  Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 6 Registered: 08-2007 |
Renting horses at Knapp Stables at the east end of the island. The Nike Missile Base near the lighthouse. The "Lady of Tanglewood". | ||
Goblue Member Username: Goblue Post Number: 279 Registered: 03-2007 |
Scott Fountain filled with detergent after graduation. Canoeing on the canals. Submarine races after hours on the river side of the island. | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 591 Registered: 05-2007 |
Taking my favorite girl out to the "rock" to "chill" while listening to Mojo or JZZ. Taking a stroll on one of the piers. Driving through the serene woods at midnight and spotting a large deer herd. | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 17 Registered: 08-2007 |
Ice skating on the lagoons and hot chocolate in the concession stand. Seeing the deer in the winter in the woods. | ||
Sbradke Member Username: Sbradke Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2007 |
My grandparent would take us to the one of the bakeries (Awrey's?) and get day old bread and then we'd head to Belle Isle to feed the deer. They'd come right up to the car windows sometimes. I also remember the pony carts and the Children's Zoo. | ||
Pharmer_b Member Username: Pharmer_b Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2007 |
Taking pictures in the Conservatory on my First Communion Day. The annual WSU College of Pharmacy picnic. Numerous trips to the Aquarium and Zoo. The hot dogs at the lunch stand. Taking my own kids to the Island for the first time. | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 597 Registered: 05-2007 |
Took these photographs in the woods on Belle Isle on Christmas Day 1994. Are the white Deer albinos?    | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2452 Registered: 10-2003 |
Sitting on the Wishing Star at the Children's Zoo. My younger brother getting lost on the beach while we were attending the annual Gold Cup race. Our canoe tipping over and dumping my dad into the water. After Sunday mass, going to the island through the Grand Blvd. underpass (and asking Dad to honk the horn, which he always did, despite the signs), riding around the island to the Detroit Yacht Club where we got out, with "duck bread" in hand, to feed the ducks. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1380 Registered: 04-2006 |
I can remember riding an elephant at the Children's Zoo. We woould go there in the winter to see the poinsettas around christmas and also fit in a trip to the aquarium. | ||
Ramcharger Member Username: Ramcharger Post Number: 436 Registered: 05-2006 |
My dad taking my sister and me down on a warm summer evening to see the colored lights on the Scott fountain and getting stuck in a massive traffic jam. Riding my bike in the annual Wolverine 200. (Message edited by Ramcharger on August 26, 2007) | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 5820 Registered: 11-2004 |
Riding the big slide when I was on elementary school field trips. The ride lasted forever and seemed so huge back then too. Compared to the playground versions I guess it was but I've been back and while it's still neat to see, the allure has been tainted by my adult eyes now. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2453 Registered: 10-2003 |
Remember the Elephant House that was separate from the zoo? And Kita was one of the elephants there. | ||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 148 Registered: 08-2007 |
I loved the canoes, and the deer. They are European fallow deer, and I believe they are naturally light colored. "Fallow deer have several varieties of coat colors. Their coats can vary from black, white, brown, and yellow. The most common is deep chestnut, with white spots in the summer that darken to grey in the winter. The underbelly is white, and the rump patch is white with a black outline. A black line runs down the back and onto the upper surface of the tail." http://www.blueplanetbiomes.or g/fallow_deer.htm This timeline dates the deer to 1895: 1811: Patent certifies Macomb's ownership. Son David becomes sole owner 1817: David Macomb sells the island to Barnabas Campau for $5,000 1832: Campau's ownership confirmed by patent signed by President Andrew Jackson 1840: Ferry boat service to the island starts 1845: Hog Island becomes Belle Isle 1851: Summer resort opens on Belle Isle 1879: The City of Detroit purchases Belle Isle for $180,000 1880: Lighthouse is built on the east end of the island 1881: Frederick Law Olmstead hired to develop a plan for the island 1883: Construction of the Loop Canal begins 1884: Marsh run canal is built 1885: Olmstead resigns though his plan is accepted by Detroit City Council 1887: First Casino is completed Tacoma Lake is formed. First canoe shelter. 