  Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 532 Registered: 01-2007 |
While going through a box of forgotten junk, I came across some old color slides from the mid 40's to the mid 60's. I found a few real beauties as I sorted them (See: Defunct Detroit Gas Stations). To borrow a technique from Ookpik, I would like to ID the buildings and locations of the handful that I had transferred to CD. The first one: http://i148.photobucket.com/al bums/s22/bulletmagnet69/756662 -R1-E007.jpg?t=1180578661 | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 1298 Registered: 08-2006 |
Wow, what a great photo! If you've got more of them, then please post them. The best idea I have of what an old city is like comes from the movie American Splendor. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 898 Registered: 12-2005 |
The name of the building looks like "__OLMUR APTS"  | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 2242 Registered: 06-2004 |
holy cripe - look at those rides! gangstaville! | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3335 Registered: 10-2003 |
Dumur? 1711 Webb | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 533 Registered: 01-2007 |
Sorry for the lack of rez. I just looked at it through the lupe and I make out DUMUR APTS. The transfer process killed the contrast, and washed out the color. On the screen at 4' x 4' it really pops! (Message edited by Bulletmagnet on May 30, 2007) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3336 Registered: 10-2003 |
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Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 534 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks Mikem!! | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 243 Registered: 01-2007 |
Holy Sh_t! Color! Awesome photo Bullet! This link will help give you an approximate date to undated slides: http://www.historicphotoarchiv e.com/f2/kodachrome.html Ookpik | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1004 Registered: 02-2006 |
Amazing how few buildings like that are left. Every block in Chicago is filled with almost that exact building. Without the gigantic side yards though, haha. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 535 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks for the linkage Ookpik! Check out the "Defunct Gas Station" thread. The color in those shots are...God Like? You should see 'em on the screen! Waaay Coool! The transfer did kill a lot of detail though. BTW, any one got the location on those two gas station shots? Bullet | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 401 Registered: 08-2006 |
COme on bullet how about a few more old pics! | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 1132 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'm not too good on cars this old, but I'm guessing the Buick in the center of the photo is a 1939 or 40, the dusty car behind it, no clue. In the Foreground is the ass end of a quite progressive unibody, bathtub lookin' 1949 Nash 600 Airflyte coupe. | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 1134 Registered: 08-2006 |
I just googled the buick, it's a '40. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 963 Registered: 07-2004 |
Looks like some of those buildings around Wayne State, like around Warren, Hancock, and Second. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 964 Registered: 07-2004 |
Also, some of the weirder apartment building names hold clues. For instance, the WESTWILL is on West Willis. The RICHDEX is at the corner of Richton and Dexter. What would _OLMUR or _OLMOR be? Maybe Holborn and Moran? Holcomb and Marcus? Hollywood and Marter? I'm not satisfied that it reads "OLMUR" anyhow. I do think I see a "MUR" or "M_R". | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 501 Registered: 10-2003 |
Detroitnerd, I think Mikem already solved the puzzle. Check the map here at 1711 Webb.  | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 966 Registered: 07-2004 |
JohnLodge: That looks pretty convincing, but what about the building adjacent to the apartment house? It looks like a private house, smaller and closer to the property line. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 502 Registered: 10-2003 |
True.. A lot can happen in 60 years though. The old picture shows some single family homes behind the structure, and the aerial photo also shows homes that could be the same. | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 3595 Registered: 10-2003 |
Very cool. More, please. Are those pics on Kodachrome? | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 503 Registered: 10-2003 |
They must be, they make it seem all the world's a sunny day. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3337 Registered: 10-2003 |
I believe the apartment building is long gone. It was on the south side of Webb, third building east of 12th. To the left (in the photo) is the Ashwood, and to the right is the Priscilla. Webb was a street full of apartment buildings for several blocks, from Hamilton to LaSalle. Residents at the Dumur in 1940: Apt #1...Albert Fitton #2...Karl Kolberg #3...Chas A Fleming #4...John B Healy #5...vacant #6...Mrs Kathleen Killen #7...Alex Berszenyi #8...Grady Hamm #9...Fred A Sadlier #10..Henry Behrendt & Mitchell Mosher #11..Howard Odor #12..Geo Trafford #13..Fredk Curley | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 308 Registered: 07-2006 |
This is a picture of the house in the satellite picture above. While it may not be the same building as in the picture, it clearly was built in a similar style.  | ||
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone Post Number: 76 Registered: 03-2007 |
