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Hotel Pontchartrain: 1907
The Hotel Pontchartrain in Detroit circa 1907. By the mid-teens the hotel had been topped off with a huge mansard roof that added five floors ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 9:54am -

The Hotel Pontchartrain in Detroit circa 1907. By the mid-teens the hotel had been topped off with a huge mansard roof that added five floors of guest rooms. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. And Of Course ....it was torn down in the 1960's, right? There's a Burger King on that corner now, right? Near MissBottom left corner, near the photo label. Looks like a man might get a chance to try out the pedestrian catcher on the front of the street car, if he doesn't scoot out of the way pretty quickly. I love the way everyone is "dressed up" back in those days. The PontchThe Hotel Pontchartrain stood on the southeast corner of Woodward Ave. (foreground) and Cadillac Square (along left side of the Hotel). According to the book "Detroit Then and Now," the Russell Hotel stood on this site from 1857 until it was torn down to make way for the Hotel Pontchartrain, which opened in 1907. In 1920, the Hotel Pontchartrain was demolished to make way for the National Bank Building at 660 Woodward Ave. It is now known as the First National Building (shown below). View Larger Map Short LifeIt only lasted 13 years?? Built by George DeWittBuilt by George DeWitt Mason, it was torn down in 1920. His architectural partnership was also responsible for many other Michigan landmarks, among them the famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Albert Kahn apprenticed with Mason's firm, and later went on to design many of Henry Ford's auto plants. The current Pontchartrain Hotel is in a different location close to the Detroit River. Build, demolish, replace. Repeat.Why was this substantial-looking building torn down after only 13 years? I thought that kind of wastefulness only happened in modern-day Las Vegas. MisfitI got curious about the sign MISFIT, and since it is next door to a billiards parlor thought it might be a sleazy bar or something. A Google search turned up this article from 1889. Seems as though Shorpy should know about that shop! [This particular Misfit was the haberdashery owned by Sol Berman at 120 Woodward Avenue. There's another Misfit sign shown here, in New York, and here, in St. Louis. - Dave] HugeIt makes me dizzy looking at this now, being used to seeing tall buildings, but that was 1907! It would have been even more amazing then. The PontchMuch of the block south of the old Pontch (the Metropole in particular) is still standing, in various stages of use and upkeep. A Short StayA big reason the "Pontch" didn't last that long is that only a few of the rooms had private baths. When it opened in 1907 most high-end hotels still used shared baths. When the Detroit Statler was completed in 1916 all 1000 rooms all had private baths and central air-conditioning, the first hotel in the country to do so. Seven US presidents visited its famous long bar. The picture here is prior to the addition of the top five floors in 1916. [I think it was the Statler's public rooms that were air conditioned, sometime in the 1930s. - Dave] StreetcarsI notice that most of the streetcars seem to have been able to operate in only one direction so I suppose they had reverse loops at the end of the track or else they made complete loops through downtown. In one of the Pontchartrain Hotel photos there is a Birney(?) car with the ability to swap ends with the trolley pole for bidirectional operation. TrolleysI sort of remember the old Webster/Melrose Avenue trolley cars in the Bronx. They had driver controls at either end. At the terminus, 149th Street, the driver then pushed the seatbacks forward (or backward) so that the passengers could sit facing the direction of travel. The conductor then took his operating lever and went to the opposite end of the car, folded his seat down and took control. I also think he reversed something on top of the car, probably the rods that connected to the overhead power lines. During the warmer months the sides of the car were open. The Flamingo Roomat the Hotel Pontchartrain, from a color post card mailed in Detroit at 4 pm on July 24, 1909. The publisher? Detroit Publishing Company, of course! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Turkish Trophies: 1910
... Elks Monument and Wayne County Building." Far right, the Hotel Pontchartrain. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Ferry tales Wow! ... 
 
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)
The Pontch Again: 1912
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Hotel Pontchartrain." Yet another view of this relatively short-lived hostelry on ... regulations yet. Check out the street in front of the hotel. Nice Cleanup Dave I downloaded the original image from the LOC a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2023 - 5:20pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Hotel Pontchartrain." Yet another view of this relatively short-lived hostelry on Woodward Avenue, whose downfall was a paucity of private bathrooms. Familiar landmarks include the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Cadillac Square and the Cadillac Chair. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "Misfit"I wonder what went down at "MISFIT"? Or did they just sell irregular clothing? And what could those fellas on the corner be taking a gander at? [Misfit was the haberdashery owned by Sol Berman at 120 Woodward Avenue. The headline below is like something out of the Onion. - Dave] Anywhere you wantThere do not seem to be much in the way of parking regulations yet. Check out the street in front of the hotel. Nice Cleanup DaveI downloaded the original image from the LOC a while back. You've done a very nice cleanup job for the Shorpy site! Thank you. [Thanks, but I didn't do any "cleaning up." - Dave] My mistake. I'm confusing this image with a sister image you've previously posted that was pretty distressed. Cheep lodgingsHenry Ford had a purple martin bird house at his home Fairlane that he called the Hotel Pontchartrain. Don't know if Albert Kahn was the architect. You'd Almost ThinkApparently, the plethora of windows was no offset for the paucity of bathrooms. Street sightingOdd load waiting to cross the street. Coil of rope? Life preserver? Spare tire? Aha! Much clearer in closeup. The fellow is obviously hefting a coil of rope headed for a nearby ship chandlery. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Detroit: 1910
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Campus Martius." Frequent photographic subjects of the ... It must have been a challenge trying to operate the tiny Hotel Metropole in the shadow of the giant Pontchartrain. And what a ... 
 
