  Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 54 Registered: 07-2006 |
In doing a geneology search, I finally found that I was born at Wm Booth Hospital in Detroit. I was then given up for adoption and spent time in the care of the Michigan Children's Aid Society before my adoption was finalized. This was in 1958. My birth Mom was a young girl from Port Huron. You know the story...the daughter turns up pregnant and off to "Europe" she goes for the holidays! In this case, "Europe" was Detroit. Turn the knob on the way-back machine. Where was Wm Booth Hospital? Any info would be great! | ||
Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 5609 Registered: 10-2003 |
I believe it was one of the original hospitals in the DMC. Seems like I saw a historical marker there. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6187 Registered: 11-2003 |
Scs, William Booth Hospital of the Salvation Army was located at 130 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48216-1657. This location is on the eastside of the blvd. just South of W. Fort St. near the Detroit River. Other than some truck parking lots, there may not be much evidence of the institution which served you back then. William Booth founded the Salvation Army in England and various hospitals and agencies were named for him. Perhaps you can make contact with the Salvation Army today in Detroit to see what archives they may have for you. jjaba, Proudly Westside. | ||
Stinger4me Member Username: Stinger4me Post Number: 209 Registered: 08-2007 |
At one time, The Extension Branch of the Detroit Public Library delivered books there on a regular basis. The Booth Hospital was not a large hospital. This would have been back in the mid to late 60's. It was not the only place where the staff delivered books. The served the Arnold home on W. 7 Mile Rd. and other facilities of that type in addition to the two bookmobiles which operated out of the office. The office was at the rear of the Utley branch library on Woodward just south of King. | ||
Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 5610 Registered: 10-2003 |
Oh ok so maybe I was off by a block or two....  | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 55 Registered: 07-2006 |
Thank you for the info. I think a quick road trip is in order to 130 W Grand Blvd this weekend. First for pictures and then for a visit to the Salvation Army in Detroit. Thanks! | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 140 Registered: 07-2006 |
I was born at Booth Memorial on 8/14/1952. Back then it was also run by the Salvation Army as a hospital for those who couldn't afford the cost of a hospital stay. Although my Dad worked on a loading dock for United Trucking and Mom was a maid, they had to rely on Booth to bring me into this world. I recall seeing the building in the 1960's but sure didn't place any importance on it. There were several natural gas storage tanks behind Booth that Mom used to tell me how she could hear the sound of the tanks expanding/contracting as the volume of gas changed. I wish now that I had at least taken a picture of Booth. In later years, Booth changed to be exclusively a hospital for unwed mothers. Interestingly enough, the Salvation Army had Booth Memorial Hospitals around the country so it wasn't exclusive to Detroit. Good to know you "birth brother/sister"... | ||
Ruthie1 Member Username: Ruthie1 Post Number: 12 Registered: 01-2008 |
I also was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Oct., 1949. Thank you Jjaba and Rick for the info. I learned some things about the hospital I never knew, such as they were connected to the Salvation army. My dad worked at the Ford Motor Co. in tool and dye, so he made a decent enough income, and had health insurance I'm sure. With both my parents gone, I can't ask them. Very interesting! And, thanks to all the posters who added info. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6188 Registered: 11-2003 |
The William Booth Memorial Hospitals began as a result of other hospitals who would not admit unwed mothers or mothers of low incomes. When the bigger hospitals relaxed and admitted such patients, the Booth Hospitals became Booth Memoprial Homes where unwed mothers could reside and gain schooling before and after delivery. Often, they were shunned from their families and were left to their own devices. Without Booth, these women were destined to the streets for survival. Many were from smaller towns, where families were unable to cope with the realities of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. Booth provided food, shelter, eduation, and pre-natal care, plus arrangements for adoptions, foster care, welfare assistances, spiritual uplifting, and continual love and counselling. The Salvation Army is still in this service today, providing shelter for unwed mothers, recovering addicts, mentally challenged, and recently released prisoners. These shelters serve people who have great difficulties finding safe and sanitary housing arrangements to meet their needs. jjaba, Westsider. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6189 Registered: 11-2003 |
