire career, it held burlesque. It was once operated by Frank Bryan and Frank Engel. The Gayety closed April 10, 1958, and was demolished soon thereafter. Today, a parking lot resides on the property. More pictures here. [And another view here. - Dave] Doodadsbryharm's comment sent me questing for technical verbiage of the architectural kind. What we have along the edge of the roof, unfinished, could be described as a cresting of finials. Guarding their young. Sandwich BoardI think you meant: "the sandwich board on the lower RIGHT." Looks like an ad for something. Can we get any closer Dave? [It says "Where Marines T____" - Dave] Drink Alle____ in Green BottlesCan anyone identify the tasty drink that "hits the spot," that was advertised on the partially-obscured roof sign between the bank and the Gayety theatre? (It's in the same spot that a baking powder was advertised in the 1918 photo of the Pontch.) Since Michigan had in theory been dry since 1918, and the sign wasn't up before 1918, it wouldn't be a brand of beer or other booze. It seems to start with the letters "Alle," so it's not Vernor's. Architectural ThingamabobI'd call that a cornice. Acanthus leaf motif. In the name of all humanityI think it's useful to keep a tally of traffic deaths, but cheese Louise, did they have to hang the most recent body right there on the sign? I wonder if his dear mournful widow found a ticket stub to the Gayety in his overcoat. BrewskiThat sign may be for Altes Lager Bier from Detroit's Tivoli Brewing Company. It came in green bottles. [You are correct. Below is a detail from a circa 1918 photo of the Hotel Pontchartrain showing an Altes Lager sign that was across the square from the where the other sign would be a few years later. - Dave] Green bottled beerIt's Altes Lager (German for "old lager"). You can just see the crossed "t" in the sign. Altes (motto: "Tastes like Fassbier") was a old Detroit brewery that passed the Altes brand to various successors. I picked up a case circa 1982. Here's a label, whose lettering looks quite similar to the sign. [Thanks to you and Alex for solving that mystery. Evidently one of the breweries that survived Prohibition. - Dave] Acanthus leaf, huh?I bet you're both right, but I liked the "Cresting of finials guarding their young" better! Thanks tterrace. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
War of the Worlds: 1905
Detroit circa 1905. "The Campus Martius." This middle section of a three-part panorama features City Hall and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:34pm -

Detroit circa 1905. "The Campus Martius." This middle section of a three-part panorama features City Hall and one of Detroit's celebrated arc-lamp standards, or "moonlight towers" -- appropriately reminiscent of Wells and Verne in a plaza named after Mars. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Thanks for your SupportAt first, I thought the triangular arc lamp base was sitting on the ground. The shadow reveals that it is perched on that single pole at the street corner. Hats and HighballsImmediately behind the Detroit Public Works Department's exercise of infrastructure improvement was John J. Gorman's hat store. As the roof sign shows, "that's all" was the motto of the Whiskey produced by Baltimore's Wilson Distilling Co. before and (for a short time after) Prohibition. Seagram's bought it out, closed the plant and moved what was left to Louisville. How Many Martians Does It Take?This has to be the place were the "light bulb" jokes started. Now I want a highballI want one of those Wilson High Balls, with perhaps a San Telno cigar. Burned OutGuess it's a good thing we don't have moonlight towers now. The "kids today" would probably climb them and spray paint them. Also, there would be those insisting "these things cause cancer." False MoonlightIt would be great to see one of these in action (in a photo) at night time. I had never heard of them until now, except for use in modern movies. It's time....Time for a Wilson High Ball. That's All. LinesAnd so became the wired aged. Wires everywhere. You never knew so many lines in the sky until you got that new camera and went outside to capture a scene, without the wires. And so it begins…In an era of fine architectural detail and flowing lines of sight, the encroachment of the bland stark vision of industrial need and simplicity continues its blight on the aerial view now known only to the farmers, mountaineers, astronomers, and those who would strive to leave society and culture behind. First the telegraph, then telephone, then electricity took to the skies in coincidental trade for the odor of animal leavings in our cities and towns. I have all my life cursed the pole and line, and welcomed those forward thinking communities that had the foresight to legislate the burial of all utilities. Perhaps someday, when in a much improved economy, and with less desire to spend on wars and trips to the moon, an investment can be made in finally putting to ground that which hangs outside our windows, standing between us and the clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds which lend our minds to daydream. As an addendum, many millions of man-hours spent in Photoshop would be averted to more useful agendas, such as staring at the clouds and stars. [Or you could just move to a better neighborhood. - Dave] More TowersI see a second one way off in the distance at the right edge of the picture, and possibly a THIRD one way off beyond that! A neat history of the "moonlight towers"Is here. What time is it, really?I notice the two clocks appear to read about 4 minutes different, even though they are within sight of each other. How DID they change the light bulbs?Reading the "moonlight towers" link reveals how labor intensive early city lighting schemes were. Imagine lighting and extinguishing gas lamps on every corner! It was regarded as a triumph when carbon-arc rods were developed that lasted all night. Daily servicing of a limited number of tall towers was relatively manageable - but how did they ascend to the top? Surely not via the alternating rods forming a rudimentary ladder. Close scrutiny of the link images reveals a "man basket" that hoisted a worker inside the tower, using the pulleys visible in the photograph. Moonlight towers in TexasThere are more than a dozen survivors in Austin, where they are local landmarks. Some sources claim they were purchased used from Detroit. Regarding towersI find it interesting that people a century ago were so accepting of the wires and towers that brought them modern conveniences. Today we don't need towers for lighting -- but we do need them for our radios, TVs and cellphones so I find it paradoxical that so many people today oppose every new tower application. Yet they are typically the first to complain when their radio, TV or cellphone can't get an adequate signal. Early Detroit IronIs there at least one and possibly three early automobiles parked along the right curb? Texas TowersRichard Linklater used them famously in "Dazed and Confused." http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2.8461/moonlight-towers-guide-austin-thr... Lady in WhitePlease, no snarky comments, but I have a question. There is a woman on the extreme right side of the photo, about 1/3 the way up the page (approaching the curb). She's dressed all in white, and she seems to be the only figure dressed in light-colored clothing as far as I can see. Is this "normal but rare" for the time, or is there some other explanation? [White dresses not particularly unusual for the era. Many more can be seen on these pages. - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Moonlight Tower: 1899
... 100 feet, to accommodate the re-creation of a park in Campus Martius. Its still there and looks as good as the day she was unveiled. Stop in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2020 - 10:35am -

