  Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2005 |
I played baseball from the other side where first base was along Marlborough. Sometimes my brothers and I would play indian ball where you would hit between the lines. If a ground ball got past you it was a single unless it got past the one outfielder for a double. Hit guyton below the first window was a double, above it a triple and on the roof was a homer. We had to climb that alot to get the balls back. | ||
Ginny_keusch Member Username: Ginny_keusch Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 66.82.9.20 |
I wasn't able to upload the photos I wanted to due to size, so I put them (4) in my Yahoo album. Here's hoping you can see them. I have 3 from April 17, 2005, Tommy's, the site of the Trailer Court and the site of the Marine Hospital. The little brick structure in the Trailer Court pict is all that remains of what was the residents laundry area. The 4th photo is from the 60s and it is a view looking down the canal by Harbor Island, from Lakewood Park. Here's the link to my Yahoo photo album. http://photos.yahoo.com/keusch the album is called Neighborhood. | ||
Eastside Member Username: Eastside Post Number: 345 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.242.221.202 |
Nice pics Ginny. Of course I really like the one taken in the 60's. Did you take that yourself? I really hope more of you share old photos of the area. That would really make this thread complete. It's very enjoyable to see how things have changed...but even more of a pleasure to see how they have not. Peace | ||
Ginny_keusch Member Username: Ginny_keusch Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 66.82.9.90 |
Your very welcome. Yes, I took that shot. I always thought Harbor Island was kind of a magic street. I think my love of the canals and water led me to moving up north and onto a lake. There is a real peace about it. When I was in Detroit in April, I was able to look out at the river and realize how lucky I was to grow up in such a place, water, safe neighborhoods, a country just across the way, and the sound of freighters day and night. Doesn't get much better for a kid. | ||
Eastside Member Username: Eastside Post Number: 347 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.242.221.202 |
Ginny...If you got more old photos, please post them! | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Where up north do you and Kenny live Jenny? | ||
Ginny_keusch Member Username: Ginny_keusch Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 66.82.9.28 |
We are in the Big Rapids area. Migrated from the trailer park to Walled Lake, then Charlotte and have been here since 1984 | ||
James Amato (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.47.247.222 |
To: Ron Saad, I was wondering if you remember your neighbor across the street on Eastlawn? His name was Jim Jendritz. His parents were deaf mutes. We have been best of friends for all these years. I know I didn't know you that well back then Ron but I used to frequent your store often when I was young. I lived up the street at 865 Eastlawn. I guess you know that. It may have been an older brother who chased me all the way home one day after he saw me steal a candy bar or something. I was just far enough ahead of him and ducked in my side door without him noticing me. It wasn't the first time I did that Ron. You may not even remember but I wanted to fess up and applogize for any grief I caused your family. It may seem trivial this many years later but it has always bothered me. On another note my sister was very surprized and pleased to hear from you when I told her you said hello. I know she would post here if she had time but she's a very, very busy lady these days. Take care. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
To James Amato I don't remember the deaf people but my brothers might. One of them probably chased you, By the way you owe us 50,000 dollars for interest on all the candy bars that you took. You must of lived by the Boutrouses.I know I'm getting old I can't remember you sister's name, I remember I told you to tell Debbie Maskill hello. | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.136.133.74 |
There used to be a family with the last name of "Snider" that lived in the 800 block of Eastlawn. They had a bunch of kids and I am thinking they lived there around 1965, or so. Anyone remember them? Mike Mooney | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.145 |
Hello Mark Colden: This is Mike Carrick - the other missing member of our Chalmers gang, ex-Guyton Alum. I lived in Lakeside Trailer Park from 1949-1956. It was you, me, Harry D., Eddie M., & Frank C. Remember, we were the "Cheetahs". I came across this wonderful web page while doing LTC research for my sister. What a rush of memories! All these old names, places, and events. Wow! What a rush. I hope you are well. I have such fond memories of how kind your family was to me. I could fill pages....and maybe I will, if this message gets through. A little confusing about being registered or nor-registered. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.18.199 |
