Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2007 » Old Detroit Photos « Previous Next »
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Jeffdunncom
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Username: Jeffdunncom

Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 8:50 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I thought this forum might like to see some of these old Detroit photos. These were from my great aunt's collection of glass-mounted slides. Most are from the early fifties. Enjoy.

http://www.jeffdunn.net/mabel/ Detroit/index.htm
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Oakmangirl
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Username: Oakmangirl

Post Number: 45
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 8:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks for the morning boost! It's great to see "home" pics of Detroit, and the shots of Olde City Hall are great.
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Rickinatlanta
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Username: Rickinatlanta

Post Number: 102
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 9:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great photos! Wish you had more. Thanks for sharing.
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Bob_cosgrove
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Username: Bob_cosgrove

Post Number: 563
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 10:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Detroit Zoo "Tractor Train" photo?

Did this augment the train on tracks that's been at the Zoo almost since it opened. The present streamlined locomotives replaced earlier unstreamlined steamers (actually powered by an automobile engine)sometime in the 1940's.

Is the Zoo Train back operating now?

Bob Cosgrove
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Jeffdunncom
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Username: Jeffdunncom

Post Number: 2
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 11:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm going to assume that they did augment the locomotives.

Here is a short zoo train history link:

http://www.detroitzoo.org/dzs/ 2006/jul06/railroading.html
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Ray1936
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Username: Ray1936

Post Number: 1799
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 1:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Beautiful shots of old City Hall. What a shame that they tore it down, although I heard that structurally it was a mess.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 1627
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 3:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bob, Yes, the zoo train is running, and in good health. Interesting that the "tractor" locomotive in Jeff's slide is made from Dodge truck body parts and custom fabricated sheet metal.
The Zoo train locos running now were built by Briggs mfg. (Walter O. Briggs was a big supporter of the zoo and the main organizer in the development of the Royal Oak zoo property in 1927-'28) and restored by Chrysler employees in the early 90's.
Someday it would be cool to restore the steam-style loco that is rusting near the front zoo station.
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Barnesfoto
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Username: Barnesfoto

Post Number: 3948
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 1:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great Shots of old City Hall!
Imagine if Louis Mirihani had held office for as long as Coleman Young; downtown would be filled with hideous boxy Stalinist Architecture!
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Scottr
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Username: Scottr

Post Number: 706
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 1:12 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

thanks for the great pics, and welcome to the forum! love the pics of old city hall especially.
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Michmeister
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Username: Michmeister

Post Number: 219
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 12:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Gorgeous pics, pal! Granted, it was a special event, but did anyone notice how clean downtown was?

I wonder how many more of such photos are hidden in Aunt Mae`s hatbox up in someones attic somewhere. Come on, bloodhounds, we need proof that the D was, and once again can be a place to be proud of and IS worth the effort.

The old City Hall was awesome. What a shame that it had to go down.
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Kenp
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Username: Kenp

Post Number: 712
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 1:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I really enjoyed the pics. Thank you
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Mtm
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Username: Mtm

Post Number: 244
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 2:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Pictures are amazing clear for such old slides! Thanks for sharing them.
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Waxx
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Username: Waxx

Post Number: 246
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 - 2:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sweet pix, Jeff. Didja post these on flickr.com?
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Jeffdunncom
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Username: Jeffdunncom

Post Number: 3
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 3:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

re: flickr.com - No....but good idea! I will do that when I get a chance.

These slides were all well protected under glass and in storage cases. All I had to do was remove the film from the glass, clean where needed and scan. I did some touch up in a photo editor, but not a lot.

There are some other family/neighborhood (Detroit) photos that might be of interest at:

http://www.jeffdunn.net/mabel/ Dunn/index.htm

I just LOVE this one:

http://www.jeffdunn.net/mabel/ Dunn/pages/ElsieMabelEdna_1953 _jpg.htm

Apparently, no one EVER smiled for their picture back when.

Thanks for all the feedback!

Jeff
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Mikem
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Username: Mikem

Post Number: 3452
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 3:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like that style of fence in the background. I rarely see those anymore. I suppose if they weren't maintained they were probably replaced with cyclone fencing.

I love the backyard brick barbeque too. They were outlawed in my community; a few neighbors still have them but they've fallen into disrepair.
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Quinn
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Username: Quinn

Post Number: 1442
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 4:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Haha...that reminds me. My grandmother who grew up in metro Detroit used to tell me (in the 80's when she was in her mid 70's) that you shouldn't smile in a photograph because it would look like you have a mouthful of teeth.

Geesh...
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Carolcb
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Username: Carolcb

Post Number: 1337
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 4:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks for sharing, they were great.
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Waz
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Username: Waz

Post Number: 160
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 4:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You don't see names like Elsie, Mabel and Edna around anymore either :-)
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Norwalk
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Username: Norwalk

Post Number: 118
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 5:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The picture from Washington Blvd. It looks like a 1951 Packard between the Pedestrians
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Lmr
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Username: Lmr

Post Number: 94
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 6:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In the days before the current wave of modern dentistry, a lot of adults had rather bad looking teeth, possibly including any number of missing teeth. That is one reason why smiling wasn't expected as much in old pictures. My parents and grandparents didn't smile in pictures and they all had bad teeth, largely due to a lack of modern preventive dentistry.
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Soomka1
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Username: Soomka1

Post Number: 32
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 - 11:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Another great thing about those old green wooden fence posts with the fence tacked on was all of the secret passages in yards. When we were five or six, we had sections of fence that we could pull back to cut through yards to get to our friend's backyard. We weren't allowed to go in the alley alone, or hang out in front alone, so this way we could go find someone to play with without breaking the rules.

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