Detroit circa 1899. "Majestic Building." And a good view of one of the "moonlight tower" arc lamp standards whose base can be seen in the previous post. Some of these towers are said to have made their way to Austin, Texas, where they are the sole remaining examples of their kind. View full size. Public TransportationIt looks like you don't have to wait long for a streetcar. The lady carries a swordI am intrigued by the statue in the lower right. Does she still stand? And what is her story? All gone...nearly Corner of Woodward and Michigan Avenue. That's the old city hall at the left side of the photo. As in the previous photo of the old post office, nothing in this photo remains today. Well, almost. You can see this cannon at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle, as it was removed there when the city hall was razed in 1960. Snap, Crackle and Pop!The early carbon arc street lamps were not necessarily as popular an innovation as one might assume. I don't know what Detroit residents thought of theirs, but a similar system was installed in San Diego in 1886, and earned many bitter complaints from the residents. The lamps were too bright for one thing, and people who had grown up with candles and kerosene lantern lights were appalled by the harsh, blue-white arc lights that cast shadows deeper than the noonday sun. The company's solution was to raise the masts to as tall as 125 feet (below, in an 1887 photo), but it scarcely helped. And the heavy carbon rods were exposed to the moist and often foggy night air from the adjacent bay, resulting in an all-night racket of pops and small explosions that kept everyone awake. San Diego's carbon arc lamps lasted only to 1889, when the lighting company failed in a local economic collapse, but their removal was unlamented by the long-suffering residents. Peninsular ElectricThere's another tower at the next intersection. It must have been successful because I can't see any remains of the gaslights that must have preceded it. The Peninsular Electric Light Company was founded in 1891 to run Detroit's street lights. It seems there were 142 of them (but probably not 142 towers). Aglow in AustinI live about two miles from one of the "moon towers" in Austin. It's very high up, and shines brightly every night. Of course, there's lots of other light around, so it's hard to tell just how much it's casting. I've often wondered what it would look like if it were the only light source. Austin memoriesI'd forgotten all about these. I moved to Austin for college 40 years ago and lived near a light tower myself. It wasn't "the only light source," but Austin in those days was a much, much smaller town with far less light pollution than today. The artificial moonlight was noticeable from almost anywhere in town, as I recall. Check the Plaque DaveLooks like they bought them new in Austin. [Hello? The plaque doesn't have a thing to say about new or used. There are, however, plenty of references describing how the city of Austin bought 31 used towers from Detroit in 1894. - Dave] Sword carrying ladyThe lady is on the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, dedicated in 1872 to honor Michigan's Civil War veterans. The monument was moved about 100 feet a few years ago. RE: circaI know the Library of Congress says circa 1880-1899. But I think this might be 1902. Because the sale signs say, "A BUSINESS REVOLUTION Change of Ownership-Management". Which jibes with this, from 1902: Pardridge & Walsh, dry goods merchants, for many years at the corner of Woodward avenue and Congress street, purchased the immense stock and fixtures of C. A. Shafer in the Majestic building for about $140,000, and continued the management of both stores until the end of the year. [Finish reading the signs and you'll see that the photo shows C.A. Shafer moving into the building, not out of it. This negative is listed in the 1899 Detroit Publishing catalog. - Dave] Cadillac SquareIf that's the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the lower left right (as identified in earlier posts of Cadillac Square), then I'm guessing this photo was taken from the Hotel Pontchartrain. Eight Storeys in the Naked CityFrom Printer's Ink, July 5, 1899: "The finest commercial structure in Michigan is the Majestic Building, Detroit, occupied by the department store of C.A. Shafer ... Mr. Shafer uses eight floors and the basement." In 1901 Shafer was bought out by Pardridge & Blackwell. This photo must date from between 1896, when the building was completed, and 1901, when P & B took over. Also, General William Booth (as advertised on the street banner) did a tour of U.S. cities in 1898. Appearing at the AuditoriumGeneral William Booth wasn't just any Salvation Army speaker, he founded the organization in 1878, after the 13 years that he and his wife Catherine spent leading his East End (London) organization, The Christian Mission, nee The Christian Revival Society, itself formed after his four unhappy years as a Methodist (they wanted him to take a pastorate, he wanted to travel and evangelize). Initially regarded as a crank, by the time of this photo both William Booth and his Salvation Army were highly regarded. I am wondering if The Auditorium refers to the Auditorium of the Detroit Museum of Art, which at the turn of the century was criticized for booking "shallow" speakers, not aligned with the "purposes for which the art museum was organized." (see: "Museum on the Verge," by Jeffrey Apt, Wayne State Press, 2001) 1896-1962The Majestic was Detroit's second skyscraper. Soldiers and Sailors MonumentThe lady in the lower right stands atop the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which commemorates the civil war. The statue, as mentioned above, was recently moved about 100 feet, to accommodate the re-creation of a park in Campus Martius. Its still there and looks as good as the day she was unveiled. Stop in sometime and have a look. Its at the heart of downtown Detroit. Demolition of City HallThe corner of old Detroit City Hall is seen at the left edge of the photo. In one of the most notorious incidents in the history of Detroit, as preservationists and boosters alike fought to save the old city hall, an injuction was filed to stop the demolition. The contractor snuck a bulldozer into the site at midnight and demolished the portico on the front of the building, compromising the structural integrity of the edifice, and forcing the full demolition. Moonlight Towers in AustinThere are indeed remaining moonlight towers here in Austin. Seventeen of them are still in use, retrofitted with incandescent bulbs in, I think the 1950's. More info here. lick below to enlarge. So little trafficLots of streetcars. Some commercial drays. A handful of private coaches. And many pedestrians. Looks something like Moscow would have until the end of the Soviet Union. Plenty of space on those broad boulevards. Austin TowersSee all 15 Moonlight Towers - http://www.andymattern.com/moonlighttowers/ Majestic DemolitionI was one of the two crane operators that participated in the demolition of the building in 1962. We hoisted a small 10 ton Bantam crane and a small John Deere loader-dozer atop the building and slowly worked our way to the third floor where the building was becoming unstable. We removed the equipment and finished the demolition from the ground. I worked for Arrow Wrecking Co. for nearly 20 years and am now retired to Upper Michigan. The photos of the demolition brought back many fond memories of my old home town. Thanks. I wonderWho can read THIS from the street. Not all goneRDown3657 stated that everything in this photograph is gone. There are at least two buildings on Merchant Row that are still standing. The Vapley Building (look for Vapley Brother Shoes in the photograph) is currently being renovated into loft apartments, and the building immediately south with the arched windows (I do know know of a name for it- it is at 1401 Woodward at the corner of Grand River. There may be others still standing, but those are the only two I can identify with 100% certainty. And, of course, the Soldiers and Sailors statue still remains. (Technology, The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Bustling Detroit: 1915
Detroit circa 1915. "Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius." Among the Motown landmarks in this panorama of two 8x10 glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:11pm -