Mike Carrick, this is too good to be true! Unbelievable in fact. I hadn’t forgotten you when I listed the old gang. How could I, you were one of my earliest friends back-in-the-day. Other than Jimmy Amato, you are the first of the old guys that’s posted here. Yes, I remember the "Cheetahs.” We went through about a dozen names before deciding on that one. Before this is over maybe Harry, Eddie, Frank and the rest of the Cheetahs will stumble onto this forum and with our ancient brains can collectively recall all of the good old times we had. In any event, Jimmy, you and me can get together before the summer ends. Got to go now – I’m late – but don’t stop posting. (Message approved by admin) | ||
glenn anderson (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.60.170.30 |
someone should write a book about the old neighborhood. there are alot of stories there, in fact, each family is a story in itself. see if you can remember some of these names. forgive me if i misspell. Dee Webby, the Garvins, the Keenans, the Kowaliks, the McIlharghys, the Gallaghers, the Whites, the McMahons, the Cyrs, the Thomases, the Maskills, the Greenups, the Wheelers, the Wieses', the Lanzis, the Harrisons, the Licavolis, the Falarkas, the Sinacoris, the Abuds, the Josephs, the Williams, the Cunninghams, the Glens, the Bells, the Wollenwebers, the Solomons, the Mastys, the Bolas', the McCluskeys, the Koons', the Romains, the Wolskis, the Browns, the Bergers, the Buntings, the Saads, the Pelleritos, the Pasquinillis, the Mulherons, and so many others whose faces i can't match with names, my family, the Andersons, moved out in 1970. it was a magical place. bobby moore, greg romain, where are you? (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.145 |
These years were a great time for our country. It was after WWII and Korea, but before Viet Nam and all the civil unrest. The country had an opportunity to catch its breath, to regroup, to smell peace. I think it was because of this pause, as our young lives unfolded, that we were able to experience a relatively safe environment. A blending of nationalities if you will, and a genuine neighborhood kinship. I have read through all of the wonderful postings and the flood of memories is almost overwhelming. Some of the memories that come to mind.....The endless football and baseball games played in the streets or on front lawns. Playing in piles of leafs at the curbs. Building forts in the alley out of cardboard and other junk. Raining havoc in the neighborhood on Halloween night. "Hitching" rides on cars and buses or blasting them with snowballs in the winter. Stealing cigarettes from our parents and smoking our brains out in the alley. The endless baseball and horseshoe games at Guyton. Tossing flattened popcorn boxes at the movie screen at the Lakewood show. Making out in the balcony of the Cinderella show. Hanging out at all those different places on Jefferson. Shooting pool (snooker) at the Eagle Pool Hall. Eating chow mien and butterfly shrimp at the White Swan. Hanging out at the drug store at Manistique & Essex. "Pitching" pennies. All the hockey games on the canals. Using alleys as our personal sidewalks. Floating around the canals in inner tubes. Parties in basements. "Soaping" car windows. Heading for home when the streetlights came on. Skipping school and swimming all day at Peache Island. To Mark Colden: Do you remember when we created the "Cheetahs"?. We held our meetings in Cliff Brigg's garage when he lived on Newport(?). We all wore the big letter "C" on the back of our jackets. We just thought we were too cool for words. I remember your dog Baron. He always wanted to follow us everywhere we went. You and I became friends at school because our last names were close together, so we stood next to each other in lines or sat next to each other in our classes. I remember Mrs. D. and the Heatherhall Bar. How about "jump-ball" Tilly. That guy that lived in the big house on the corner of Chalmers & Essex with the poodles. Wasn't he a pistol! Bowling at Jefferson Lanes. When we saw Jimmy Amato spotting pins, we would try to throw the ball down the lane as hard as we could to see if we could knock Jimmy through the back wall of the building. Eddie M. father owned a grocery store on Jefferson near downtown. On Saturday's we would help Eddie deliver food orders in cardboard boxes to apartments in the area. Memories about Guyton: The school Fair. Going in the pipe tunnels during a civil defense drill. Mr. Curry, Mr. O'Brian, Mr. Baird, Mrs. Kreckee, Miss Shepard. Does anyone remember the leather straps that hung on the back of Mr. Baird's office door? Didn't Mr. Curry and Mr. O'Brian do a good job of curing us of our "coolness" at times. To be continued………… (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 17 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
I lived on Manistique between Essex and Avondale. I remember the 2 stores but not the drug store or maybe I do. One store we had to go down the steps to get in and the other store across the street sold lunch meat and regular meat and deli, I think the drug store was next to it? | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.16 |