1889: First Belle Isle Bridge opens. Lake Okonoko is formed. 1890: Nashua Creek is completed 1892: Newsboy Fountain and Sculpture is completed 1893: Police Station is built. Muskoday Lake is formed. 1894: Riding stables are built. Fire destroys Detroit Boat Club. Pony ride concession opens. 1895: Deer park created and populated. Belle Isle Zoo is established. 1897: Newsboy fountain is erected. 1899: Athletic Field House is completed. Bicycle shelter is built http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/re creation/centers/M/belle_isle/ history2.htm | ||
Miss_cleo Member Username: Miss_cleo Post Number: 825 Registered: 05-2005 |
1980-2007 aquarium shuts down, people trash Island, loud boom boxes disturb others peace, canoes are no more, fountain never runs, paved 10 acres for race | ||
Pharmer_b Member Username: Pharmer_b Post Number: 7 Registered: 08-2007 |
Kathleen: Thanks for reminding me about the Wishing Star! My mom has loads of pictures of my sisters and me on that Star! | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 602 Registered: 05-2007 |
More photographs from the woods on Belle Isle on Christmas Day 1994. We had come to Detroit for the holiday and I remember how unseasonably warm it was that day - no snow anywhere. My wife and I had made our annual visit to Belle Isle. She took these photographs while laughing at my unsuccessful attempts at feeding the Deer.    | ||
Mtm Member Username: Mtm Post Number: 250 Registered: 06-2006 |
When I was learning to drive, my dad would take me there (and Mt. Olivet cemetary) to practice driving. Drove through the woods a lot and always fed the deer. One Easter break when I was in high school, a bunch of us went to Belle Isle to fly kites. It started to SNOW like crazy and we had to take shelter in the old casino which was then doing senior citizen activities though there weren't many of them there. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1691 Registered: 12-2005 |
Detroit Concert band concerts in the Remick band shell--until boom box stereos blast electric boogaloo music in competition with the band and Dr. Smith felt "too old and too professional to put up with that shit" (a direct quote) | ||
Gibran Member Username: Gibran Post Number: 968 Registered: 02-2007 |
skating in winter, canoeing in summer, kite in in spring and the fall fountain and view of Detroit skyline at various times...flying model airplanes with my dad, of course all the attractions.... My sister getting married outdoors and having the reception in Greektown, the clock, the beach, the nature center, the brief zoo, the sadness in the aquarium closing... this park has been part of my famiy's Detroit history for over 70 years starting with tales of my dad jumping off the bridge and trying to canoe the river... I brought a friend there recently and was so impressed by the view of downtown..made me very proud of my roots... | ||
Margaret Member Username: Margaret Post Number: 79 Registered: 06-2007 |
I remember ice skating on the frozen canals in winter, and having to duck to get under those arched bridges. we didn't get to go all that often, unfortunately. my parents were way too strict, over-protective. anyone remember that time a pilot flew UNDER the Belle Isle Bridge during the Silver Cup Races? I think he lost his license. I think he had not allowed enough time to pull up or something. people on the bridge scattered! and I seem to recall that there was a freighter not that far off, either... | ||
Waz Member Username: Waz Post Number: 177 Registered: 11-2006 |
Excuse the ignorance, but who/what was the "Lady of Tanglewood"? | ||
Gibran Member Username: Gibran Post Number: 971 Registered: 02-2007 |
urban myth...wedding night ghost...  | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 29 Registered: 08-2007 |
I think the story was she was the ghost of a woman looking for her daughter who disappeared. That is going back some time. | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 13 Registered: 08-2007 |