Detroit circa 1915. "Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius." Among the Motown landmarks in this panorama of two 8x10 glass negatives are the Hotel Pontchartrain, Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument, Ford Building, Detroit City Hall and Dime Savings Bank. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Only Two LeftI was in Downtown Detroit two weeks ago for a conference, and I got to see many of the sights that have been featured on Shorpy over the past few years. The only two buildings in this picture that are still standing are the Ford Building (the tall white building smack dab in the middle of the picture) and the Dime Savings Bank Building (the tall white one directly behind City Hall). Just about everything else is gone or - in the case of the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument - moved. The two survivors were both designed by the Chicago firm of Daniel Burnham, as was the case for the (now demolished) Majestic Building at the extreme right edge of the photograph. Thanks for putting it all together for us, Dave! Just a few yearsIt's amazing to realize that just a few years earlier you would see this plaza full of horse drawn vehicles. We think we live in unbelievable technological times, but the changes that had taken place by 1915 were incredible. Right hand driveWikipedia has this comment about right hand drive, which makes sense now that I think about it: "On most early motor vehicles, the driving seat was positioned centrally. Some car manufacturers later chose to place it on the side of the car closest to the kerb to help the driver avoid scraping walls, hedges, gutters and other obstacles." My GrandfatherMy Grandpa was an elevator operator at the Hammond building in Detroit for nearly 50 years, from 1907 to 1956,when the building was razed. During "off peak" hours, he would run errands for the many lawyers and businesses in the building, including their most famous tenant of the early 20th century, the Detroit Tigers baseball club. Every time I see one of these amazing DPC photos of Detroit, I imagine that among the throngs of people we see going about their daily lives so long ago, was my Grandpa going about about his daily life. I just know he's there, somewhere. Thank you Shorpy for these wonderful glimpses into the past. No don't jump!Oh wait, it's a statue. Right hand drive carsI was surprised to notice many of the automobiles in this photo are designed with the driver on the right hand side, as opposed to the modern American convention of left side drivers. On the DimeIs someone standing on a window ledge on the left tower of the Dime Savings building, eight floors from the top (just to the right of the cupola on top of City Hall)? Maybe Mrs. Wiggins locked him out of his office again. Name changedThe Dime Bank is now known as Chrysler House. Right hand drive Seems a natural evolution. Almost all drivers of horse drawn vehicles sat on the right side. When speeds increased and we drove on the left side of the road, I suspect a change to left hand drive was natural. Two Little Rascals!Directly in the front of the Monument. It looks like a cop grasping two youths by their ears! Window washer on the Dime? The fellow on the window ledge is a window washer.... Look carefully and you can see his safety belt hooked into each side of the window.... A fairly common job with all the buildings with their windows! (Panoramas, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Motown Noir: 1910
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Campus Martius at night." A nocturnal view of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 5:00pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Campus Martius at night." A nocturnal view of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Chop Suey was popularI have noticed that in almost all of the street scenes from various cities around the U.S. shown on Shorpy, there are always large, neon "Chop Suey" signs, sometimes several in the same picture. I see two in this photo, there may be more. One has to wonder what made early 20th century chop suey taste so good that it merited full size, expensive, lighted advertising signs. There are multitudes of recipes for it, all different, but there must have been a "type" that had strong appeal to the masses. This is a particularly beautiful picture with outstanding plays of light that could have been photographed the night my mom was born and I would love to be able to be visit this very locale at that very time. This is a picture than can inspire a million stories as one walks along the intriguing boulevard (of broken dreams?) Thank you Shorpy for once again setting my imagination on high speed. "Chop Suey" (Edward Hopper, 1929) Where's the Moon (Light Towers)?Were the moonlight towers all gone by 1910? I looked back at the past Detroit photos that had them and they all seemed to be 1905 or earlier. Looks like they installed normal streetlights by this time. [While they weren't on every street corner, there were several nearby [one, two, three). But they may have been removed by the time this photo was made. - Dave] Diamond TiresTHEY WON'T SKID THEY WON'T SLIDE THEY GRIP Diamond Tires won'tI was puzzled for a moment by what Diamond Tires won't do. "Skibe"? Then it dawned on me: they alternately won't skid and don't slide! America's Heyday Beautiful. Amazing signage. Chop Sueybecame a generic term for Chinese food. At least in black areas of town, such as Harlem, a Chinese restaurant was a "Chop Suey joint." Similarly, "gin" was a generic term for hard liquor. Writers often wrote of Bessie Smith's fondness for gin, based largely upon her use of the term in songs, but they were making assumptions. I asked Ruby Smith, her niece and touring companion, if Bessie really preferred gin. "no, no," she replied, "Bessie didn't like nothing but bad liquor, she said that anything sealed made her sick." Neither Will They SlipI wondered why the "D" in SLIDE and SKID would need an extra lighted segment in the middle. Then I found an ad for Diamond tires in a 1913 Popular Mechanics that says, "The Diamond Safety Tread Tire is the famous Diamond Automobile Tire adapted for motorcyle - it won't slip, won't slide, won't skip - it grips and bites the pavement - it gives you sure control in every emergency and a heaping measure of mileage." History of Chop SueyOTY, you got me thinking... A quick Google yielded this: http://hubpages.com/hub/Eat-Drink-And-Be-Merry Aside from the misspellings, the short article is very interesting. Thank you for prompting me to learn something new today! In oppositionIn both senses of the word - Diamond and Goodrich, though Goodrich seems to have the edge here in the amount of light it sheds. A fascinating composition with lots to see. I like all the light trails wiggling in and out from the cars, I wonder how long they had to keep the shutter open? More modern than todayAt a glance, I’d have guessed this to be 1930 or 1940, not 1910. I’m amazed by the number of vehicle lights and neon signs present in a year I’d have supposed to be much more like the 19th Century still. Margaret IllingtonMiss Illington, here starring at the Detroit Opera House, had recently been divorced from theatrical manager David Frohman. This year -- I don't know whether before or after this photo -- she married Edward Bowes, later to host "Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour" (ancestral to the Gong Show, and indirectly to such programs as "America's Got Talent"). Another thing those Diamond Tires won't doWON'T SKID WON'T SLIDE and also WON'T SLIP Look closely at the lighted character second from right on that line. SerendipityJust tonight my seven year old, who's crazy for "Fred and Ginger" movies, was watching "Swing Time." Fred Astaire sings "Never Gonna Dance," a song with a lovely, catchy tune paired with these ridiculously unsingable lyrics, maybe the worst love lyrics ever, including this gem: Have I two eyes to see your two eyes, or see myself on my toes, Dancing on radios for Major Edward Bowes? "And who the heck," I asked myself, "is Major Edward Bowes?" Then I visit Shorpy, and here he is, mentioned in the comments! Where else on the web could I get that kind of service? (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Welcome to Detroit: 1900
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "City Hall and Campus Martius." To the left, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument; rising to the right ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:50pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "City Hall and Campus Martius." To the left, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument; rising to the right is one of the city's "moonlight tower" carbon-arc lamps. Palm trees and bananas strike a tropical note. 8x10 inch glass negative by Lycurgus S. Glover, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. American IdyllI think any city would be glad to have such a civic building. Interesting French (Second Empire?) style architecture. I love the two men languidly conversing on their bicycles, oblivious of the surrounding traffic. Try that today! In toto the pedestrians look like a idealized Hollywood scene representing city life at the turn of the 20th century; people running, promenading, talking, pricing fruit perhaps on a fine summer's Sunday. Moonlight Towers: now Austin residentsThose carbon-arc lamps were once very common ways to light a city, much more economical than a lower-wattage streetlight every 100 feet. The light they gave off was by all accounts glaring and harsh, though. In 1894 Austin TX bought a bunch of the towers from Detroit and moved them southwards. Through a fluke of history, half of them survive to the present day, making them the only remaining functional towers in the world. One played an important cameo in "Dazed and Confused." All the remaining towers (17 of the original 31) are protected historic monuments, though two were recently removed. Austinites, myself included, are strangely fond of them. The rest of the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_tower Idyll Over"I think any city would be glad to have such a civic building. Interesting French (Second Empire?) style architecture." You might think that, but Detroit tore this building down in 1961. It was seen locally as embarrassingly old-fashioned soon after the turn of the 20th century. The editor of the Detroit News described it thus: "It is an architectural monstrosity. It belongs back in the twilight zone of American development. … It belongs to the era of the whatnot and the putty vase and the ship carved in a bottle. It is not Colonial, it is not Gothic, it is not Byzantine. It just ain’t nuthin’. It’s been standing there these 70 years or more, a lumpy, gloomy, ugly pile of curlicued stone. No artist has ever painted a picture of it. No artist would. No lover of beauty has ever found a single line of grace or dignity in it." And not a car in sight. I think this photograph shows the destruction wrought on the American landscape, and social fabric, especially in urban settings, by the advent of the automobile a short time later. The Motor City!Where are the cars? (Always interesting to me how long it took for automobiles to take hold.) Moonlight Bat BuffetLiving in Austin in the 80's I used to frequent a cafe in the Clarksville section of town where I would often see some of Austin's famous Mexican free-tailed bats feasting on the insects drawn to glow of moonlight towers. Austin, whose unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird," is a Mecca for bats, batty moonlight tower protectors, and all things odd and different. I'm glad to hear from Kevin M. that the towers are still there. All those people are deadbut yet, when I put this on full screen, I still get the feeling I could just step into the scene and walk or ride my bike amongst them. I love these pedestrian/scenic pictures. Sure glad somebody invented the camera when they did. CinematicThis does look like a Hollywood scene! Now we have our cars, our phones, our iPods, etc., and you would never see people out strolling about and chatting like this! We (myself included) are always in our cars and in a hurry! Wayne County BuildingOne of the previous commentators mentioned that this building was torn down. It is actually still standing. [You're confusing City Hall with the Wayne County Building. City hall is long gone. - Dave] (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Bustling Detroit: 1912
The Motor City circa 1912. "Campus Martius. Detroit City Hall, Bagley Fountain and Majestic Building." Detroit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/29/2017 - 2:57pm -