Your correct Ron. The store that you walked down the steps was in a sort of split-level basement in the appartment building on the NW corner. I think it also had a dry cleaners. The drugstore was right next to the food store on the opposite side of the street (NE). The drugstore had the old fashion soda jerk fountain with stools you could spin around on. The food store next door had a meat market in the back with a side entrance off Essex. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.111.60 |
Mike – you’ve got a mind like a steel trap. I had forgotten all about the meetings on Newport. I do remember the big “C’s” on the back of our jackets, though. And how on earth did you remember my dog’s name? Baron lived to the ripe old (human) age of 18. I went down to Fred’s Key Shop on Second Ave. last week and saw the bar (it’s abandoned of course), but I never realized where the “D’s” got name from until then. It’s connected to the Heatherhall apartment building. About “jump-ball” Tilly, if we’re talking about the same guy (yellow brick house at the SE corner of Chalmers and Essex who moved there after the plane crash of ’58), didn’t we have another name for him (Hot Toddy) because of his life-style. And I do remember us trying to kill Jimmy when he spotted pins at the bowling ally. But I didn’t want to mention it in this forum, hoping he had forgotten it because we use to try to tear him up. Your right, Eddie’s father’s market was on Jefferson near St Aubin. Guyton is one of the schools to be closed. I went over there about a month and a half ago with my brother. The building’s engineer gave us a tour, and he took us down the basement. They still have a few of those olive drab canisters with civil defense stenciled on them – boy was that a trip down memory lane. I posted the experience in part one of this forum and the school looks great. I remember all of the teachers you mentioned, especially Mr. O’Brian, Miss Shepard and Mrs. Kreckee. These three wonderful teachers gave me a life. O’Brian instilled a love of history and Shepard and Kreckee a love of literature and English. Keep on posting. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.144 |
Continued………….. Names that come to mind: Mike Durkin (dad was a cop); Lee Balbak (if I remember correctly Lee was killed in an accident on Alter Rd. while riding his MoPed); Bob Mali (aka Beullah - dad was a cop); Jim Destefano (aka Quickie); Pauline Latona; Josephine Latona; Milan Balanski; Norm Joseph (aka Num-dul-a); Junior Joseph (aka Ja-lu-pa); Lynn Taylor (aka Lyman); Marty Paulus; Paul Paulus; Neal McLeod; Danny Knoth (killed in a car accident in Florida); Glissman sisters (Wow!); Stew Strangways; Cliff Briggs (aka Iggy); Tony Incametia (parents owned the drugstore at Manistique & Essex); Ken Tighe; Claire Armstrong; Roger D'Eath; Tom D'Eath; Andre Vincent; Kathy Hagen; Margie Faitz; Joyce McCaulklin; Bernie LaForest; Mary Licavoli; Jenny Licovli; Steve Holt; Gordie Schwartz; Rich Cizelak; Fred Naceff; Audrey Treginon; all the Essian kids (one became a MLB player); Al Pease. Anyone know what happened to any of these people? My family went to St. Martins Parish. Our church sponsor family were the Pellerito's. Vince Pellerito was my god-father. Harry D., Eddie M., and myself worked together at Bond-Bilt Construction on 8-Mile Rd. in the early 60's. I last saw Frank C. at his wedding. I last saw Harry D. in the early 70's. I think he still lives near Walled Lake. I last saw Eddie M. at Bond-Bilt. Anybody remember cruising around in Norm Joseph's black, lowered, 55 Chevy convertible. I was in Detroit a few years ago to attend a family funeral. While I was there I took some time to drive around the old neighborhood. I drove from Scripps to Jefferson and from Ashland to Newport. So much has changed. I'll have to admit, it was an emotional tour. While I was parked in front of Guyton, I swear I could still hear all of our voices echoing from the grounds. What a trip. You were all wonderful friends and buddies. What great times we all had trying to find out who we were and where we were going………I wouldn't have missed any of it for the world! To Mark C.: My family and I have lived on the west coast since 1970. I don't know if I'll ever return to Detroit again, so I'm not sure about any kind of a reunion in the near future. But like they say, never say never, eh. Thank you for your unfailing friendship when we were growing up. I've thought about you guys often. It always makes me chuckle a little bit. I remember when we were all nearing high school graduation, you, me, Eddie and Harry use to talk about going to the same college together (I think it was D.I.T), wearing wing-tipped shoes, button-down shirts, and smoking pipes to look studious, and the four of us getting an apartment. Wow. (I actually ended up graduating from Lawrence Tech.). Well, each of our lives took different paths, but the memories last a lifetime. Mark, I know your mother and Eddie's mother were always worried that I was so skinny. They were always pushing food on me. I think they would be happy to know I made it to 180 pounds. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 18 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