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)
The Pontch: 1910
The Hotel Pontchartrain in Detroit, seen earlier today around 1907 in this post . Now ... Detroit, Seattle, Pearl Harbor My father worked at this hotel. Detroit was at one time a beautiful city, a safe place to go downtown ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 9:42pm -

The Hotel Pontchartrain in Detroit, seen earlier today around 1907 in this post. Now it's circa 1910-1915 and it has a few extra floors trimmed Second Empire style to look like a giant mansard roof. Not too many years later it was torn down to make way for a bank. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Monumental RespectEmbedding is beyond me but the monument remains: The Civil War dead getting a tinch more respect than below! That addition...is an architectural muffin top. Goodbye Motor CityIt's too bad Detroit went to hell in a handbasket, and now the whole state of Michigan is going down too. The difference a few years makesTo me, the main difference between this photo and the one taken in 1907 is the presence of so many more automobiles and a bit fewer pedestrians scattered throughout the scene in the later photo. Assuming a date of 1915 for this photo, this gives an insight to the rapid progress of automotive technology. It's probably not unlike the number of household computers that sprang up between 1996 and 2004. Detroit, Seattle, Pearl HarborMy father worked at this hotel. Detroit was at one time a beautiful city, a safe place to go downtown after dark. The first-run movies were shown downtown first then out to the neighborhoods. The burlesk shows were to the right of the hotel. Detroit's main street, U.S. 10, started at the Detroit River and ended in Seattle. Have pictures of my son and older daughter at the Seattle end. 67 years ago today I drove up to Bay City, Michigan, from Detroit for a Sunday drive with my future wife. We heard about Pearl Harbor on the drive back. Horses and carsActually the interesting thing about this picture is the street on the right side of the picture has only cars, but the street on left has at least 8 or 9 horse drawn carriages. The horses outnumber the cars on that street. Soldiers & SailorsThe Soldiers and Sailors Monument was dedicated in 1872 and sat in the same spot until 2002, at which time it was moved south a hundred feet or so for a park layout in the area. A copper box was discovered beneath the monument at that time, but alas, all the papers had been rotted away by seepage. A medallion was also discovered and it is now in the Detroit Historical Museum. MotownBelieve it or not, there are a few of us who are still managing to live, work and even recreate after dark in Detroit! The lights in this city aren't exactly out yet. Nice! You can see the edge of the roof of old City Hall in the right foreground and the still standing (and still beautiful) old Wayne County Courthouse in the background on the left. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
First National: 1921
... The building that replaced the enormous but short-lived Hotel Pontchartrain , a favorite subject of the Detroit Publishing Co. along with ... 
 
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)
Russell House: 1900
... and Cadillac Square." Razed in 1905 to make way for the Hotel Pontchartrain. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/05/2021 - 4:14pm -