The Motor City circa 1912. "Campus Martius. Detroit City Hall, Bagley Fountain and Majestic Building." Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Testamentary ?/-'men-/ a. of or given in a person's will. Yes, I had to look it up in the Oxford dictionary. Zip!I'm always a little impressed with how quickly modern America happened: stone-built cities rivalling Europe's, built up from bare ground in little more than a lifetime and packed with cars recognisably like our own only eight years after Oldsmobile introduced mass-produced cars. And some of the people in this scene may have flown around the World on jet airliners. Always a surprise... to see how much the automobile changed both our lives, and the views of the city streets that these photos provide. When is the last time that Detroit saw horse-drawn deliveries? There are still enough horse-drawn carts for deliveries and vendors to make their appearance in 1933's "Duck Soup" seem plausible. Did Detroit, the city built on the automobile, get rid of their old-fashioned alternative sooner? Car-mounted catcherI just came across this picture last night, of this cow catcher touted for autos. https://www.shorpy.com/node/4468 This picture, on the rightThis picture, on the right hand side, looks the opposite direction down Woodward Ave than the Eureka 1910 picture does. I'm surprised mostly by how many streetcars are running up and down Woodward. Not just one every hour or half hour, but dozens in a one block area. Watch your step!Look at the drop from the front of that streetcar step to the pavement, yikes! Don't know how women managed with those long cumbersome dresses. It's good the miniskirt came along - strictly for the comfort of the ladies of course, naturally. Bagley FountainThe water fountain in the foreground was given to the citizens of Detroit by John Bagley; one of the founders of the Republican Party, staunch Abolitionist, City Councilman, Governor of Michigan and tobacconist. Long before Detroit was the center of Automobile manufacturing, tobacco was a huge business with over 100 cigar and snuff factories in different parts of the city. The Bagley Fountain was built for both humans and horses as I believe there is a horse trough on the side we can't see. It was moved to Cadillac Square in the 1920s (I believe). It is still there and was outfitted with new piping a couple years ago. I can't say I've ever drunk from the fountain as it is mainly used by our wandering class of citizens for their morning ablutions. Personally I care to honor their territorial markings. For more complete information, may I suggest: http://historicdetroit.org/building/bagley-memorial-fountain/ HorsedrawnWhen I was a child, in the early '50's, they were still delivering milk with horses, at least in Flint, "The Auto City". Hanging OnYes, you, the guy standing in the window in the Majestic Building. Watch Out For The Cows!tterrace's comment had me going to Google to see what these contraptions were called when fitted to streetcars. Apparently the proper terminology was "streetcar fender". There were an abundance of patents issued for designs to enhance the safety of pedestrians who were reckless enough to walk in front of moving streetcars. Some required the conductor to pull a cord to lower the fender when a collision was eminent, while others were designed to be deployed full time on the forward facing end of the streetcar. Streetcar catcher contraption?Looks like the the thing on the front of the streetcar was designed to provide a humane landing zone rather than just plowing cows/horses out of the way. [That's a cowcatcher. - tterrace] Gone, gone, goneCan you imagine that when the Old City Hall was demolished in the 1960s, they considered it progress? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Detroit Opera House: 1900
Circa 1900. "Opera House and Campus Martius." The leftmost section of a four-part panorama whose center includes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:33pm -