The store in the basement was called subway. But it was on the south side of the street and other store was on the north side but both was between essex and jefferson. | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.18.154 |
To Mike C – You must have a Guyton yearbook tucked around there someplace for you to remember all the names you posted. I remember Lee Balbak’s accident well. My folks were going to buy me a MoPed. I really wanted a motor cycle like Sandy Smith. Do you remember him? He lived on Marlborough between Essex and Freud – had a black BMW cycle. But after Lee’s death, all thoughts of me getting one went out the window. Neal McLeod and I were almost inseparable for the first few grades through Guyton, but I lost track of him while there. I think they moved. I remember when Danny Knoth fell through the ice when we were all walking down the canal one winter to go play hockey and it took all of us to pull him out. Were you with us that day? Al Pease, Steve Holt, Marty Paulus and Stew Strangways all bring back fond memories – especially Steve Holt. I’ve already mentioned Cliff Briggs in an earlier post, but I had forgotten that we use to call him Iggy. Fred Naceff lived on Lakewood right next to Eddie, or a house away. I remember he had an accident of a rather personal and messy nature in first grade at Guyton and I never let him live it down. I use to see him all the time during the 1970s after I first started at the Detroit News. He worked in management at a downtown bank in the lobby of the First National Bank Building. The Essian brood lived across and down the street from me on Chalmers. Tommy Essian is the only one of the kids whose names that I remember, but it was one of his younger brothers that played for the Chicago Cubs (at least, I think it was the Cubs). One of the younger girls worked at a downtown restaurant in the 1970s across the street from my father’s office building and we’d eat lunch there at least once a week. Did Ken Tighe have a sister named Gaye? Do you remember a girl, Susie Smith, who lived on Lakewood between Essex and Freud or Skippy and Diane Wagoner? They lived down the street from me. Unfortunately, I lost contact with most everyone except Harry after I graduated from Southeastern and left for college. To be continued. (Message approved by admin) | ||
markmaes (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.238.153.120 |
To Mr.Colden,The Essian family moved to Outer Drive and Frankfort.The baseball player was Jimmy Essian.I went tohigh school with Betsy Essian and worked with Mary Essian at the old Saber Lancer Lounge.I was born on Ashland in 1960 I dont know the address the house is no longer there.I doremember the landlords name was Vera.I saw you mentioned Tom and Roger D"eath I saw them at their fathers place on Harsens Island back in 1980........... (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1712 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Was the Essian's father (Jim) a house painter by profession? As a kid I remember my mother getting a total redecoration of our house and a painter by the name of Jim Essian doing the painting and talking about his kid being a great baseball player (pitcher?). | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 19 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Yes. He was a painter. Jim was a catcher. | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.144 |
To Mark C:...Yes, the names are familiar, Sandy Smith, Skippy & Diane Wagoner. I think I remember Diane Wagoner always having a lot of parties in her basement?....Your correct, Ken Tighe had a sister named Gaye. She went with a guy by the name of Jodie (?) for a long time. He drove a huge Buick with about seventy tons of chrome on it....I don't think I was with you when Danny went through the ice. I do remember on a few occations I fell through myself, one time up to my arm pits. Scared me to death, but never enough to keep me off the ice. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Diana Mery (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.153.25.162 |
Hi Mike Carrick, This is Diana Mery,,Gloria's sister..I believe you two dated way back when. Didn't you and your brother also live on Pemberton with your aunt and uncle. We lived on Philip,right across the rock in front of Guyton. Are you still in the Detroit area? My sister said to tell you hello. It sure has brought back alot of memories reading all the postings. Sure hope someone plans a big reunion so we can share more stories. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.111.159 |