Detroit circa 1900. "Russell House, Woodward Avenue and Cadillac Square." Razed in 1905 to make way for the Hotel Pontchartrain. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. We'll never knowOn the far left of the photo, approaching the street corner, is a gent who seems to have a generously hatted Gibson girl slung over one shoulder while he propels a smallish child with his other arm. Or maybe he was just toting something unwieldy -- oversized oars? tent poles? dinghy masts? -- while the kid trotted patiently by his side. On third thought, the youngster is more likely a fire hydrant, and in the gent's free hand is a giant pinwheel. At any rate it looks to have been an interesting day for him. Moonlight Tower Sighting!It's been a while since we've seen one. TimelineTIL there were three hotels on this site. Here's the timeline: 1836 - 1857: National Hotel 1857 - 1905: Russell House (pictured) 1907 - 1920!: Hotel Pontchartrain 1922 - now: First National Building (see below) Signs of the TimesThe hotel is a billboard of its own. As the world speeds by, two boys stand to pose for the camera while two men, almost identically arm-in-arm, walk past them going the other way. It looks a bit poetic. Is that a pipe ladder reaching above the top of the hotel? Re: QuestionMark P - Here is an example that may address your question https://youtu.be/b3rE3zimt4Y QuestionBack then in 1905 how did you go about taking a building this size down and dispose of it? How many times have posts on Shorpy said that the building pictured was replaced but this time my question came to mind. Was steam wrecking ball equipment available? Was it shoveled into carts and hauled away by horse power? Lots of questions. Neatness doesn't countWow, nice video find, TimeAndAgainPhoto! They didn't so much demolish that building as un-build it. I bet most of those bricks could be reused, too. Safety MinusIn answer to the amazing video clip of the 1902 time lapse filmed of the demolition of the Star Theater NY, and posted by TimeandAgainPhoto. Not much effort went into safety. No gantry or any public protection, workers hardly ever wore gloves, let alone hard hats, goggles, safety harnesses etc. The life of many buildings is surprisingly short as evidenced by the first three incarnations on the Russell site. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Cadillac Square: 1916
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1916. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Cadillac Square from City Hall." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Earlier views of the hotel: Circa 1907 , minus the upper floors, and 1910 , minus most of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/11/2015 - 4:58pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1916. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Cadillac Square from City Hall." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Earlier views of the hotel: Circa 1907, minus the upper floors, and 1910, minus most of the cars. 66?Well, you certainly don't look your age, or something like that. Kudos on your ranking, though it's hardly high enough -- I tell anyone who has the slightest interest in photography OR history about this site. Soldiers and Sailors MonumentThe Soldiers and Sailors Monument at left honored those who served in the Civil War. Dedicated in 1871, it sat there until 2004, when it was moved about 100 feet for a street widening project. In the base of the monument was found a copper box, which was taken to the Detroit Historical Society. It was opened only to find that water had seeped in. All that was found was a bronze medallion and papers (which had the names of all Detroit CW volunteers, according to papers of the day) that had turned to mush. Bertha Kalich,"leading tragedienne of the Yiddish theater." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Kalich http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435747/ Convention CityNote the "Worlds Salesmanship Congress - Automobile Salesmen" going on at the Pontchartrain Hotel that particular week. I wonder if car salesmen were as pushy then as they later became. Long-gone cityscapeOf all the buildings in this photo only two still stand, the old Wayne County building in the center background and the commercial building next to the Pontchartrain at the far right. View Larger Map For a Good Time..Go to Detroit. The Gayety Burlesque and the Old Kentucky Whiskey Co. are almost next door to each other. And if you overshoot the Whiskey Co. on your way from the Burlesque, there's a Bar just past it. Don't tell the management... I believe we have a coathanger from this hotel hanging in my closet (in Atlanta). I guess I got it from my father, who probably got it with some of his father's clothes when my grandfather died in Pensacola, FL. I think my grandfather spent some of his youth in Michigan, and I've always wondered how, when, and under what circumstances this thing came to be in our hands... How sad.You'd never see that many people downtown today. Recent AnniversaryOn July 12, 1909, at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, a large group of cars began a 2000+ mile trek known as the Glidden Tour. On that same spot, 100 years later, a small group of cars gathered to commemorate the event. The Glidden Tour, along with the AAA, did much to promote road improvement in America by demonstrating the awful state of roadways of the day. Hotel What?To the right and behind the Pontchartrain, it looks like "HOTEL ROOKSTOO" What could it be? ["Room $1.00." - Dave] Asking for itI think I'd be afraid nowadays to ask for something advertised as the "Cock of the Walk." I was born in Detroit, but was 9 when my family moved us away. This looks like it was a really neat place. At one time. Does anyone know what the "throne" was for? Re: The ThroneThe Cadillac Chair, a tribute to Detroit's founder, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, was dismantled in the 1940s after it became a popular seating location for "vagrants and drunks." http://buildingsofdetroit.com/places/chair There are definitely more than a few buildings in that picture still standing, and the square itself is still somewhat intact. The PontchThe Pontchartrain to me is the angular-brown-glass '70s building, with its "Top of the Pontch" restaurant, that fascinated the suburban kid I was then on terrifying but exciting field trips or sporting-event trips downtown. Was that a completely different building? [The Hotel Pontchartrain in this photo was torn down in 1920. - Dave] Old DetroitI have been told that my father worked at the Hotel Pontchartrain. He died in 1929. In the late 1930s I went to the Gayety once in a while. Left Detroit in 1953. Left Michigan for Seattle in 1980. Another viewhttp://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=r1nq3q82cmv6&st... TrolleyLook at the two trolleys in the foreground. They are pulling trailers! A very rare thing in the US-trolley history. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Detroit Skyline: 1918
... back of the First National Bank , which replaced the Hotel Pontchartrain (backside is seen in 1918). Click to embiggen ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/07/2023 - 2:28pm -

Detroit circa 1918. "Sky scrapers from interurban station, Jefferson Avenue at Bates Street." A view last glimpsed here. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Now just faces in the crowdThree of the four buildings marked with red dots were very prominent in the 1918 Detroit skyline (at left), but now are just faces in the crowd. At the bottom with a red dot is the back of the First National Bank, which replaced the Hotel Pontchartrain (backside is seen in 1918). Click to embiggen A lot happens in a yearComparing the 1917 view and this 1918 view, two new skyscrapers were built! Is that even possible? The Cadillac Square building at the right (which still exists but lost it's its minarets), and the white building in front of the Hotel Pontchartrain, which is gone. In fact, even this portion of Bates street is gone, it's now under the City-County building and the parking structure behind. ["Circa 1917" doesn't mean "in 1917." It means around ("circa"!) 1917. - Dave] Number 97What is with the large 97's on the one building corner as well as the water tower? Hide and seekThe white building half hiding the Hotel Pontchartrain in the original photo is called the Vinton Building. In Doug Floor Plan's photo, it is hidden behind the Z-shaped First National Building. This photo shows the Vinton Building with the First National behind it. Number TowerThe number "97" on the water tower and building is advertising the street address of the Fred Lawrence Printing Company at 97 Woodward Avenue. Their street sign is visible in both images. The earlier image doesn't show the number. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Detroit Landmarks: 1908
... "Cadillac Square, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Hotel Pontchartrain from City Hall." Also the lower section of one of the city's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2023 - 12:32am -

Detroit, 1908. "Cadillac Square, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Hotel Pontchartrain from City Hall." Also the lower section of one of the city's famous "moonlight tower" arc lamps. And: Someone stop that hat! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Spindly AffairThis is my first time to see one of those moonlight arc lamp towers up close. Seems kind of flimsy - though I notice all the guy wires. Climbing one of those for maintenance was surely a risky business and there doesn't seem to be anything to prevent anyone from doing so. [The lamps probably come down to street level for maintenance. Hence the crank. - Dave] Moonlight ElevatorDave, the lights didn't travel down to meet the man. The man used a hand-cranked elevator to travel up and service the lights. This is depicted and described in the following NY Times news article: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/travel/austins-moon-towers-beyond-daz... (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Teeth Without Plates: 1905
... the curb about a block down isn't for construction of the Hotel Pontchartrain (if so the picture would seem to date from 1906, as that's when ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/29/2023 - 1:27pm -