Circa 1900. "Opera House and Campus Martius." The leftmost section of a four-part panorama whose center includes the Detroit City Hall view posted yesterday. Photo by Lycurgus S. Glover, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Bicycles!!!I'm impressed by the prevalence of bicycles in this date and time. It makes sense, now that I think about it. Horses and carriages were such a hassle for the casual trip around the corner to the store. If you weren't trying to carry too much a bike could take you anywhere a horse could in about the same amount of time. I guess the thing that makes the bike seem out of place is the lack of provision for the bicycle in any of the pictures I've seen from the turn of the century. Things like bike racks, bicycle shops, tires, etc. I guess they were mostly sold out of department store basements or something so they weren't usually visible to the street camera. The 45 star flagServed its country from 1896 to 1908. It must be an interesting animal in the wagon.Eveyone in front of the Opera House is focused on the animal in the crate. It would be interesting to figure out just what is in there! Enlarging the image, patterns on the animal almost seems like a farm animal (like a cow). But if it is something non-exotic, why would they crate it instead of just leading like a horse? Looks like Charlie Chaplinis crossing the street to go see Dick Mansfield rock the House. All Gone AwayThis was the second Opera House on this site, and is almost brand new in this picture, having been built in 1898 after the previous one was destroyed by fire. In those days Detroit's theater and entertainment district stretched off to the right past Wonderland up Monroe St. for several blocks. Not a building in this picture is still standing. The only survivor is the fountain. It was moved out of downtown in 1926 to a park 6 miles to the north, where it has sat dry for many decades now, to facilitate - what else - automobile traffic. The Opera House ended its days as a discount store. It, along with all of the other buildings on that block, was torn down in 1966. Surprise sightingI see two dogs on the sidewalk, both off leash. One is in front of the fountain. The other is just to the left of the Sparling's store. Remains of the DayThe only thing in this picture that still exists is the Merrill Fountain, lower left. It was moved six miles up Woodward Avenue to Palmer Park, where it sits in deplorable condition. The FoysThey probably never saw the inside of the opera house, but I'm willing to bet they played the Wonderland more than once. Charlie Chaplinprepares to cross the streetcar tracks! Remarkable pictures.I've never seen, on Shorpy or elsewhere, pictures like these in which all the participants seem so alive. It's almost like a painting of a streetscape, in which the artist has spent time on the body language of each of the people. I suspect the secret is that the photo was taken on a holiday or Sunday. There aren't the dense business crowds so each person can be seen as an individual. First class. Thank you. Henry VRichard Mansfield was touring 'Henry V' in 1900 so it's either a bear for the crowd scenes in that crate or perhaps one of the dogs of war. I also noticed Charlie Chaplin.It also struck me that these guys had a resemblance to Stan and Ollie: Look ~ A Zebra!The extraordinary detail exposed in these images is a great lens into what's going on within the finely grained detail of everyday life. The cart in front of the "Mr. Richard Mansfield" marquis sign - the one that's drawn a crowd, including children, would appear to hold a Zebra. At least that's what it looks like within the pixellation limits of the image. An exotic, striped animal is the best I can make out - and a Zebra seems plausible. A walkable, bike-able center of Detroit - how futuristic! The city's been struggling and spending billions in the post WW2 era to bring back this kind of density and detail to little avail. Too bad that when cars allowed people to whir & whizz by at 30 mph or more, no one thought the refinement and detail of urban fabric was important any more. What once rewarded you as a citizen-pedestrian-saunterer at every turn, began to degrade you with subtracted empty storefronts, fountain removals, and missing teeth. Today you'd probably be arrested for bringing a Zebra to the curb for children to have a look. Can't wait to put the 4 pics together into a panoramic view. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Watch the Fords Go By
August 1912. "Campus Martius and Detroit Opera House." With much interesting signage. 8x10 inch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/17/2014 - 1:29pm -

