  Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 101 Registered: 01-2007 |
  Two photos today! Where is this exactly? Memorial Park? I tried to figure it out on Google Earth but was unable to do so. I have been everything from a fan to a pit crew member during the hydroplane races for over 30 years and this doesn't look familiar at all. For a larger version of the first photo, please click here For a larger version of the second photo, please click here Ookpik | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3156 Registered: 10-2003 |
Taken from a room at The Whittier? | ||
Tarkus Member Username: Tarkus Post Number: 278 Registered: 04-2006 |
Can't be The Whitter. The 7 sisters in the background are across the river. It has to be taken from the Canadian side. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 102 Registered: 01-2007 |
The photo was taken from the Detroit side. The building across the river is the Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle. | ||
Spacemonkey Member Username: Spacemonkey Post Number: 162 Registered: 03-2006 |
If I'm not mistaken, that photo was taken between the third and fourth circles of Dante's Inferno. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 103 Registered: 01-2007 |
Really? Is that off Jefferson?  | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2031 Registered: 10-2003 |
I think MikeM's guess is pretty on target. I believe that all those trees and maybe the two towers (although those could be something industrial along the riverfront further east) are Waterworks Park. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 249 Registered: 03-2006 |
MikeM is always on target, he is amazing. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 730 Registered: 11-2003 |
Mikem is right on target. The inlet in the foreground is now the location of the marina at Erma Henderson Park. Immediately across the inlet is the current site of the Jeffersonian and River House apartment buildings. The Detroit Yacht Club can be seen across the river on Belle Isle. Judging from the vintage of the automobiles and the boats, the photos are circa mid 1930's. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3157 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'm not so sure the photo is from The Whittier itself, or the apartments next to it, closer to Jefferson. When was The Whittier built? Late 1920s? Were the apartment buildings next to it built at the same time? When was the Memorial Park Marina dredged? | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 104 Registered: 01-2007 |
 Erma Henderson Park | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3158 Registered: 10-2003 |
The stacks in the foreground are probably at the Fairview pumping station at the end of Fairview, which pumps waste from that area of town down to the wastewater treatment plant on the Rouge. The station probably had steam-powered pumps with its own on-site steam plant. I don't see the stacks in the early aerial photos, so the picture must be pre-1949. Speaking of Fairview, I notice the Manoogian mansion was not there in 1949. I thought it was older than that - any idea which year it was constructed? | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 250 Registered: 03-2006 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M anoogian_Mansion | ||
Gtat44 Member Username: Gtat44 Post Number: 52 Registered: 02-2007 |
This is why I love this site so much..........history, photos, and great discussion of our beloved city! But, in under two hours to get this one!? Hopefully, a NEWBIE like myself will be able to answer one of these photos before you vets. In due time, Gtat, in due time. | ||
Gtat44 Member Username: Gtat44 Post Number: 53 Registered: 02-2007 |
Ookpik, I'm sure I'm probably wrong but pull back from your Erma Henderson photo and look to the canal on the right. That looks like the old photo you posted by the width of the canal. :} | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3159 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thanks KenP, I see it now. I didn't realize how large the lot on the east side of it was. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3160 Registered: 10-2003 |
I found the Fairview stacks in a different aerial photo from 1949:  Gone by 1952:  So there's the upper end of the date range on the photo. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 105 Registered: 01-2007 |
So am I correct in understanding that the land in the foreground of the two photos is now Erma Henderson Park? The same land on the left in the Erma Henderson Park photo? Was this once known as Memorial Park? | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3162 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yes. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2032 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thanks to everyone for filling in the blanks...like the Fairview stacks. I was thinking foot of Fairview cause I remember the riverfront park there that always seemed industrial, but wasn't sure other than they seemed further east than Waterworks Park. The aerial shots are great!! | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4939 Registered: 11-2003 |
MikeM has flown over the Detroit River more times than combined homers of Willie Horton and Hank Greenberg lifetime. 5,000 atta boys for you. jjaba, Westsider. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 107 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks everyone! My brother has sorta flown over the Detroit River too.....  | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4943 Registered: 11-2003 |
Gar Wood would be proud. jjaba. | ||
Pinewood73 Member Username: Pinewood73 Post Number: 26 Registered: 07-2006 |
Ookpik, Not sure how to quote a post, but I noticed your picture of Erma Henderson Park, wondering if you or someone in the forum knows what that "X" shaped building on the right is. Thanks! | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2036 Registered: 10-2003 |
Those are the River House Co-operative apartments. http://www.riverhouse.coop/ | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1608 Registered: 11-2003 |
Nice shot of Ookpik's brother and his boat. Judging by the boat's name, I assume he is a lawyer. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 111 Registered: 01-2007 |
Interesting observation Rock but he is neither a lawyer or an activist. The boat, which is 50 years old, was already named Agitator when he purchased it. Despite doing research for over a year, he was unable to find out who or why named the boat Agitator. He was able to trace the history of the boat back to the original builder and had a great web page about it that unfortunately, no longer seems to work. |