There are four regional offices with records of the Booth Memorial Hospitals. Most of the hospitals have closed due to the acceptance of unwed mothers in community hospitals and liberalized acceptance within their families. Exceptions to this are places like Boise, Idaho which has an active Booth Home with high school attacted, staffed by Boise Public Schools.It has operated since 1921, first as a hospital where birth occured with visiting doctors delivering babies, and now with women living and schooling there, birthing in a community hospital with after-care and day care serivces post-birth. Michigan records are kept at Central Booth Memorial Hospitals Territory Headquarters. 10 W. Algonquin Rd. Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-6006. Contact: Astrid Steinsland (1-847-294-2090) astridsteinsland@usc.salvation army.org jjaba. | ||
Jrvass Member Username: Jrvass Post Number: 515 Registered: 01-2007 |
jjaba, You seem to know, or research, a lot about the Salvation Army. Friday (today) I am taking my Mom's ink jet printer and parallel cable to them for a donation. It still works. But we were able to talk Mom into a laser printer, copier, fax machine. It is also a corded phone and PC fax... but I doubt she'll use either of those features. Brother MFC-7220, on sale at Office Max until 3/15 for 25% off! FYI... print the sale price off the Office Max website, in case the cashier doesn't get the right discount scan and needs to justify a price override. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6579 Registered: 10-2003 |
SCS, save the drive, you're about a year too late. The hospital was just recently demolished. | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 141 Registered: 07-2006 |
Take the drive anyway and at least see the area where you were born. I'm apparently mistaken but I've driven by the site many times over the last several years and Booth has been gone for awhile now. I've also tried the e-mail to "astrid" @ the Salvation Army with no response so that link may be several years old. | ||
Gingellgirl Member Username: Gingellgirl Post Number: 157 Registered: 04-2007 |
Does anyone have information on the Florence Crittenton Maternity Home, 11850 Woodrow Wilson? This was also a maternity hospital for unwed mothers. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6580 Registered: 10-2003 |
Actually SCS, it was summer of 2006. When I took these shots next door: http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=155 the building was nearly totally demolished. Thanks to the slow updates to aerial photos online, the building lives on:     If you were to head down there, this is today:   | ||
Carolcb Member Username: Carolcb Post Number: 4037 Registered: 11-2006 |
Does anyone know about a foundling home that was in Dearborn in the 1950's? I was born in Trenton, and then sent to a "foundling home". I was there for a month. The doctor who delivered me in Trenton, was a woman named Dr. Kuckla. I know who my mother is but no one - no even the state of Michigan - no one was ever forced to list a father. And yes, I was adopted, and yes I have a mother and a father. But I think it is wrong to only know that your father was in the Navy and that he worked in a car dealership, and I don't get how you can give a child up in 1956 without listing who the father is. | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1428 Registered: 10-2003 |
a friend of mine works for an environmental remediation contractor in the city. about two years ago she was in charge of documenting a hospital that was going to be demolished in SW somewhere. i bet it's the same one. she sed everything was left inside, including furniture, lab equipment, fixtures, etc. almost like somebody just walked out the door one day to never come back. i'll check with her to see if i can get any photos... | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 142 Registered: 07-2006 |
Rsa, That would be great if your friend could come up with some photos. It's odd how one's value of memories increases as we get older. All the time I lived in Detroit I don't think I ever gave a second thought to going into Booth Memorial. Now I'm valuing aerial photos of the building as it was being demolished 54 years later!•• | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 968 Registered: 01-2005 |
Scs: I drove past the William Booth Home for many years. Although it is gone, I can tell you that, in the 1950's it would have been a pretty nice place. The grounds had beautiful flowering trees and shrubs, the neighborhood was very nice and upscale and the Detroit River could certainly be viewed from many places. Just across the street was a nice apartment building and a beautiful slate-roofed house that can still be admired today. I have no idea what rules the young, expectant mothers had to observe, but there was a park on the River, just steps away and I hope they were able to walk there. The park is pretty rough now (as far as upkeep) but fishermen still fish there and the view is still very nice. | ||
Ruthie1 Member Username: Ruthie1 Post Number: 13 Registered: 01-2008 |