Detroit circa 1905. "Woodward Avenue north from Jefferson." A phantasmagoria of signage advertising vaudeville, soap, cigars and the mandatory Painless Dental Parlors (your choice of Laughing Gas or "Vitalized Air"). 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. And there he issitting next to the mailbox (at left) previously seen here, streetcar switch iron at the ready. Buchu ginYou learn something new every day, even at my age. Just What We NeededAccording to Vice President Thomas Marshall (Woodrow Wilson's), the Ben-Hur cigar was "just what America needed," as long as it was "really good." Road houseOne might wonder - this one, anyway - if that shed-like building straddling the curb about a block down isn't for construction of the Hotel Pontchartrain (if so the picture would seem to date from 1906, as that's when building began). If I have a choice I'll pass on the laughing gas or vitalized air but I wouldn't mind a shot of that Caravan Old Special Reserve Whiskey. Ben-Hur CigarsInto the 20th century, cigar brand names were an index of celebrity and popular culture. Wikipedia has a historical list, but it doesn't include 'Ben-Hur', a Detroit brand. Hardly anything was better-known than 'Ben-Hur'. It started as a novel published in 1880 by Civil War general Lew Wallace (who died about the time this Shorpy photo was taken). Its mixture of Biblical piety and sand-and-sandals adventure made it the best-selling novel in American history, overtaking 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and not supplanted until 'Gone With the Wind'. With movies becoming dominant brand names, there have been five versions of 'Ben-Hur' starting in 1907. Rudolph Valentino's and Charlton Heston's versions (1925 and 1959) were huge hits. The 2016 version was a flop. BASE BALL TO-DAYSome rookie named Cobb playing at Bennett Park. O CanadaAcreage for you, FREE! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Eureka Vacuum: 1912
... Also the block of buildings on the left south of the Pontchartrain Hotel are still standing. Re What were they thinking? "When this is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2021 - 3:43pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Woodward Avenue." A shopper's paradise. Meet you in an hour at Cinnabon. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. View from Grand Circus ParkDetroit renumbered all of their street addresses in 1920. Therefore, the old 260 address on the left indicates that this photo was actually taken from Grand Circus Park where Park Ave. (foreground) intersects with Woodward. View Larger Map View Larger Map I am disappointed!!Just when I was in the mood for some Chop Suey and not a place in sight. Player Pianos, Fifth FloorHope they had a good elevator! Woodward buildings still standI think the current street view above is a little off. I think this picture was taken from a spot just south of Grand Circus park between where the Whitney Building and Broderick Tower are now. Most of the buildings on the right including Grinnell Brothers still stand. Also the block of buildings on the left south of the Pontchartrain Hotel are still standing. Re What were they thinking?"When this is 'View full size' we're all be dead." PianosI counted 6 piano stores not 3. Grinnell BrothersGrinnell Brothers (sign on right side of street) was a Detroit area institution all the way into the 1980's, when the entire chain went out of business. They had stores in every area mall and not only sold pianos, but other musical instruments, lessons, records, sheet music, pianos rolls, everything to do with music. Wonderful stores, they just couldn't keep up with the times. What were they thinking?I love pictures like this! This is a frozen second in the lives of all these people. Where were they all going? What were they thinking about? Who was worried, or excited, and about what? Who had just gotten good news, or bad news? Who was going to work, or to do something fun? Who was pregnant, or had new a child, or grandchild? I also wonder what was playing at the theater. I assume it was live theater, primarily, although there were quite a few short films, and the production of feature-length films was only a few years away. If I had my choiceI have to agree with user "tterrace", I'd much rather walk down the 1910 version of Woodward than today's, oh if just for a day. What sights to behold. What happenedGrowing up in Detroit and remembering my mother taking me downtown on the streetcar and shopping at Hudsons, Kerns, and Crowleys and then for being a good kid she took me across the street to Kresge's downstairs and bought me a waffle sandwich which I will never forget. I often hear the phrase "you can't go back" but I miss and loved the way the city was. Mouse Furs, yuck!Oh wait, it's Mau's Furs. Never mind. What Could It Be?I wonder what the three objects are on the street to the left and in front of the second streetcar. No one is near them. [Newspaper bundles, thrown off the streetcar for pickup by Woodward Avenue newsies, would be my guess. - Dave] Prettier?I won't get in to the prettier/not prettier debate, but based on Anon. Tipster's Google Street View links, the adjectives that occur to me are more along the lines of : 1910: alive, vibrant, visually diverse, inviting; 2011: sterile, lifeless, visually monotonous, inhospitable. Hats anyone?As far as I can tell, with the exception of one small boy, everyone is wearing a hat. Ah, those were the days. Lots of piano storesI counted three different piano shops on this block, Bush & Lane, Manufacturer's and Melville Clark. Was this a sort of "piano district" at the time, or were pianos just ubiquitous enough in parlours of the day that several dealers on a single block was nothing unusual? [Player pianos were, I think, something like the plasma TVs of their day. - Dave] "Spirit of Detroit"The buildings at the left have been replaced by the statue "Spirit of Detroit" and Coleman Young Municipal Center. There's an automatic "people mover" tram running almost directly above where the camera was. This part of Detroit is quite a bit prettier now than it was a century ago. View Larger Map View Larger Map Urgent need to tinkleIs there anyplace on this street that sells pianos?? Of course it's DetroitMore cars here than any other 1910 picture we have seen. One thing, I think I'm pretty knowledgeable about antique cars, but does anyone know what the heck that round tank on the rear of the car at center right is? Has me puzzled. [Something steamy, perhaps. Condenser? Reservoir? - Dave] Are You Properly Attired? The boy about to board the trolley seems to be, although the ring around his shoulders could also be a part of whatever he's dragging behind him. A lamp maybe? Hard to tell - I run out of pixels before I can enlarge/enhance it enough. Still, it looks like a bicycle tire to me. Perhaps other Shorpists will have better data. Bush & Lane Piano Co.on the left had their main manufacturing facility in Holland, MI. They went out of business in 1930, victims of the Depression as were many other piano manufacturers. Right RulesLooks like all the cars of the time were right hand drive. Anyone know when we decided to change? [Gradually. - Dave] Majestic TheatreThe Majestic Theatre opened in April 1915 per its website, so I wonder it that dates this post to 1915. [Detroit had several Majestic Theatres over the years. The Majestic in this photo opened in 1908 at 231 Woodward. - Dave] Piano StoresOK, I count at least six piano stores! And at least three fur stores. More piano storesI'm counting possibly seven piano stores--Bush and Lane Pianos, Manufacturers Piano Co, Cable Piano Co, Tarrand Pianos, Grinnel Bros Pianos, Melville Clark Pianos, and another just to the upper right of the Grinnel Sign. I'm surprised that there isn't a Wurlitzer sign somewhere in this. I'm also seeing a Victor Records. Pianos were all the rage for years--before everyone had radios and tv. People learned to play for entertainment for themselves and others. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Moonlight Tower: 1899
... Square), then I'm guessing this photo was taken from the Hotel Pontchartrain. Eight Storeys in the Naked City From Printer's Ink, July ... 
 