August 1912. "Campus Martius and Detroit Opera House." With much interesting signage. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Giant saleI think I'd like to stop into the "Human Sale" store and buy one or two. Mostly goneAbout the only thing still in existence in that photo is the Merrill Fountain in the center of the photo. But, alas, even that was moved to Palmer Park, six miles north of downtown, in 1926, and it hasn't had water flowing through it since 1950. But it's there. Get 'em while they lastA Human Sale 3 or so doors down from National Clothing. Lots of good people watching in this one. It's amazing how much expression can be read into these small, fleeting figures. In the Good Old Summer Timeis probably the best known composition of George "Honey Boy" Evans, billed at the opera house. "Human Sale"?Wasn't that made illegal about 50 years prior? I've been trying to figure out the rest of that sign with no luck. Great place to spend an afternoonGrab a quick lunch downstairs at the Majestic, pick up a new topcoat at Elmer's, tell the New York Central guys why you like the Pennsy better, then tell the Pennsy guys why their line will never match the NYC, shoot a couple rounds of nine-ball, and top it all off with a visit to the Shorpy Building! Baker Street ?Not too familiar with early American autos but a bit of googling suggests there may be a Baker Electric auto in the bottom centre of the picture? 60 CorkersIs quite likely the show on at the Opera House, this from the St. Petersburg, Florida Daily Times in 1913: QuestionDoes the Shorpy Building of 1912 Detroit have a gallery of pictures of the future? I wonderI wonder just what was the timing of demolishing an entire cityscape. All at once, one property at a time... my mind just can't get around the change. [As noted in RDown3657's comment below, this is not the location of the 1912 photo; it's merely where the fountain was relocated, some six miles distant. -tterrace] thanks... I thought the open area was that park. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Welcome Hay Dealers: 1900
Detroit circa 1900. "Campus Martius and City Hall." Other landmarks in this panorama of three 8x10 glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 7:29pm -