Continued… Mike C – Harry and I did go to college together. I went first and he followed about six months later. In fact, we were suitemates. My mother died unexpectedly during my second year and after I returned to school after her funeral my heart and mind wasn’t really in furthering my education so I dropped-out. Harry left soon after. As I remember he fell in ‘luv’ with the girl, he eventually married. However, we immediately realized we had made a big mistake by leaving school. We lost our student deferments and Uncle Sam was on us with invitations to go to Ft. Wayne to take our army physicals within a few months. Of course, we figured we had passed, and immediately went to the Draft Board on Fort St. after leaving Ft Wayne to see if we could get some info on what our status was. I’ll never forget the clerk’s name, Paula Hartman. Apparently, she had been corresponding with my older brother, Bill, for years. They had tried to draft him (late 1950s, early 1960s, then he got married) long before the Viet Nam escalation and he always wiggled his way out by being underweight for his six-foot frame. I swear this is the truth; we went in and told Hartman what info we wanted. First, she asked our names and birthdays. We responded. Then she looked at me and asked if I was related to William J. Colden. With a sinking feeling, I said yes. She then asked from memory did I still live at 576 Chalmers. Again, knowing now I was toast, said yes. She got up from her chair, went to a long file – while asking Harry his address – pulled down the top flat file and told us (smiling at me) we would leave in the April Draft if we passed our physicals. THIS WAS MARCH 1965. Harry and I left out of there like two-thirds of the Three Stooges. We were bumping into doors and each other, tripping down the stairs – we had less than a month to figure our way out of this mess with no ideas of how to do it. We brainstormed all the way home. Going back to school was out of the question; we couldn’t enroll or even get enough hours in March to get our deferments back. At my house, we sat around feeling sorry for ourselves because if you remember in ‘65 they were sending almost everybody to Viet Nam, and we didn’t want to go. I think we were discussing the possibilities of becoming Canadian citizens when my father came home. Eureka! Our problem was solved. You remember, my dad was a lawyer and he had a little drag. I told Harry he’d fix it somehow. WRONG! When I approached him, much to my astonishment he thought it would be great. The army would make men out of us (he wasn’t too happy when I dropped out of school, anyway) and that’s just what we needed, to be men. Trying to be as agreeable possible – because we really needed his help – I said he was probably right, but there was always the possibility it would also make dead men out of the two of us. He told us we had enough college that we could probably go to O.C.S. and become officers. Harry and I just looked at each other dumbfounded. This man just didn’t have a clue. I remember my exact words to him, “Dad we can’t go!” He said something to the effect: well I don’t know what you’re going to do about it, if you get drafted; you get drafted that’s it and left the room. Harry went home, saying he’d see me the next day. Later that night my father came to my room and told me to checkout the reserves. I called Harry and told him that was the plan for the next day. To be continued (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.111.159 |
Continued… Mike C – I was long in the last post here’s the rest. We spent the next couple of weeks checking out every reserve unit in the Metro Area with no luck, the slots were filled. The closest we came was on Jefferson at the Broadhead Naval Armory (you remember the building east of Belle Isle that had a WW II submarine docked behind it that gave public tours). Yes, they would send us to school to become naval intelligent officers, and I liked the uniforms. Then the recruiter dropped a bombshell. As I remember, he said it would be an 18-month active duty commitment, then a four and a half year active reserve obligation, then as officers we could be called back in case of emergency. We left; the uniforms didn’t look that good. The clock was ticking and we had run out of options. I went home droopy-eyed every night. Satisfied that Harry and I had squirmed long enough my father finally told us he already arranged with some colonel he knew at the west 8 Mile Rd. Armory, and we were to go down the next day and see him. Nevertheless, he had a jolly good time watching us sweat for two weeks. So we ended up as weekend warriors and managed to stay out of the Nam, but not the ‘67 riot. Both of us went back to school and like you, Harry finished Lawrence Tech, and became an architect. In fact, he was on the team that designed the General Lectures Building at WSU while I was there. I went into journalism. My mother would have been pleased that you finally filled-out that skinny frame of yours. Keep in touch – tell me what you’re up to now. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.145 |
Hello Diana Mery... Yes, Gloria and I gave it a whirl for a while. Nice to hear from both of you. I hope you are doing well. I do remember many an evening hanging out on your front porch. What a memory you have. We did live with my aunt and uncle. My mother was a single mom trying to raise three kids while we lived at Lakeside Trailer Court. She died suddenly of kidney failure just as I was about to enter Junior High. My brother and I went to live with our aunt and uncle who lived on Barrington, just north of Korte, in GPP. We ended up having to transfer to GP schools. I graduated from GPHS. Living there was quite a cultural shock to say the least. Sort of like going from one side of the tracks to the other. I just never got the hang of the GP scene. I was a dedicated Chalmers/Essex kid and proud of it. My aunt lived in that house for 53 years. She just recently passed away at 97 years of age. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.145 |