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)
Motown Rising: 1918
... Square and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument with the Hotel Pontchartrain on the right and the Real Estate Exchange at left. At the Gayety: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 5:23pm -

Detroit circa 1918. "Woodward Avenue, south from the Majestic building." Cadillac Square and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument with the Hotel Pontchartrain on the right and the Real Estate Exchange at left. At the Gayety: "Higher Grade Burlesque." Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. AwningsThe awnings at the top of the Pontchartrain make my knees go weak. Did they hang out the windows to install these? DetroitFun fact: The layout of Detroit was originally designed to mimic that of Paris, symmetrical and very ordered. It was when the auto industry arrived that this symmetry was destroyed--streets were criss-crossed in every which way to allow for quick transport of car parts to factories. If you take away those streets, you'll still find Paris. Horse PowerWhat a difference with the cityscape images from approximately 1905 where it's hard to pick out an automobile. Ain't nothin' worsethan low-grade burlesque. Take in a photo-playAmong the photo-plays at the Family Theatre, True Blue, a western starring William Farnum who, in addition to his stage career, continued making films until 1952. Also had notable thespian forebears and siblings. The Quicker Picker-UpperI had to look pretty closely, but there are still a few horse-drawn vehicles, and there in front of the Family Theatre, he who picks up after them. Also, one elevated, and at least two pavement-level traffic cops. It takes a lot of people to keep those streets going. Electro Medical DoctorsNot really keen on going in to see one of these. Crow's nestThe small tower at bottom right was, indeed, a traffic control device manned by a police officer. He manually threw the four way sign at the top of the "nest" -- "stop" in two directions, "Go" in the other two. Later on, electric traffic lights were added, but just green and red. They were common in early 20th century Detroit. Old DetroitThese pictures of Detroit looking so prosperous and vital make me sad. It did not weather the last 100 years very well. Zap it!The Electro Medical Doctors offered stimulating cures. "Male weakness" was a common complaint of our forefathers, today known as erectile dysfunction. "Electro Medical Doctor"Never realized that ol' Doc Frankenstein spent some of his career in Detroit. Virginia Pearsonappears to have her name in lights on the corner marquee of the Family Theatre. According to IMDB, she appeared in seven films in 1918, and later had roles in the 1925 versions of "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Phantom of the Opera" before falling into obscurity shortly thereafter. Small tower at the bottom rightIs it for traffic control? They're not for lookin'Can anyone explain the windows in the Family Theater building? I've never seen anything like them - are they wood panels, or perhaps marble-colored glass? Either way, it doesn't look like you could see through them. German GenerosityI wonder if the Kaiser would be wiser if the miser spent all his money on gayety and high grade burlesque? Plan of DetroitThe plan of Detroit was conceived by Judge Augustus B. Woodward in 1807, shortly after the fire that destroyed the whole city in 1805. It is an original design based on an intricate pattern of interlocking equilateral triangles and hexagons, and it is not really patterned after any other city plan of the time - not that of Washington, and certainly not that of Paris, which was still a largely medieval warren of streets before Baron Haussmann's gigantic public works program was carried out in the mid-19th century. The amazing thing is that Woodward's novel plan was actually executed, at least in that part of downtown Detroit below the Grand Circus. Detroit's main drag, Woodward Avenue, is named after the judge. Judge Woodward's other main legacyhe was also involved with the original chartering of a school he wanted to call "The Catholepistemiad of Michigania" but which was fairly promptly re-named The University of Michigan. Originally chartered in Detroit in 1817, moved to Ann Arbor in 1837. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars, WWI)
The Heart of Detroit: 1907
... Sailors' Monument, Cadillac Square, Wayne County Building, Hotel Pontchartrain. Panorama of three 8x10 glass negatives. View full size. ... 
 
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)
Bustling Detroit: 1915
... in this panorama of two 8x10 glass negatives are the Hotel Pontchartrain, Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument, Ford Building, Detroit City ... 
 
