  Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 41 Registered: 01-2007 |
 The photo, which was scheduled to be posted this past Friday, has since been identified. However, I enjoy hearing everyone's comments and memories about the photos so I am posting it anyway. The photo depicts The Family Theater which was located on Monroe Street at Cadillac Square. You can see the relatively new Detroit Water Board building (built in 1928 and located between Randolph, Farmer and Bates) looming in the background. The Columbia Theater was built in 1911 and it is located immediately to the left of the Frontenac Hotel. Props to Mikeg for the identification. For a larger version of the photo, please click here Ookpik | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 42 Registered: 01-2007 |
For more info on the Family Theater please click here And also here For more info on the Columbia Theater please click here And also here | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3663 Registered: 10-2003 |
A slice of that picture appears in the classic tour of the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit where the background Water board building also appears. http://www.detroityes.com/down town/21monroe.htm | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5508 Registered: 02-2004 |
The Kirkwood Hotel and Family Theater it was burned down in 1971. Back the early 1910s the Monroe block was bustling with Vaudevilles and Burlesque theatres. Now its nothing but the abandon National Theatre building, parking garages with few retail shops below and OCP Compuware Building with its retail stores below and a mega parking garage. The rest a big ol' parking lot. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 781 Registered: 10-2003 |
I did not know the Frontenac was a hotel. I have a picture of Joe Norris' band from 1935 on the bandstand in the Frontenac, which I assumed was just a nightclub. Don't suppose anyone has a straight-on picture of the Frontenac? I was told that the Frontenac was the first nightclub in Det to feature female impersonators. (Message edited by jimg on February 12, 2007) | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 2497 Registered: 10-2004 |
But Danny, parking lots are certain signs of Detroit Rising. Be patient! It's only a matter of a few more decades before its resurgence. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 1540 Registered: 12-2005 |
That Mattingly and Moore billboard must have been a whisky ad. Found a picture of a miniature bottle on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/1930s-MATT INGLY-MOORE-RYE-WHISKY-MINI-BO TTLE-Whiskey_W0QQitemZ13006856 4053QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotoho sting . | ||
Esp Member Username: Esp Post Number: 29 Registered: 09-2005 |
The 'Bagley Fountain' is in a different spot, right? | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1945 Registered: 10-2003 |
The Bagley Fountain has recently been reconstructed in the new Cadillac Square plaza on the Farmer St. end. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 32 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks again Oopik, for the peek into our past. I met a retired Detroit bus driver over Christmas who spent over forty years working for the city. He had some great tales to tell about the good ol’ days when he started with the street car system. I would like to interview him and will if I can arrange it. Is there anyone good at interviewing here? I've never done one before, but would like to capture some of these stories before it's too late. E-mail and /or post if you could help... john_doe395@hotmail.com | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 567 Registered: 12-2005 |
Bulletmagnet, The Library of Congress has developed an "interview kit" that contains the basics on how to prepare for a historical interview and how to document the results. This kit was developed for the Veteran's History Project and the interview process is pretty easy to do (I interviewed my dad for the VHP and it went well, plus he appreciated it). If your retired DSR driver is a US military veteran, after you do his DSR work experience interview, do a separate interview on his military experience and submit it to the L of C. Maybe the Burton Library might like to have a copy of the DSR interview, too! | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1754 Registered: 04-2005 |
 Here's a slightly different view, from 1942. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 989 Registered: 12-2005 |
and yet another:  | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 782 Registered: 10-2003 |
56packman, any chance I could get a higher res scan of that last pic? Shows the Frontenac exterior. JamesJazz at aol.com | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1755 Registered: 04-2005 |
 | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 990 Registered: 12-2005 |
Jimg-- it's at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ displayPhoto.pl?path=/pnp/habs haer/mi/mi0200/mi0233/photos&t opImages=035061pr.jpg&topLinks =035061pv.jpg,035061pu.tif&tit le=7.%20%20Photocopy%20of%20Ph otograph,%201933%20(original%20in%20the%20collect ions%20of%20Manning%20Brothers %20Commercial%20Photographers, %20Madison%20Heights,%20Michig an,%20Negative%20No.%20118564) .%20LONG%20VIEW%20EAST,%20NORT HWEST%20FRONT%20SHOWN%20IN%20C ENTER%20(NOTE%20FAMILY%20THEAT ER%20ON%20RIGHT)%3cbr%3eHABS%2 0MICH,82-DETRO,51-7&displayPro file=0 our tax dollars at work you are going to have to copy and paste this address, it won't work as a link. | ||
Carolcb Member Username: Carolcb Post Number: 61 Registered: 11-2006 |
Thanks again for the pictures! | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 784 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thanks very much to all for the pictures, and for the link, 56packman. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 35 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks to Mikeg for all the info. Ill let you know how it all goes! |