Detroit circa 1900. "Campus Martius and City Hall." Other landmarks in this panorama of three 8x10 glass negatives include the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Detroit Opera House and the Majestic Building; also note the National Hay Association sign and "moonlight tower" arc lamp. View full size. Dapper DaredevilHe seems to be on the 13th floor and neither superstitious nor terribly concerned about his choice of perch. [In this enlargement from the original LOC tiff, it appears he has a safety belt. - tterrace] Out of place towerJust to the left of dead center almost hidden in front of the center white building, there is quite a tower positioned on a corner pole. Any ideas what it was used for?? [It's the moonlight tower mentioned in the caption; a regular feature of Detroit photos here on Shorpy, for example, this one. - tterrace] OK, now I understand what it is for. The text on the posting didnt 'make light' *snicker* to me what the "moonlight tower" was, but seeing it on your link with the description helped cement what it was. More Moontower InfoWe've still got moon towers here in Austin. Here's a link. PanoramaI don't see any artifacts from the stitching. Were the 3 images together in the original file or did you put them together? [Dave joined them using Photoshop. - tterrace] (Panoramas, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Woolworth Rising: 1912
... Horsepower Compare this to the image of Detroit's Campus Martius from 1913, where automobiles greatly outnumber horse-drawn wagons and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/16/2019 - 8:49pm -

New York circa 1912. "Woolworth Building under construction." Other Manhattan landmarks on view include City Hall Park and its post office, seen here a few days ago, the Singer Building and the twin cupolas of the Park Row Building. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Timely CostThe original cost was $13.5 million, paid in cash by Mr. Woolworth. The inflation calculator I use says that in 2010 that translates into $297,871,363. Today that would be a total bargain price. HorsepowerCompare this to the image of Detroit's Campus Martius from 1913, where automobiles greatly outnumber horse-drawn wagons and carriages. One of my favorite parts?The grand view of the dearly departed Singer Building. What a sight! The Cathedral of RetailNever realized how much the top floors of the main mass look like a church. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Liberty and Union: 1924
... up The monument has been restored and surrounded by Campus Martius Park. It was raised five feet onto a granite base with fountains. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/23/2019 - 9:30pm -

Detroit circa 1924. "Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Cadillac Square." Also: "Don't Jay Walk -- Stay Safe." 5x7 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. MonumentalNow that's the kind of Civil War Monument I can wholeheartedly support. Rise upThe monument has been restored and surrounded by Campus Martius Park. It was raised five feet onto a granite base with fountains. Dive into Jacksonville FloridaThis has to be one of the earliest billboard pinup pix. No earlier ladies swimwear would have survived impact with the water. And where, in 1940, I would make my debut. Font and centerNice product placement, Dave! Dig something?I thought she was carrying a shovel. Wind Direction?I noticed that there are four US flags in the photo, but the two flags top left are flying 180 degrees from the one in the lower right and the other flag is not blowing at all. Could the proximity to tall buildings be the cause? (The Gallery, Civil War, Detroit Photos, DPC)
The Public Square: 1901
Detroit circa 1901. "Woodward Avenue at the Campus Martius showing Bagley Fountain." Other landmarks include City Hall, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2017 - 12:23am -

