  Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 685 Registered: 08-2006 |
At the south east corner of Gratiot and Conner is a large parcel of wooded land. Driving by I always wondered why that is. What was here before? Looking at an aerial from 1967 it appears to be full of smaller homes maybe trailers? My old maps show no streets. Looking at a newer aerial there appears to be a house or two back there with streets? Anyone have any idea. It sure seems to be full of tires and trash now. Looks like an interesting place to go explore! | ||
Dannyv Member Username: Dannyv Post Number: 48 Registered: 08-2007 |
I thought it was the southwest corner of that intersection that had a trailer park there. I lived north of there from '76-'82. I believe there were businesses on the SE corner. | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 354 Registered: 05-2006 |
You are looking for the corner across from City Airport and the Gethsemane Cemetary? This is what I have on parcel information: 10652 Gratiot - CVS Pharmacy 10648 Gratiot - Pumpkin Investments 10640 Gratiot - Xanadu Ltd. 10600 Gratiot - White Tower Laundry 10644 Gratiot - Dept of Parks and Rec. 9501 Conner - Ivan Doverspike Co. The last one seems to be the trees and houses that you speak of. The land is listed as light industrial. The tax record is active, so I don't think this is an abandoned lot and the owner might not be appreciative of explorers... | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 3202 Registered: 10-2003 |
I know that there was a trailer park there in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3824 Registered: 12-2005 |
Google shows a lot of overgrown rubble there and one roof (circled).  | ||
J_to_the_jeremy Member Username: J_to_the_jeremy Post Number: 34 Registered: 03-2007 |
Another thread about the area (albeit very long ago) https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/25121.html?11863319 10 | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1643 Registered: 07-2004 |
I believe Doverspike is a Dearborn-based holder of many Detroit properties. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 718 Registered: 09-2007 |
I believe it's just a plain city park now. I seen Jungle Jims and Picnic Tables over there. | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 356 Registered: 05-2006 |
The park is just the strip along Conner. | ||
Flybydon Member Username: Flybydon Post Number: 202 Registered: 01-2005 |
Years ago the 15th precinct was on that corner were CVS is now. Further down Gratiot was the trailer park. Not sure of the name but even back then it was kind of seedy. I remember a park of some sorts surrounding the precinct. | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 275 Registered: 06-2007 |
I actually asked about the old trailer park on this forum. That is it. They got rid of it because they were expanding the airport. I think if nothing else it became a buffer zone. One guy I talked to worked at an adjacent plant in the 70s and remembers the trailers being there. Someone else told me that there was indeed also a trailer park on the west side of the street. What Id really like to see are pictures of it when it was still occupied. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 724 Registered: 09-2007 |
There used tt be a entrance to it from Gratiot. La Salle built over it. It was blocked off before then and the brick wall or something had something about the Airport engraved in it (possibly Airport Yard?). | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1933 Registered: 04-2005 |
If you look at the older aerial photos at culma, 1949-56, the whole park area and the "wooded" one are covered with temporary wartime housing, all along Conner to Harper. Also, the two lawn bowling greens that were behind the power substation on Conner, show up in them, and weren't used for this housing. | ||
My33 Member Username: My33 Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2007 |
Hornwrecker, the temp housing you refer to along Conners down by and just passed Harper, were the round top quansit huts like the ones you would see on the old televison show Gomer Pyle | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3520 Registered: 10-2003 |
It was owned by the Michigan National Guard at one time. Possibly for use in their air-defense operations in the area. Don't know if they still own it. | ||
Bob_cosgrove Member Username: Bob_cosgrove Post Number: 592 Registered: 03-2005 |
The Ivan Doverspike Company is a used machine tool sales and rebuilding company. Their headquarters is listed in the 2006 Yellow Pages at Gratiot and Connor. Another one of their properties is the large former J. W. Murray Body Company 1929 fender plant at 1925-81 Clay Avenue just east of the Canadian National (former Grand Trunk Western) tracks in the Milwaukee Junction Historic District and northwest of the GM "Poletown" plant. Bob Cosgrove | ||
Aoife Member Username: Aoife Post Number: 39 Registered: 04-2007 |
" What Id really like to see are pictures of it when it was still occupied." Did you want to see pictures of the trailer park or the parcel of land? Wayne State has pictures of the trailer park- they just aren't online. If you want to see them, let me know, and I can post them on Monday when we all go back to work. | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 285 Registered: 06-2007 |
It's the trailer park I'd like to see. I keep hearing about it but never had a chance to see it before it was gone. |