Rick - "It's odd how one's value of memories increases as we get older. All the time I lived in Detroit, I don't think I ever gave a second thought to going into Booth Memorial. Now I'm valuing aerial photos of the building as it was being demolished 54 years later!" So true! I second that thought. It is amazing how even the slightest detail of your past becomes very valuable, and photos even more so. | ||
Homer Member Username: Homer Post Number: 278 Registered: 08-2004 |
I grew up just two blocks from Booth. In the early 60's I remember young pg women going for walks, always in pairs or small groups in the neighborhood. They would go to the corner store or gas station to buy snacks, or just enjoy a stroll in the sunshine. Later in the early 80's a wonderful ex-nun, Frances Sivak headed a Montessori pre-school program housed there which our daughter attended. Sad to say the pre-school was not allowed to continue when the SA ended there lease. The building and all surrounding land was later gobbled up by Manny Maroun. | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 56 Registered: 07-2006 |
AIW, Thanks for the pics. I truly got chills looking at them. I have letters that my birth Mom wrote back home and she was a scared 17 year old that missed her little sister and dog. She told of the work they had to do. Cooking amd cleaning was top on the list. She said making donuts was a treat! They apparently cooked for the folks in the hospital including the other patients and employees. She wrote of how much she enjoyed the visits from a lady that had a military title in her name. It was Captain or something. Makes sense since it is a Salvation Army facility. They had a curfew and all longed for home. Her Mom would drive down from Port Huron (taking hours back then) and she would bring egg sandwiches that she "adored"!The letters that have come into my possession are priceless and gives me true insight into what happened back in February of 1958. | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 57 Registered: 07-2006 |
Rickinatlanta-I tried to email "Astrid" as well. No reply. Keep me posted if you hear back and I will do the same. Good to know you as well! Hugs from your birth-sister! Scooter | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6584 Registered: 10-2003 |
No problem, it's a shame that the building was demolished so recently, and that you didn't get a chance to see it in person. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6190 Registered: 11-2003 |
Nice work, AIW. jjaba has enjoyed this thread and happy to assist. Scs, try picking up the telephone. Salvation Army hasn't gone away. They've got your records if you dig deep enough. You might have to make an appoitment with somebody where you live now, and they can assist you in the search. Agency records are kept for a long time. Maybe you'll have to travel to the records office in Illinois if this be the case. Over time, the rewards will reward your efforts. The civil rights and women's rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s has caused a change in the services required in this social work service. Thus, there are choices like legal abortions, day-after pills, improved birth control practices, and more liberal at-home support and mentoring. Sexuality education prevents these crises also. jjaba, in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge. | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 58 Registered: 07-2006 |
Jjaba, Absolutely will try calling. I hate it when my 8 hour work life gets in the way of my personal life! No phone calls on the job! | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6192 Registered: 11-2003 |
Scs, keep us informed about your search. The Salvation Army has specialized in "three hots and cot" for over a century now. They're good people. They do well with these specialized housing programs, sheltering the down and out from the storms. jjaba. | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 59 Registered: 07-2006 |
I went down to where Wm Booth Hospital once stood and took some pics today. It was very hazy this morning so they are sort of washed out but nevertheless, I had my camera at the ready! The neighborhood is being torn up by the Ambassador Bridge upgrade. At one time I can only imagine how beautiful this area once was. There are still homes across the street and an apartment building that are still occupied. Down the street is the Detroit News and Riverside Park. The only thing left on the east side of the street is a pile of dirt and lots of construction iron.  | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 60 Registered: 07-2006 |
Here's the view across W.Grand Blvd.  | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 680 Registered: 06-2005 |
Should you find yourself in southwest Detroit some day with a few extra minutes, I recommend driving by WGB just south of Fort Street to see the house (on the right) in Scs_scooter's post #60. It is one of Detroit's smaller jewels. Do any DY posters know its history? | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 61 Registered: 07-2006 |
It's cute as all get-out but I don't know anything abt it. Do tell Neilr! | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 681 Registered: 06-2005 |
I don't know its story. I'm here to learn. As the saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." |
