  Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 710 Registered: 06-2005 |
Last night I wrote a short article about the Detroit Wheelmen, a bicycle club from 1879. How could I find out when that clubhouse was demolished? Any suggestions on where to start? It seem likely to have come down with the old YMCA on Witherell. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 711 Registered: 06-2005 |
Here's where the clubhouse was located along Adams.  | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 2035 Registered: 08-2007 |
Nice article Fishtoes, sorry I don't know when the clubhouse was torn down, but if you look in the Burton Collection you'll find some pretty cool pix of the DW ... I suggest you search under 'bicycles'. Google books also has some neat info about your brethren. As a complete side note, out at the Milford Library they have the Milford Times on Microfilm. Around the turn of the last century they had an on-going column called "The Wheelman" which served as a clearing house of bicycle technical information and social policy. As you know, the Wheelmen were very progressive in pushing for the paving and naming of roads. Some of that info can be found in Milford's "The Wheelman". One article dealt with the practice some farmers took to to discourage bikesters from riding past their cows. The farmers felt the cows got nervous with bike riders speeding past, so they strung wire across roads they had control over. The Wheelmen countered with rods that extended vertically from the fork and would guard against the rider from losing his head. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 420 Registered: 08-2008 |
Fishtoes, that is ONE cool picture. I have never seen that one anywhere else that I remember. Thank you. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3719 Registered: 10-2003 |
I could narrow it down to between 1967 and 1981; not a big help, but it definitely was demolished before the stadium clearing started. A 1967 Polk directory lists the location (131 E Adams) as vacant. The 1981 aerial photo from the DTE collection at WSU shows an empty lot. The 1961 aerial shows it standing alone in the middle of the block. (The building to the west of the club in your picture was gone prior to WWII):  By 1981 it was a parking lot:  I have a few directories/phonebooks from the forties and fifties; a 1940 directory still lists the club at 131-133 E Adams but my 1946 and 1949 phone books do not. The 1940 directory also lists the Fraternal Order of Eagles at 131 E Adams, so maybe they shared the building for a while. A 1943 map shows only the FOE and the empty lot on either side:  | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6772 Registered: 10-2003 |
The 1951 Sandborn doesn't make reference to the tennant but lists it as 131/133 W. Adams.   | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 712 Registered: 06-2005 |
Thank you so much, Mikem and Aiw. You do amazing work. Someday I'd love to dive head first into researching the Detroit Wheelmen and possibly write a book. It would make an interesting Arcadia book. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6773 Registered: 10-2003 |
I agree. That was some fancy clubhouse. What a beauty. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 5735 Registered: 10-2003 |
I will have to check some sources but I don't think that it's a George Mason design. I know I found the name in my research before but will have to dig through it. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6774 Registered: 10-2003 |
Patrick, it was built in 1896, so if it was, that would be Mason & Rice era... | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 714 Registered: 06-2005 |
Here's an interesting photo of some Detroit Wheelmen which may have been taken inside of the Adams club or their earlier club on Washington. I believe that's Edward Hines on far left of the middle row. http://www.thewheelmen.org/gra phics/membership1_regview.jpg I believe that's WhistlingCyclist to the right of Hines. ;) http://www.thewheelmen.org/for um_images/misc/detroit_wheelme n.jpg |