To Mark C..... Wow, what a draft board story. I vaguely remember some '67 riot national guard deployment stories Harry shared with me a long time ago.....And oddly enough, I also have a Paula Hartman draftboard story to share. Not too soon after I was married, I had a dependant deferment because we had a baby. Short thereafter, they began drafting guys with one child, so I lost my dependent deferment. I therefore upped my class schedule at night school at Lawerence Tech to 12 credits so I could get a student deferment. One semester occasion we were short on cash so I could only afford 9 credits worth of classes. In those days, you may recall, the schools were obligated to inform the local draft boards of your class credits each semester. One needed a minimum of 12 credits to qualify for a student deferment. A few weeks after I had signed up for only 9 credits, Paula Hartman called me one evening at my home. She informed me that because I was only carrying 9 credits the draft board was going to cancel my student deferment and I was going on a list for the next group from my draft board for "induction and deployment". As panic and fear began to overtake me, I remember begging her to reconsider. I told her the sob story of being a young family and always short of money, struggling to get ahead, etc., etc. She ended up telling me the only thing that could save me was to add an additional 3 credits to my class schedule. Long story short....I went to the school registrar the next day and pleaded with them to let me sign up late for a 3 credit class or else I was going to Viet Nam. I told them I could pay for the class out of my next weeks paycheck. Much to my surprise, they agreed. So I added a 3 credit course on, of all things, Epic Poetry. It never did dawn on me why Palua Hartman would personally call me at home, in the evening, to inform me of my impending dillemma. Why didn't they simply cancel my deferment and send me a draft notice. It wasn't until some years later that I found out that my aunt's next door neighbor, on Barrington, sat on my draftboard. My aunt would never confess to me whether her neighbor instructed Paula Hartman to call me personally at that time, but my hunch is that he did. So, I also was "saved" by Paula Hartman. Continued............ (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 20 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
I have no draft board story. I got drafted and went to serve my country. I didn't try to Weasal out of nothing. When Uncle Sam called I went. Did I want to go no, did I have to yes.If it was my time to go or die it was God's saying. He doesn't prolong when you are going, you might think he does but he doesn't. Lucky for me and many hundred thousands we made it. 55,000 plus wasn't so lucky | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.18.57 |
Ron Saad – I certainly didn’t mean to offend or to demean your service in Viet Nam. I was not numbered among those who spit on our returning troops or disparaged them for going. I don’t want to turn this forum, full of wonderful memories about a neighborhood I loved, into a political debate. Nevertheless, I opposed that war as I disagreed with the invasion and now the subsequent occupation of Iraq. As it regards Viet Nam, I never subscribed to the so-called “Domino Theory,” where all of S.E. Asia would fall to the communists unless we put our young soldiers there to stop the ‘Red’ menace. History bears me out on this. I believed then as I do now that it was essentially a civil war to reunify a nation long colonized by the French, then occupied by the Japanese during W.W.II, then the French tried to take it back after the was over, only to be defeated. As far as I was concerned, it was the business of the Vietnamese. In the end, it didn’t matter because the north got what they wanted anyway and today we have normal relations with them. Still, as you say, more than 50 thousand dead Americans are still there. I had friends and relatives who went and never came back or they either returned maimed in body or were emotionally affected. Please don’t get me wrong, our troops are the best in the world and cannot be faulted for following the orders of their commander-in-chief. However, America isn’t the world’s police force. Again, I apologize to you and any other former soldiers that I have inadvertently offended. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.145 |
