  Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 283 Registered: 01-2007 |
 Most should recognize this location. Unfortunately, all the buildings in the center of the photo are long gone. For a larger version of the photo, please click here Ookpik | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1954 Registered: 04-2005 |
I think I will let some of the junior members work this out.  | ||
Rfban Member Username: Rfban Post Number: 118 Registered: 02-2004 |
It is the inner area of Ft. Wayne. You can see in the lower right hand corner, the arched gates. You can also see the power plant on the far right that still exists on Jefferson. If the photo would have extended a bit more you would have been able to see the old barracks. And, the buildings that you see in the front are no longer there--it is just grass. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1005 Registered: 12-2005 |
That white, round water tower poking up over the distant building on the left is located about five blocks to the northwest (off Dragoon St., between the railroad tracks and Fort St.), where it serviced what used to be the old Ternstedt/Fisher Body plant. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 182 Registered: 03-2006 |
In fact, if you click through the current United Artists photos on the left of the forum, you will come to the Fort Wayne photos. You will see the same arched gate Rfban mentions with the "Members of the re-enactor group, the 5th Michigan Infantry Regiment Band, march into the fort from the passageway." | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3963 Registered: 10-2003 |
A big shout and congrats to Ookpik on his 50th puzzle! Fort Wayne was very active as a major port of delivery of automotive parts during WWII. I wonder if the buildings shown were part of that effort. This appears to be an open house display. Those weapons in the foreground are still at the fort, but over by the officer houses. The gate in the picture is shown below.     | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3964 Registered: 10-2003 |
Oops, one more...  | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 284 Registered: 01-2007 |
Lowell - Thanks for the congrats and shout out! I remember when Fort wayne looked like the vintage photo. The platform in the lower left was built over the tank that is second from the front in Lowell's last photo. You could climb up the stairs and then climb on/into the tank. I was thrilled in getting to climb on the tank but was very disappointed when I opened the hatch. The tank, after sitting outside for years, was now filled with filthy water and garbage - no way I was going to sit in it!  Does anyone know what the white buildings were? World War II barracks? Ookpik | ||
Jman Member Username: Jman Post Number: 74 Registered: 10-2006 |
I won't go to Ft. Wayne anymore as I had a bad experience the last time I was there. I received a letter in the 50's requesting that I come and visit. The next thing I knew I was at the Wabash Station boarding a train for Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. (Insert smiley here). | ||
Plymouthres Member Username: Plymouthres Post Number: 119 Registered: 02-2007 |
Ookpik- According to the book "Images of America:Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne", written by the current site manager for the Fort, those structures and two others down by the river (CRC and another that I can't remember the name of!) were built during WWII as "temporary" warehousing facilities to hold the 8.5 million vehicle replacement parts that the Army used to keep it's vehicles on the go and running. Those particular buildings were demolished, finally, by the Detroit Historical Museum in 1976 when they took over management of the site from the Army. This was also the end of military oversight of the Fort and the beginning of the many civilian entities that were given the dubious task of managing the site. The long, low shed roof structure perpendicular in the photo sits in exactly the same position as the original Barracks building did, which is directly opposite the Old Barracks building that still remains!! Awesome pictures Ookpik!! You provide me with a visual history lesson with each photo that you post! Keep them coming!! | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1821 Registered: 11-2003 |
Jman-I had the same bad experience. The doctor could have at least introduced himself first. | ||
Jman Member Username: Jman Post Number: 75 Registered: 10-2006 |
Rock, that's one of the memories I try to suppress. | ||
Bob_cosgrove Member Username: Bob_cosgrove Post Number: 558 Registered: 03-2005 |
CRC stands for the Collection Resource Center and is one of the buildings used by the Detroit Historical Museum. Most of the Fort in under the City of Detroit Departments of Parks and Recreation. Former Detroit Historical Museum Chief Curator Jim Conway, who has just published the Arcadia Publishing Book on the Fort, is the P&P's manager of the fort. The last photograph is on the 155mm howitzer is a World War I Snider, which has been converted to rubber tires for use primarily in the Pacific in World War II. A 155mm Snider Howitzer with its original wheels is at the entrance to Parkside Homes on Connor nortth of Warren. I haven't seen it in a number of years, but there was the new 155mm Howitzer of World War II vintage in the park in Lincoln Park which you could see from Fort Street. The World War II 155mm Howitzer is unqiue, since its barrell is unpainted highly polished natural steel, which was lubricated. This was to allow it to slide in its bracket during the recoil after being fired. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 184 Registered: 03-2006 |
I remember a tank being in a city park in Livonia during the late 60's, north of Joy Road and Hubbard. I and other children would climb all over it. |
