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- I Saw What He Did
- The autos
- Long commute?
- No Hands
- Now with skywalks
- One leg only --
- The Beautiful and (nearly) Damned
- Form over function
- The coachman
- Pioneer Press Building
- Go big or go home
- Relationship dynamics
- Here’s proof
- Vintage guitar
- I don't think she's playing that guitar at all
- What Me Worry?
- Gone and forgotten
- Recently reopened
- No stopping them
- Steppin' Out
- It's Duluth ...
- Raise your hand if you're having fun!
- From the White House to white horses
- Leaf Lookers
- Then and Now
- Non-stationary hydrant
- Early rising
- Harmony
- Chords- Lost & Found
- Cast Iron Survivor
Photos submitted by Shorpy members!
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Fill the Flag: 1918
Detroit, 1918. "Cadillac Square and Real Estate Exchange from City Hall." Also a view of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument with World War I patriotic signage as the backdrop. Now playing at the corner movie palace: the "cinemelodrama" Cheating the Public. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size.
Inflation
"Mr Waitt?" "Yes, Mr. Bond?" "We need to increase our cigar prices to 11c." "You realise that means changing the big sign?" "OK, forget it..."
Gratiot Streetcar
The streetcar at the bottom left of the photo is headed for Gratiot Avenue, a major artery from the centre of the city to the northeast. By 1956 Gratiot and Woodward were the last two remaining car lines when the system closed down. Streetcars run again today along Woodward Avenue's Q Line. Pronunciation note: The locals all pronounce Gratiot as "Gra-shit" without batting an eye.
A city in decline
This type of architecture is probably a thing of the past, unfortunately. Below is a picture from Historic Detroit that shows the demolition of this great building, one floor at a time.
Cadillac Square Today
Here's the approximate view today, but from ground level. The Real Estate Exchange was demolished in 1976 to make room for a proposed mall. The remaining tall white building is the Cadillac Tower, the REE's similar, taller neighbor, built a few years after the 1918 photo.
Cheating the Public.
Fox Film 1918, another lost Silent.
Too bad because it looks quite exciting.
["Thrilling food riots"! - Dave]
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