Looks like it could be the same building, but with the front porches closed in. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1724 Registered: 10-2003 |
The car in the foreground is definitely not a Nash, but is a Packard of '48-'49-'50:  | ||
Wkl Member Username: Wkl Post Number: 110 Registered: 11-2003 |
I knew the neighborhood look familiar. My mom grew up across the street from that place. Still remember visiting my grandparents their in the late 50s early 60s. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 509 Registered: 07-2006 |
The building mentioned above is NOT the one in the picture, but instead one of several of a somewhat similar style along that block, and the only one remaining today.   | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 310 Registered: 07-2006 |
Yes, that is what I suspected, too, given the address appearing in the grassy area. Given the age of the picture and the age of the cars, Id' guess these buildings were probably built as early as the twenties, and probably earlier. Anyone have any idea? | ||
Missnmich Member Username: Missnmich Post Number: 598 Registered: 11-2004 |
They must be, they make it seem all the world's a sunny day lol. Johnlodge! | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 832 Registered: 11-2003 |
A great old photo Bullet. Detroit has lost thousands of these small apartment buildings that were built in the 1910- 1930 era. Landlord neglect and tenant abuse are obvious and common causes for these losses. Another issue, though, for many of these buildings is that the layout of the units is/were poorly designed for modern living. The buildings may look charming on the outside, but units inside were usually pretty plain. The biggest problem tends to be the size of the units. Many of the buildings were loaded with two bedroom units that were only about 600-700 sq. ft in total size. The bedrooms are often not big enough to fit a full size bed and a dresser. Closets are about 3 ft. wide. Nobody with any money will rent such a unit. A renovated unit with larger rooms can't generate enough rent to pay for the renovations. Landlords wind up with the worst tenants who then proceed to quickly trash the units. A very vicious cycle. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 968 Registered: 07-2004 |
Yet, those tiny units were what helped Detroit pack in the war workers in the 1940s, when families of five tolerated 1,000-square-foot houses, as long as they had such newfangled things as indoor plummin', hot runnin' water and a place to park the gas buggy. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 505 Registered: 10-2003 |
Alright this photo has been conquered. NEXT BULLET! | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1368 Registered: 12-2005 |
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Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 540 Registered: 01-2007 |
56packman, I'm gonna put your car knowledge to the test with the next posting. Thanks for that insight into the vicious cycle scenario that these apartments lent themselves to, Swingline. I remember the Puritan (And sister apartments) on Jefferson as a good example of this. Thanks for the additional information and photos, all! Fine job, as expected  (Message edited by Bulletmagnet on May 31, 2007) | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2007 |
This one really made me sad. I have wanted to go into real estate investing for a long time and would love to own 4 or 5 of these buildings. In my opinion, these old brick apartments are the epitome of old urban living. These buildings are classics. As a previous poster said, Chicago is full of these buildings. People want to live in Chicago so badly they'll take whatever housing they can get. The fact that half a block of these buildings got levelled and just abandoned lots remain means cit has lost so much of what made it great, on so many levels. In chicago, people probably would OVERPAY for a bad floor plan just for the location. Unfortunately, in Detroit, we cannot retain these architectural gems, the likes of which were integral to a vibrant,busy city where the population was dense. | ||
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne Post Number: 1 Registered: 06-2007 |
It's been making me crazy all morning to not be able to post until I was approved! In the tenant list, #11 Howard Odor, is my Grandpa! He and my Grandmother, Lillian, lived there in the 1940's. He is gone now, but Grandma confirmed with my Mom this week that they did indeed live there, and she was so excited about the photos and discussion here. Sadly, my Mom only has gmail and this site will not accept her email address so she is unable to join.  I guess I'll have to ask questions for her. Thanks for this! What a find! We never knew they lived in this apartment on Webb! ~Liza | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 571 Registered: 01-2007 |
Welcome to DetroitYes Lizaanne. That is a very cool story, about your grandpa. You can thank Mikem for the research on this. Please let us know if you have any photos, stories, or the like of his time there, we would love to see them posted here. | ||
Ragtoplover59 Member Username: Ragtoplover59 Post Number: 101 Registered: 09-2006 |
Lizaanne, Please have your Mom try again to join this site, Add a note in the Registration about your Gmail and you will be able to join. I also use Gmail, Its not a Problem. And Welcome! | ||
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne Post Number: 10 Registered: 06-2007 |
I'll tell her that - actually, she was going to check back here, so hopefully she will see your post before I'm able to give her a call. She and Gramma live in NC now. Thanks! ~Liza |