To: Ron Saad.... It's unfortunate you decided to take advantage of the intent of this wonderful web site by using it as a platform to question ones patriotism based on whether or not they served in the military or whether or not they understand God's calling in their life. You sir, know nothing of my life nor the contribution or capacity in which I have served my country. I take exception to your poor choice of "weasal out of nothing" words and would hope that your comments would remain within the scope and intent of this web site's creator. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 21 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Then talk about the neighborhood. And you know nothing about my life either. So weasal this.There goes the neighborhood. | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 71 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.79.86.206 |
I agree that Ron Saad should not derail what was a beautiful thing to read. I enjoyed Mark's story and I understand that Ron may have thought differently when he was 18. Haven't we all wised up to a lot of things? Let the arguments go and continue to share the happy and sad moments, the dear faces from a sweeter time. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 22 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Thank you Mark. Southwest your too young. I'm not letting this go. I'm not derailing nothing. They started it. No Mike C you didn't weasel out of nothing, you just avoided (weasel) the draft any which way you could. No I don't know you, just your history that you put on this site. I think all wars are stupid, but when it was time to fight some people had to go. Nobody likes to die and fight, Especially my friends at the next foxhole who's body parts flew all over the place or Big Jim who was on recon and got his head blown off by a sniper. But's thats the past. So no Mike my mistake you just avoided (Weaseled) it. Truly sorry everybody. Nobody is talking about the trailer park anyway. Should just make a new site for just the Neighborhood. The East side neighborhood. Go Cadets from The one and only and original Rang-A-Tang. | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
sssaaayyyyy...what about them tigers? It is apparent that nerves have been exposed on this site, pertaining to different points of view on the Viet Nam era. I bet if we compare notes, we may also have differences in our political affiliations, religion, and other demographics. To Ron Saad: I applaud the courage it took for you to respond to your draft notice! Those were scary times! Your duty to your country has not, and possibly cannot be adequately repaid. I believe that many young men faced a personal moment of truth when "the 'Greetings...' letter" came from Uncle Sam. At some level, how an individual responded to THAT LETTER illustrates the diversity of our population. I remember some friends, after being drafted, being shaken to their foundation, while others resigned themselves to what fate had in store for them. I know some who went to Canada, and others, like me, who were undesirable due to felony convictions for drug use. I was 17 when I first went to jail for possession of marijuana. I feel that your serving your country is more a reflection of your personal integrity and character, and less about someone else's response to "THE LETTER." Some people do change with age. During the Viet Nam era, I suppose I could have been called a "hippy peace lover." I demonstrated against what I thought was an unpopular war, but never against US troops! Today, I consider myself a proud American that personally have loved ones in harm's way in the middle east. Many of my closest friends are Vets from Viet Nam and I strongly support our troops. I commend you for being dependable to your country, but at the same time, I understand that different people are driven by different ideations. I hope that those posting on this site can "work through" the current issues being discussed, as well as others that may surface. As a wbesite, it seems that it was our early childhood memories of "the old neighborhood" that bound us together throughout this thread, but it may be our later adult differences that tore us apart. In some ways, this may have been the "beginning of the end" for my own happy recollections. I hope this posting does not offend! Mike Mooney | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 23 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Very well spoken Mike. A true Gentleman | ||
Mike C. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 130.76.32.15 |
To Ron Saad..... Take a look at your posting of July 10 again. You should follow your own advice. As far as the neighborhood goes........its all yours.....have at it. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 24 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
There was no advice for July 10 except not weaseling out of nothing. | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