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)
New Denechaud: 1908
New Orleans circa 1908. "New Hotel Denechaud, Poydras Street." A century later, it's the hotel Le Pavillon. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. ... south Louisiana. Mollusk shells dredged from brackish Lake Pontchartrain were used as gravel throughout the area until quite recently. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 4:24pm -

New Orleans circa 1908. "New Hotel Denechaud, Poydras Street." A century later, it's the hotel Le Pavillon. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Le PavillonMy wife and I stayed there several years ago, and we had dinner there just a few weeks ago. The dining room is on the ground floor in the corner nearest the camera. It's a very nice hotel with a unique touch. Every night at 11, they serve to the guests peanut butter sandwiches on silver trays, and hot chocolate from silver urns. But the people who work there apparently can't pronounce the name of the hotel with proper French diction. Creole, not CajunNew Orleans is not a "cajun" city. It is creole at best, and if anything most street names aren't pronounced correctly either. French diction?This isn't Paris -- it's Nawlins! CoverageAre those sea shells on the roof in the foreground? I believe most modern roofs use stones. Interesting. Very beautiful building! I can imagine how impressive it was at the time! Roof GardenIs that a little ivy garden boxes on the roof of the building in the corner? Sure looks it! [Horticulture a la Morticia Addams. - Dave] LouisianaWe dont speak French here. We speak Cajun, a 200 year old corruption of French, so don't expect proper French pronunciation. Early Sunday morningGiven the long shadows for the low sun and the orientation of Carroll Street, and the absence of anyone except the lone blurred horse and cart (deliveries), sure looks like an early Sunday shot to me. Real nice photo too! [Also note the shadowy figure in the alleyway. - Dave] Denechaud / DeSoto / Le PavillonIn between its opening as the Denechaud and the current name of Le Pavillon, for generations the hotel was known as the DeSoto. I recall when the question of correct pronunciation of "Le Pavillon" came up, a local old timer piped in "De Soda." The text on the back of the attached early 20th century postcard view of the lobby reads "$1,000,000.00 Hotel DE SOTO New Orleans. The ONLY ABSOLUTELY FIREPROOF HOTEL IN NEW ORLEANS. ALL OUTSIDE ROOMS. Famous for its Creole Cuisine. Rates $1.00 and Upwards." The lobby is still one of the most beautiful in the city. I believe the rates have gone up. Lots of charmLovely building! The chimney is blowing off quite some smoke - must have been a windy day!? Le Pavillon still looks charming today and, I just found out, seems to be famous for the occasional ghost apparition. Max Barnett Furniture Co.Max Barnett Furniture Co. can be seen in the background. It was established there on Poydras St. in 1899, and was located there until they moved in 1928. Smokestacks still thereThe two smokestacks are coal burning stacks, which were used for producing electricity until 1973. They are located in the 1200 block of South Peters Street. Maybe someone else can help identify the other tower, as it was prominent in the New Orleans skyline until a few years ago. Yes, shells on roofThere are no stones in south Louisiana. Mollusk shells dredged from brackish Lake Pontchartrain were used as gravel throughout the area until quite recently. Dredging in the Lake was banned in 1990 to reduce the turbidity and stirred-up pollution. The lake is now clean enough for swimming much of the time. I've also seen oyster shells used for gravel in NOLA. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans)
Cityscape: 1917
... roof of interurban station." Landmarks here include the Hotel Pontchartrain, Ford Building and Dime Savings Bank. 8x10 inch glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 4:14pm -

Detroit circa 1917. "Looking northwest from roof of interurban station." Landmarks here include the Hotel Pontchartrain, Ford Building and Dime Savings Bank. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Sans PeerThe Peerless Film Company, shown in the foreground, was a film distribution firm. Detroit was home to a dozen or more of these concerns. The old nitrate films were highly unstable and it was not uncommon for them to spontaneously burst into flames. That is why the distribution companies eventually built a single building to house their products. The Film Exchange Building still stands on the northern edge of downtown, and yes, it is built to withstand fires. By the way, the Peerless address was 153 East Jefferson, placing it just where the current CAY building stands. That side street with the tailgated horse cart, is Bates. Come across the RiverI just noticed the sign for the Windsor Races (just under the Lawrence Printing Company). If this is 1917 that probably makes it the late spring or summer which means that Detroit (and America) are finally in a war that the Canadians in Windsor have been fighting for three years. And if then is anything like today they'll be featuring harness racing while on the north side of the river (Detroit) they were running thoroughbreds, if they were running anything at all. In years past - and maybe this year - there might have been recruiting stations at or near the races, and if they got the occasional American that was fine with them. In 1917, with Americans being drafted and Canada about to impose conscription, I doubt that would be happening much. Which is the Ford building?The hotel has a sign to identify it; thus I am assuming the other two skyscrapers are the bank and the Ford building (perhaps the one on the left?). In any event, I am surprised at the size of the building. To have such a building to house office workers, already built and in-use by 1917, when Ford had introduced the Model T only 9 years earlier, makes me wonder how many workers it took to manage the paperwork. Did Ford have more clerks than autoworkers? [The Ford Building (also seen here) was built by the family that owned Edward Ford Plate Glass and had nothing to do with Ford cars or Ford Motor Co. - Dave] [This is exactly why I will never qualify for Jeopardy! But who knew that Detroit had another industrialist named Ford?] Clean roofsAs someone who spends a great deal of time on flat commercial roofs, it always amazes me how empty such roofs were in the era before air conditioning and wireless communications. And the chimney at the far left (next door to Peerless Film) is long overdue for re-pointing. More landmarksThe Penobscot (now Annex), Hammond, Majestic, City Hall are all visible here. It's interesting to see the Pontchartrain from an angle that doesn't just show the Woodward facade. There appears to be a very impatient motorist tailgating a horse-drawn cart in the lower right. An early road hog. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
The Motor City: 1917
... Shorpy landmarks here include the Wayne County Building, Hotel Pontchartrain, Ford Building, Dime Bank and Detroit Post Office. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 7:36pm -

