  Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 254 Registered: 03-2007 |
Sludgedaddy said it best especially the last paragraph: Sean_of_Detroit...The poster, Mortalman, posed the question: "What was the original Open City?" During the mid to late 1960's in Detroit's Cass Corridor, Open City provided free medical care, health information, plus free food to the Corridor's flourishing street culture. It was very similar to other free clinics operating in cities such as San Francisco, New York, etc. during the hippie era. With the DYES Forum a wealth of historical information, I'm sure more knowledgeable posters can provide further enlightenment. We are talking,with the above mentioned Open City, of an organization which existed more than 40 years ago. "Networking" was not a buzzword in those days. So, Mr. 21st Century...always wear a condom, it's a Brave New World...and with apologies to the late Jimi Hendrix's ("IF 6 Was 9")..."Walk On Mr. Businessman, You Can't Choke on Your Own Puke Like Me". The original Open City was spawn in a time of the "we" generation as opposed to the "me" generation of 2008. Now days you don't know if people are hanging out with you because of friendship or for mercenary reasons like, "what can he/she do for me" i.e. networking! There is no judgment about "we" or "me" just personal preferences and I like the former and don't fit in very well with the latter. So, what I'm interested in is your remembrances of the "original" Open City and any photos would be great, for sure. | ||
Supergay Member Username: Supergay Post Number: 185 Registered: 05-2006 |
I remember when the younger generation used to make fun of the older generation for thinking they knew what was best, for judging everyone and for talking about how much better things were "in my day." That's what I remember. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 266 Registered: 03-2007 |
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Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2750 Registered: 01-2006 |
Supergay has a clear memory, and implies a good point. Of course, When Woodstock Nation held to that view, we were downright clair-fuckin'-voyant, whereas anyone who now sees us as overflowing vessels of babyboomer bullshit is, of course, misguided and just too wet-behind-the-ears to know any better. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 151 Registered: 08-2008 |
Mortalman, thanks for bringing this topic to our attention. I was talking about the original 'Open City' about six months ago with some (not too young - maybe 40'ish) youngsters at a Cass Corridor watering hole. The current Open City was mentioned in a local publication, spurring my recollections. Anyway, we were literally a stone's throw from the original. I pointed out some of the same things you did in your post. My awareness of Open City came about because my mother, experiencing a new mid-life awareness due to separating from my father, decided to volunteer at the Open City Switch Board and Crisis Center. I was doing the same types of activist things in another city. Coming home for the summer, I discovered Open City and became involved. I attended 'board' meetings in various backyards and backrooms of the Cass Corridor. There was a 'Free Store', which was basically a ReCycle - ReUse center. They had a hotline for homeless people, drug overdoses, discussion, etc. I remember moving appliances in and out of the building as donations, gifts. Eventually, this came full circle as I and friends later passed through or stayed in town working on and attending anti-war activities. Open City always had a spare room for us to crash in and work from. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 269 Registered: 03-2007 |
1kielsondrive, great memories! I like to think even though we are living through the me generation right now that I had the privilege of living through the WE generation. WE seems to me a lot more fun and fulfilling than me. I find these times we are living through as awful lonely times and as Sludgedaddy put it so aptly, "Networking" was not a buzzword in those days. So, Mr. 21st Century...always wear a condom, it's a Brave New World...and with apologies to the late Jimi Hendrix's ("IF 6 Was 9")..."Walk On Mr. Businessman, You Can't Choke on Your Own Puke Like Me". With nitwit networking craze you never know if people are trying to relate to you as one human being to another or if you’re just another networking prospect that they might be able to use you for something at another time and place. Many also often make disparaging remarks about the older members of the Forums that are just “not with the program” these days because after all they are the ones that are hip to the happenings of the day. All I have to say is today’s hipsters are tomorrow’s oldsters that tomorrow’s hipsters will lament as being yesterday’s oldsters. In other words we all get our turn at being hip today and old tomorrow so get in line for your turn because it’s coming sooner than you think. Then there’s all this pc crap that stands in the way of people speaking clearly and honestly without being cut off at the pass. All this pc crap does is push all of the stuff that the pc stuff is about underground which makes it harder to deal with the conflict or whatever. But, that’s another thread for another day in the Non-Detroit arena. When I saw that other thread about the “new Open City I knew I had some info that I kept from the original Open City from 40+ years ago. I knew it was in one of these many boxes I had and I only had to go through three boxes to find it and that’s what you are seeing in my postings. The problems are that it’s a flier on legal size paper that is hard to scan as one sheet. I can do it but the file size is so large which brings up the other problem of the size limitations on pictures and photos we can post on DY Forums. That’s the reason I have had to scan it in pieces with 4 separate pieces and postings. I may ask a friend to place it on his blog in its entirety so you can see it as it is which is pretty impressive. It’s getting late so that’s a project for tomorrow. This was Sludgedaddy’s quote from the other Open City thread which was worthy of placing it in its entirety here so it's not out of context: “[“Sean_of_Detroit...The poster, Mortalman, posed the question: "What was the original Open City?" During the mid to late 1960's in Detroit's Cass Corridor, Open City provided free medical care, health information, plus free food to the Corridor's flourishing street culture. It was very similar to other free clinics operating in cities such as San Francisco, New York, etc. during the hippie era. With the DYES Forum a wealth of historical information, I'm sure more knowledgeable posters can provide further enlightenment. We are talking,with the above mentioned Open City, of an organization which existed more than 40 years ago. "Networking" was not a buzzword in those days. So, Mr. 21st Century...always wear a condom, it's a Brave New World...and with apologies to the late Jimi Hendrix's ("IF 6 Was 9")..."Walk On Mr. Businessman, You Can't Choke on Your Own Puke Like Me".]”  | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 154 Registered: 08-2008 |