The happiest day of my life was the end of school year field trip to Belle Isle. I was in Sr. Jean's first grade class at St. David's, and my grandpa had just retired and drove the school bus there. We sang 100 bottles of beer on the wall and john jacob jinglehiemerschmidt. We visited the aquarium, the zoo, played outdoor games, had a picnic, and rode the giant slide. | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 14 Registered: 08-2007 |
My Mom's Uncle Sonny died on Belle Isle, on March 1, 1927. He was driving after midnight with a car full of other teenagers, probably drinking, and missed the turn to the bridge and hit a tree. Detroit News, March 1, 1927, Front Page: "DRIVER KILLED ON BELLE ISLE Unidentified Man Standing in Safety Zone Struck by Hit-and-Run Motorist. An automobile driven by Joseph Bieke, 20 years old, 3754 Field avenue, skidded into a tree on the north shore of Belle Isle near the bridge early today. Bieke was killed instantly and four other youths who were riding in the car were injured. According to police, Bieke failed to observe a turn in the road to the east of the bridge in time to change the course of his car. When he applied the brakes, the car skidded. Elmer Pokorny, 3724 Van Dyke avenue, suffered a fracture of the skull and he is in the Receiving Hospital in a serious condition. The others, who suffered minor injuries, were treated at the hospital and went home. They were: Paul Liss, 19, of 2641 Townsend avenue; Donald Agens, 21, of 3522 Townsend avenue, and William Johnson, 20, of 3530 Parker avenue. Bieke was the son of Daniel Bieke, 3754 Field avenue, a letter carrier and the father of 10 children. He had been employed by the Ainsworth Manufacturing Co." | ||
Keith Member Username: Keith Post Number: 14 Registered: 10-2003 |
WABX kite- ins Bike marathons Pony rides around the picnic area in the middle of the island..I think where the play scape is now. | ||
Margaret Member Username: Margaret Post Number: 89 Registered: 06-2007 |
no one remembers that time that pilot flew under the Belle Isle Bridge? really? hmmmmm | ||
Kaptansolo Member Username: Kaptansolo Post Number: 151 Registered: 07-2007 |
Remember the old bridge? I remember before the Cadillac Poletown plant was built, riding out Grand Blvd to Belle Isle. I remember there was a sign on the right as you would go through the tunnel that went under Jefferson...the sign read(I think), "No Horn" because it would echo forever. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3095 Registered: 12-2005 |
I didn't learn until later in life that that's why, no matter where we lived in the U.S., my dad would always honk his horn whenever we went through any tunnel -- anywhere. | ||
Eriedearie Member Username: Eriedearie Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2007 |
When I was in High School 1962-1965, we used to go to the "hangin' trees" to party on Friday and Saturday nights. I think the area had a lot of weeping willows and that maybe that is why they were called hangin' trees?? Does anyone else have an explanation? Anyway, we would park our cars and walk through the woods where there were some fallen tree trunks and we'd sit there and just hang out. With phony ID someone would have brought some cheap beer - (Atlas seems to come to mind) - we would have brought a transistor radio and have it tuned to 1270 FM or to CKLW 800 AM (I think - sorry senior moments are happening) and we'd sing along with the Motown Sound and dance and just have a good time. Yeah the Lady in the white dress of Tanglewood drive. I remember that too. A couple of times when I was in Jr. High, my friend's father drove three of us girls to Belle Isle to sun bathe and swim for the day. He'd go home and come back and pick us up at a designated time. When some family members came to visit from New Jersey I remember all of us piling into their station wagon and driving around the island to show them what Detroit had to offer in the way of a beach, aquarium and zoo - and a look across the creek to a foreign country. That was the first and last time I ever rode in the back of a station wagon, looking out to where I'd already been instead of where I was going. And I do remember trying my skills at ice skating with a bunch of gals I hung around with. I was so clumsy I didn't last too long. We ALWAYS tooted the horn going through the tunnel! Ya gotta do what they tell ya not to! ;-) |