Circa 1917. "Detroit looking southeast along Woodward Avenue from the Whitney Building." Shorpy landmarks here include the Wayne County Building, Hotel Pontchartrain, Ford Building, Dime Bank and Detroit Post Office. View full size. Hotel GriswoldThe hotel opened in 1910 on the corner of Griswold and Grand River Ave. It is where the Kiwanis Club was founded in 1914. It has since been torn down and a parking garage now sits on the old site. Yet another beautiful building lost to time. This picture gets me steamedThe "smokestacks" on the far left are actually vents or pipes for steam, apparently for an underground steam exchange station for the City of Detroit (which provides steam heat and electricity from a central plant for city owned properties, such as the nearby Farmer Branch of the Detroit Public Library). In the early 1990's I worked in Downtown Detroit, and the building at 1413 Farmer St. was still there, but was soon demolished and replaced by a single steam vent pipe. I believe the stacks just went THROUGH the building, and were not a part of it. Rayl'sThe store that was once the Walmart of Detroit. Very interesting story on the company and the building can be seen here. If it were a snakePerhaps it is too obvious, but most Detroiters, I dare say, would think it was remiss of you not to mention Hudson's as a landmark of this view. [It is indeed a landmark although, not being a subject of previous posts here, not really a "Shorpy landmark." - Dave] Tip o' the HatNow I see where those ubiquitous white hats in Shorpy photos come from. Detroit! Looking through the windows of the white building (down front center) you can see scads of them and possibly hat boxes as well. And here I thought they came from Panama! Hudsons Grows ( and Falters ) with DetroitWow! What an interesting and sad tagline! How prophetic! Although it has been sold to NY Macy's...JL Hudson's is just one of many stores that flourished when Detroit was at in heyday. Thank you for this photo! How I wish my dad were alive to share his own personal memories of these famous landmarks. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Cadillac Square: 1902
... old hotels, the Russell House, first opened in 1857. The hotel has since been replaced with two successive buildings, each bigger than the last. First came the Hotel Pontchartrain (a great favorite of both the Detroit Publishing Co. and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2013 - 12:14pm -

Detroit circa 1902. "Cadillac Square and Wayne County building." The rigging is for one of the "moonlight tower" arc lamps that provided nighttime illumination, an example of which can be seen behind the Rajah Coffee sign. View full size. Smoke gets in your eyesMaybe we've got global warming today, but once again here's a skyline with lots of soot and smoke on the horizon, thanks to the nearly 100% of energy being made from burning wood or coal. Life wasn't all rosy then, either. Pass my inhalerOh my, us that really smoke/smog hovering in the middle background? Gives me an asthma attack just looking at it. No QuadrigasBeautiful shot of the Wayne County Building minus Victory and Progress. ImpactIn my shorpy-inspired daydreams of travels through time, I often imagine it would be the olfactory sense that would be the first to be impacted. Much like the experience encountered when traveling south out of Michigan in the dead of winter and you first experience the smell of the earth and living things as you cross into Tennessee. A good 5c Cigarperhaps some of that smoke is from those cheap cigars. To be fair about MichiganEsteemed fellow Shorpy-ite FotoFantasist correctly mentions clean air found leaving the Mitten State and entering other states. To be fair, however, one can encounter the same (literally) breath-taking change in air quality, smell and beauty about the time one traverses the Mackinac Bridge between Michigan's two peninsulas, and enters the pristine Upper Peninsula. You can always smell the pine trees and so much more, or so much less. Moonlight TowersAustin, TX still has a few working Moonlight towers - usually just called Moontowers. At Zilker Park a Moontower is used as the frame for the Holiday Tree of Lights in December. Vast amounts of pollen spewing from one kind of tree after another can be pretty breathtaking so it's good to have one tall tree that doesn't set off allergies. Cadillac nowSome of these buildings are still standing today although the church steeple cloaked in good old Detroit pollution is behind the apartment buildings and the ornate building on the right has been seriously foreshortened. View Larger Map The ornate building on the rightis one of Detroit's grand old hotels, the Russell House, first opened in 1857. The hotel has since been replaced with two successive buildings, each bigger than the last. First came the Hotel Pontchartrain (a great favorite of both the Detroit Publishing Co. and the viewers at Shorpy), built 1906-1907 to the designs of George D. Mason; then came the First National Bank Building, designed by the great architect Albert Kahn, built 1920-1922 and still standing. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Rooms With a View: 1912
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Hotel Pontchartrain, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument." Along with the Flatiron ... find a thing about it! The only things I find are about a hotel in New Orleans, and one in Detroit which was built in the 1920s. I'm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:09pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Hotel Pontchartrain, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument." Along with the Flatiron building in New York, "The Pontch" was one of Detroit Publishing's favorite architectural subjects. View full size. ShadesWhy the selective positioning of window shades on some windows and not others? More permanent residents or offices? Given a choiceI think I would rather stay at the Metropole where all the windows have awnings. Is this building still there?I've looked and can't find a thing about it! The only things I find are about a hotel in New Orleans, and one in Detroit which was built in the 1920s. I'm afraid this elegant structure is another of those that 20th century American mod freaks have destroyed. One of the things I loved best about Europe is that they rarely demolish anything. They build everything extremely well and then just keep using it. There are buildings that were there many years before Columbus that are still in use today. The insides are remodeled, but the exterior stays the same. When we were there, in the 80s, there was a lot of scrubbing of old buildings going on, to remove soot buildup from centuries of heating with coal. They came out as good as new! I don't know why we can't do that here! [This short-lived hotel, whose main deficiency was a dearth of private bathrooms, was demolished in 1920 and replaced by a bank. Its history can be traced right here on Shorpy, in both the photo captions and the comments. - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
American Acropolis: 1918
... Estate Exchange , Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , Hotel Pontchartrain , Wayne County Building , Cadillac Square and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/15/2014 - 12:56pm -

