  Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 252 Registered: 01-2007 |
 The building on the left reads "The Detroit Edison Company." The building in the background on the right is the YMCA. What is that piece of equipment destroying the street called? I want to call it a "steam shovel" but that probably isn't correct. For a larger version of the photo, please click here Ookpik | ||
Ja1mz Member Username: Ja1mz Post Number: 46 Registered: 02-2007 |
I think it might be East Jefferson, it looks like to old YMCA building near belle isle, that was used by CoD. It closed a few years back, forgive me I can't remember the cross street on Jefferson. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1383 Registered: 12-2005 |
Isn't this looking eastward along Adams at Witherell between Adams and Elizabeth? | ||
Outoftowner Member Username: Outoftowner Post Number: 154 Registered: 10-2003 |
That's an excavator, built by Koehring. It's got a gasoline-powered engine. At the time this photo would have been taken -- 1930s, early 1940s -- steam had been phased out in mobile equipment, at least in the United States. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3343 Registered: 10-2003 |
Corner of Gratiot and Cadillac, looking south on Cadillac at the Northeastern YMCA, which is at the corner of Cadillac and Harper. | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 90 Registered: 11-2006 |
I agree with Mikem | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 1523 Registered: 01-2005 |
Mikem comes through again. Except, steam or no steam, I still call 'em steam shovels. Old habits die hard. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 253 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks Mike! Outoftowner - Thanks for the info! Ray - Me too! Ookpik | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1387 Registered: 12-2005 |
Is that Mike Mulligan's steam shovel? | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 254 Registered: 01-2007 |
LMAO! I read that book as a kid and to this day, any type of machinery that looks like that is a "steam shovel," whether it actually is or not. Mike' steam shovel was named Mary Anne. She is now a furnace in the Town Hall. Ookpik | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1263 Registered: 04-2006 |
Grand River and the Blvd, thats the Y on Dexter in the background. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1288 Registered: 02-2007 |
"Corner of Gratiot and Cadillac, looking south on Cadillac at the Northeastern YMCA, which is at the corner of Cadillac and Harper." Yep, where that Operation Get Down building is. I knew it looked familiar. (Message edited by Urbanize on June 04, 2007) | ||
Ed_golick Member Username: Ed_golick Post Number: 651 Registered: 10-2003 |
Before they got down and out. | ||
Ja1mz Member Username: Ja1mz Post Number: 47 Registered: 02-2007 |
..yikes...I was way off.... | ||
Rrl Member Username: Rrl Post Number: 839 Registered: 12-2003 |
Interesting piece of machinery though, pre-hydraulics. All arms, bucket, gears, etc are worked through pulleys & cables. Wouldn't want to stand too close to that thing if one of the cables snapped. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 562 Registered: 01-2007 |
I knew I had a shot of this intersection somewhere, so I went looking for it. I dont know if this is the right one or not: http://i148.photobucket.com/al bums/s22/bulletmagnet69/kodakg roup032207046.jpg?t=1181092989 This may be Van Dyke...I'll keep looking. | ||
Wash_man Member Username: Wash_man Post Number: 440 Registered: 05-2006 |
Bulletmagnet that picture is VanDyke and Harper near I-94 I think. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 565 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks Wash_man, I thought so. I have so many to look through, I need a Dewy Decimal System. I'll keep looking for the right one. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 573 Registered: 01-2007 |
OK, I had to re-shoot it today, but here ya go: http://i148.photobucket.com/al bums/s22/bulletmagnet69/Wednsd ayJune062007194.jpg?t=11811748 This is looking up Cadillac from Gratiot. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 258 Registered: 01-2007 |
Great pic Bullet! Then:  Now:  Ookpik | ||
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne Post Number: 20 Registered: 06-2007 |
Seeing the side by side photos is SOOO cool!! Great job! ~Liza | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 588 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks Ookpik, and Lizaanne  | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 1534 Registered: 01-2005 |
Dang, all you guys and gals are amazing!!! Great thread. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 2238 Registered: 12-2005 |
Even Timbuktu is correctly pinpointed. Detroit is truly a microcosm of the world. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 2239 Registered: 12-2005 |
As a technical photographic sidenote, in the older photo, the YMCA appears proportionally larger than in the newer photo. Isn't that because the older photo would have been taken with a lens of longer focal length? I first noticed this effect after the attempted assassination of President Reagan. After that, everyone including the press was kept at a farther distance from the President. Consequently, photographers had to switch to telephoto lenses which made Nancy's head (usually in the background) appear awkwardly large relative to Ronald's. (A bit of photographic trivia.) (Message edited by Jimaz on June 07, 2007) | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 589 Registered: 01-2007 |
Jimaz, you are a smart cookie. Yes indeed, a longer lens will tend to 'flatten' the scene. Try taking a shot of a row of houses, for instance. With a long lens the houses will appear to squish together, with little depth. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 151 Registered: 03-2006 |
Jimaz, Bullet, that is exactly what I've noticed with the YMCA and in some of the other pictures posted in this series of photos. The longer lens used in many of these old photos makes a scene appear "busy" especially when shooting a down-street shot. Buildings in the background appear larger than they really are and there are so many cars and people in the "short" block. | ||
Outoftowner Member Username: Outoftowner Post Number: 155 Registered: 10-2003 |
Wow, this forum is amazing. The amount of information on here goes far beyond information about Detroit. And the conversations about Detroit are great, too. Good stuff. |