Detroit circa 1901. "Woodward Avenue at the Campus Martius showing Bagley Fountain." Other landmarks include City Hall, the Majestic Building, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Detroit Opera House. Plus a "moonlight tower" super-streetlight. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Majestic's signage obscured?Has the sign on the Majestic Building (C.A.SH_EER)(?!?) been intentionally obscured in post-production, or is there something going on with it that I just can't figure out? [C.A. SHAFER, a department store. - Dave] Also, I love the observation deck. I wish more buildings today offered that feature. If I traveled back to the day this was taken, I would be up there looking around to see how long it took me to spot an overweight person. Of the 80 or so people that I can clearly gauge in this photo, there are zero. On the verge of becoming Motor CityNo automobiles in the 1901 photo, and just nine years later, most of the vehicles will be autos - Shorpy - Detroit: 1910. Moon towers? Mind blown.What an amazing thing. And just as with all these sorts of crisp cityscapes, I love all the vignettes you can see when you zoom in. There's no Good Humor hereAt first I took the white cart to the right to be a horse-drawn ice cream wagon, realizing that the frozen treats would have been packed in blocks of ice in 1901. On closer inspection it appears to be an ambulance for Grace Hospital. Grace Hospital AmbulanceI was born at Grace Hospital a few years after this photo was taken. OK, many years after. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Up Woodward: 1907
... Detroit circa 1907. "Looking up Woodward Avenue from the Campus Martius." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2017 - 1:29pm -

Detroit circa 1907. "Looking up Woodward Avenue from the Campus Martius." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The General Arthur CigarGeneral Arthur Cigars are advertised on the white sign to the far left of the frame just above street level. At the time, they were marketed as the "healthy" cigar brand with just the right amount of "intoxicants" as this ad from 1899 illustrates. Take one last, long lookBased on the massive increase in manufacturing output of vehicles that began the year the photo was taken and would increase dramatically in 1908 as well, this is likely one of the last views anyone has of busy Woodward Ave in Detroit devoid of the automobile. Tower?I am curious regarding the steel girder tower in the background that is in line roughly with the center of the street. What would have this been used for in 1907? [It's one of Detroit's famous moonlight towers. -tterrace] Woodward trolleyMy great-grandparents left the brutal Detroit winters in January 1906 for California, where they made their new home in Santa Barbara. They met on the Woodward Avenue trolley in 1902. My great-grandmother got off near Jefferson Avenue where she lived at 497 Jefferson. My great-grandfather took the trolley all the way up to 2050 Woodward Ave. where he lived with his mother and sister. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Majestic Lunch: 1909
... that these are east and southeast facades overlooking Campus Martius. Just thinking ... Think I can find a good lawyer in that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2014 - 1:13pm -

1909. "Majestic Building from Detroit Opera House." With "ServSelf Lunch in Basement." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. CuriouslyDevoid of upper story awnings, compared to other Detroit buildings of this era. All the more so, as I believe that these are east and southeast facades overlooking Campus Martius. Just thinking ...Think I can find a good lawyer in that building? M and MFellow named Maybly originally financed the building. He had the initial "M" on all the doorknobs in the place. Alas, Maybly went bankrupt before it opened. The new owners who took over decided to name the building the Majestic so they wouldn't have to swap out doorknobs. The Majestic was torn down about 1960. Don't just lunch ...Lunch majestically! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Eateries & Bars)
Metropolitan Life: 1912
1912. "Campus Martius, City Hall and Detroit Opera House." Other points of interest in this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/29/2017 - 3:12pm -

1912. "Campus Martius, City Hall and Detroit Opera House." Other points of interest in this view along Woodward Avenue at Fort Street include the Bagley Memorial Fountain, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Majestic Building. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Bagley FountainThe Bagley Fountain is actually a drinking fountain. It now sits a few blocks east of this view on Cadillac Square. The fountain was a bequest to the city from former Michigan governor John J. Bagley, who had made his fortune in the tobacco business and was one of the people most responsible for Detroit's status as a center of the U.S. cigar industry in the second half of the 19th century. He was also a temperance man, who felt strongly about the availability of fresh, clean drinking water. The Bagley Fountain is the only structure in Michigan designed by the great American architect H.H. Richardson. NiceThat is a very skillfully made old photograph - good architectural photography. Indian crossingThe motorcycle the young man is walking across the street I believe is a 1912 Indian twin cylinder single speed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Watering Hole: 1907
... City Hall ." Points of interest in this corner of the Campus Martius include the Hotel Pontchartrain, Bagley Fountain and Sol Berman's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/22/2014 - 12:27pm -

Detroit circa 1907. "A glimpse of Woodward Avenue from City Hall." Points of interest in this corner of the Campus Martius include the Hotel Pontchartrain, Bagley Fountain and Sol Berman's "Misfit" haberdashery. View full size. TodayHere's roughly the same view today, from the street. Misfit?Hopefully that's not a clothing store. [It is a clothing store. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Majestic: 1900
Detroit circa 1900. "Majestic Building and Campus Martius." The Motor City, back when bicycles and horses filled the streets. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2020 - 10:41am -

Detroit circa 1900. "Majestic Building and Campus Martius." The Motor City, back when bicycles and horses filled the streets. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Busy DetroitWhat a great image of those busy times; these street scenes are some of my favorite pictures on Shorpy. I enjoy picking out and wondering about the details -- has the supplicant toward the center on the street just asked the portly gentleman for the time? (Or a dime?) The lady behind them looks like she's tired of waiting for someone. Love the calm but attentive dog on the right, and Mr. Suave Moustache and his lady on the lower left. I can't tell what that arrow/shovel-looking object on the center sidewalk is -- a fallen street sign? But nobody seems concerned about it, whatever it is. Folks with things to do and people to see. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
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