Circa 1918. "The heart of Detroit." An aerial view of the Campus Martius from the Dime Bank, taking in landmarks including Detroit City Hall in the foreground, the Real Estate Exchange, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Hotel Pontchartrain, Wayne County Building, Cadillac Square and the Cadillac Chair. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. National TheatreBarely visible on the middle left edge is the National Theater, the only building from this picture still standing on Monroe Street. The National is the oldest theater in Detroit, and the only theater designed by Albert Kahn that is still standing. Now empty for many years, rumors about its redevelopment crop up every few months. VertigoI'm feeling woozy just thinking of walking around on that upper walkway. The Calllac Chair???Curiosity made me search: Cogent quote: "“This chair, erected July 24, 1901, is located on the site of the City Hall built in 1835 and occupied until 1871 as the seat of Civic Authority." Doubt the pun is even self-aware... or intentional. TrailerI think, there are not so much pictures of an US-trolley with a trailer. Its an amazing picture of a really big trailer behind this 4-axle streetcar in the foreground. The only constant is...Practically all of the buildings in this picture are gone, and most have been replaced. Of the buildings I can discern in this picture, I believe only the old Wayne County Building, the National Theater (building on left with 2 white towers and a clown sign on top), the little hotel building to the right of the Pontchartrain (230 Woodward), the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (which was moved about 125 feet south in 2003), and old St. Mary's church in the deep background are still standing today. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Temple of Beauty: 1908
... the east side of Woodward. In the distance is the original Pontchartrain Hotel. AG Spalding! Those merchants vying for your trade also includes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/23/2017 - 11:03pm -

Detroit circa 1908. "Mather Block, Woodward Avenue." Where merchants vying for your trade include Madame Mattlar's Temple of Beauty ("Corns removed, 25¢"); William E. Metzger, dealer in "Motorcycles Bicycles Phonographs"; an outpost of the Singer Sewing Machine Co.; Tuomy Bros. (suits and cloaks) and the eyeball-bedizened offices of L. Kaplan Optician ("I Glassed Detroit"). 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. AG Spalding storeThe most interesting to me is the first store on the left, the AG Spalding Sporting Goods. The Spalding trademark sign which caught my eye, is right there. That logo goes back to 1876 and their baseballs were used by the National League for 100 years. As a kid I can recall getting a signed Spalding ball from Dusty Rhodes, who, during the off season, worked as salesman at the brokerage firm that my dad managed. Almost new 1908 CadillacThe first car I see is unmistakably a 1908 Cadillac Model S Runabout, the last year for their simple and high quality single cylinder automobile. This photo has to be at least 1908. The 1907 Cadillac single cylinder is distinctive enough to tell apart from the 1908. I have a complete but unrestored 1906 Cadillac runabout. Still standing (sort of)Looks like parts of that block are still there. Detroit addresses were renumbered in 1921 so these businesses correlate approximately with the addresses on The Mather Block. Woodward looking southThis appears to be the first block south of Grand Circus, on the east side of Woodward. In the distance is the original Pontchartrain Hotel. AG Spalding!Those merchants vying for your trade also includes an A G Spalding sporting goods store! Spalding - one of the founders of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs and of the company that made the some of the gear I (and millions of others) used for years as a young ball player. LOVE the baseball sign he's got hanging there! 1905? Maybe not.The Hotel Ponchatrain opened October 29, 1907 and since we can see folk in Summer frocks I suggest the earliest this photo could be taken would have been the summer of 1908. I know Shorpy isn't really worried about carbon dating every photo but thought a revised date might help other Shorpyites (shorpyologists?) identity those vehicles. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Watering Hole: 1907
... interest in this corner of the Campus Martius include the Hotel Pontchartrain, Bagley Fountain and Sol Berman's "Misfit" haberdashery. ... 
 
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)
What Goes Up: 1907
Detroit, 1907. "Hotel Pontchartrain under construction." The 10-story, 298-room "Pontch," after ... The Pontch was built just before several changes to the hotel industry - bathrooms for each hotel room, early air conditioning, etc. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/31/2017 - 12:20pm -

Detroit, 1907. "Hotel Pontchartrain under construction." The 10-story, 298-room "Pontch," after expanding up with a five-story addition completed in 1910, came back down in 1920 at the tender age of 13, demolished to make way for an office tower. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Pontch and the DACThe Pontch was built just before several changes to the hotel industry - bathrooms for each hotel room, early air conditioning, etc. That was a big contributor to its short life. One other factor was the opening of the Detroit Athletic Club. The Pontch was the hub for the early auto industry - deals were made, conventions held, and ideas were exchanged. But when the DAC opened its new building, the auto barons joined the club, and moved their meetings out of the Pontch, taking away a big part of the hotel's business. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
The Public Square: 1907
... "Cadillac Square -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Hotel Pontchartrain." Two perennial Detroit Publishing favorites. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2017 - 5:09pm -

Detroit circa 1907. "Cadillac Square -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Hotel Pontchartrain." Two perennial Detroit Publishing favorites. View full size. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
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