Mortalmam, the last photo you posted is something that I believe I have the same thing. Unfortunately, it takes me so much time to dig through my archives (basically boxes of junk) that I have difficulty remembering and then finding the time to do so. I'm sorry. I still haven't posted the EARTH magazine articles and photos about the Gar Wood that I'd mentioned weeks ago. Maybe I'll get to it before we go on to another life. I believe you're correct about the differences between ours and succeeding generations. I consider myself to be a very, very lucky person to have lived when I did. All injuries, insults, crashes, bad trips, etc, etc, aside, we experienced a time of solidarity and sister/brotherhood. We accomplished so much. Unfortunately, there are some Boomers who are so self obsessed that they tend to give us a bad name. Phooey. I still live by simplicity, honesty, love and giving back. This generation is all about the best colleges, partying and making the most money. Obviously, that's an over generalization but how many of them have been protesting extraordinary rendition(kidnapping)? Torture? Election fraud? Corporate excesses? Anything important on either end of the political, cultural spectrum? It doesn't happen. Sad. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 277 Registered: 03-2007 |
Here's the other side of the Open City flier that took me so long to find. But, it was worth the effort because of the memories it evoked both good and bad. They get better and better as time goes by and I see where we're at and where we're going. The culture is not mine anymore but that's OK because I don't want to be part of it. But, it's still my world in all of its beauty and and promise of hope. Here's a link to the address of the "original" Open City location at: 4425 Second http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hl=en&tab=wl  | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 170 Registered: 08-2008 |
Well, whatever the address is, the original Open City was in the Sheridan Building on the NW corner of Canfield and Second, across from the MCBW and kitty corner from TJ's. It's still a very handsome, highly occupied apartment building and a vital part of the WSU and Cass Corridor community. Detroit used to have thousands upon thousands of similar buildings, most of which have disappeared, so it's notable the Sheridan and it's history have survived to this day. I just looked it up: my friends living there at present have the address of 4417. I'm assuming the storefront (sub-ground level) spaces along Second Street, which housed much of Open City, had different addresses. Thanks for the info, Mortalman. Invaluable! | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 281 Registered: 03-2007 |
Here's the final piece of that "original" Open City flier I had scanned into my system. Unfortunately, one more time, by the limitations of the size of images we can attach to our posts you are probably not able to read the verbiage radiating out from the sunburst. But, fortunately, I will list them for you here. Starting at the top or 12 o'clock position and proceeding clockwise it says Stores, Entertainment, Auto-Cycle Co-Op, Housing Co-Op, 24 Hour Switchboard, Forest Theater, Job Co-Op,Free Store, Food Co-Op, Sunshine Trip Aid, Print Shop, Free University, Medical Service, and Education that surrounds a core that says "Open City" that in turn surrounds two phone numbers. Idealism? You bet! That's the kind of "Idealism" I like. The kind of "Idealism" that gives everybody hope! That's the kind of "Idealism" that builds communities that in turn builds a better and safer Detroit, yes?  | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 175 Registered: 08-2008 |
Mortalman, thank you for you comments and energy. They're much needed and welcomed anytime, especially now. 1KD | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 284 Registered: 03-2007 |
1kielsondrive, this is just for you! I can't figure out how to put things on this site so you can see the details with the limitations of 50KB and 450X450 mega-pixels. So, that said with those limitations I scanned the flier into my system and then sewed it together with some software I've got but the files size were so BIG that I had to reduce them to get the whole things back and front into this post. Here you go!   | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 193 Registered: 08-2008 |
Hey Mortal, I dug it out. I have the same brochure from Open City. It wouldn't post for the same reasons you had problems with it. Too large, blah, blah, blah. I tried reconfiguring it a couple times and gave up. Thanks for the inspiration. Mine is in excellent condition. I also have a business type invitation card from the Krishnas when they were living in the house on East Jefferson and Burns, prior to moving over to the Lawrence Fisher home on Lennox. I'm sure I got it while at the Gar Wood. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 1829 Registered: 03-2008 |
It is so very interesting. Things are just things without a story behind them. That goes double for a name. Blondy, is this where Open City did, in fact, get it's name? You guys keep me grounded around here, you really do. It's easy to lose site of the point. It's the sheer numbers that got my attention. Not sure if anyone knows what I am talking about... | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 308 Registered: 03-2007 |
Not really! But, maybe it doesn't matter except that you do!! Do you know what I mean? | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 1843 Registered: 03-2008 |
<----Thinking... |