Setting aside the comments about the Viet Nam era, I wanted to make an observation about the age group that frequently respond on this thread. It sounds to me that most of the people posting here are around 60ish, give or take a few years. I am 53 and spent the years between 1960 and, oh, say 1979 on the lower east side. Although I new many, many, people there, only a few names are mentioned that I recognize. In general,not have many people have posted comments about the years when Angel Park was JUMPING! (1967 to 1978). Does anyone remember Donny Gillo? Boogie? Mike McCabe? Larry Cole? Robert Bradly? I think that the old neighborhood had different age groups or layers, (or social strata) that co-existed simultaneously. Where it is obvious that we all shared similar landmarks, like Guyton, St. Marks, "the Bun," Angel Park, the bowling alley, etcetera, it is apparent that my age group isn't posting too much on this site. I do enjoy the memories of everyone who commented so far, but I would like to hear from other people, too. Perhaps if we each got in touch with old friends and family members who do not know about this site, we could expand the "memory banks" on this thread and continue to discuss what for many of us was a truly magical time! | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
To all you Guyton Guys & Gals: It was announced on the news on 7/18/05 that Guyton elementary school will not be closing, afterall! Citing good student performance and strong neighborhood involvement, the school will remain open and is being highlighted as to what other public schools should be striving for. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1740 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Story about Guyton that Mike-Mooney is referring to: http://www.freep.com/news/locw ay/dps19e_20050719.htm | ||
Roseombre Member Username: Roseombre Post Number: 1 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 205.188.116.201 |
In regards to the Marine Hospital at the foot of Alter Road: I was hospitalized once in that hospital. My husband was a member of the US Coast Guard at that time. This was back in either March of 1963 or 64. I could get care there for free because he was a serviceman. Not many physicians took government insurance at that time. Since I thought I might bleed to death the night I was admitted, I couldn't sleep. They put me in a ward room that must have contained 25 to 30 beds. Sleep? Hah! You never heard such sounds coming from that room. Snoring, sneezing, coughing, beds creaking, nurses coming and going. I wouldn't go to sleep even though the nurses kept telling me to go to sleep. I thought "if I'm going to die in here tonight, I'm going to go out knowing everything and fully conscious". In 1963 no one was allowed to stay in the hospital with you. I'm not from that area of Detroit. I grew up on the lower eastside, south of Jefferson Avenue and just a short walk from Fairview Park and the river. | ||
shaney (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.14.92.176 |
Wow, talk about memory lane! I haven't even thought about some of these places in years. My brother told me about this forum so I came to check it out. Glenn Anderson, I remember quite a few of the families you mentioned, particularly the Bells, as I am one of them,lol. I'm Sharon, John Bell's little sister and if you are the Glenn Anderson I'm thinking of I remember you. I still have contact occasionally with Ken Masty, and some of the other names are vaguely familiar. I lived on Chalmers, 3 houses above Avondale from 1963 to 1974. My mother remarried and we moved to Alter and Jefferson until 1977 when we moved to Warren, MI. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1752 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Do any of you remember where the closest post office was to your neighborhood? There is a relatively new post office on East Jefferson, two blocks east of Conner, referred to as the "Fox Creek Station" even though it's nearly on top of Connors Creek. I'd like to know if this replaced an older post office building farther east on Jefferson, maybe somewhere between Chalmers and Alter? Before the zip code system came into being, was your postal code Detroit 15, Michigan? | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
I know that there was a tiny little post office in "Donna Lee's" soda shop, on Coplin and Freud. Also, Kercheval and Phillip had one. I am vaguely remembering one on the north side of Jefferson, down by Kitchner. My postal code went from Detroit 15, to 48215. | ||
Eastside Member Username: Eastside Post Number: 420 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 68.42.170.57 |
Now aint that just a great story about them saving Guyton? | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1754 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Thanks Mike Mooney. Here is a picture of the current Fox Creek post office, on Jefferson at Gray (near Kitchener). I don't think it's more than 15 years old, and I was wondering where the post office it replaced was located. I'm going on the assumption that there is one post office per zip code. I'll have to drive up & down Kercheval to see if I can find any former post office there. | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
The old Post Office on Kercheval was located on the south east corner with Phillip Street. It was a yellow brick building with truck bay doors on the west side of the building. It had been a long time since I was in that neck of the woods...I wonder if it is still standing? Hell, now I'm wondering if it was on the corner of Manistique and Kercheval? I think it was Phillip. Manistique and Kercheval had a grocery store, I believe. Speaking of Jefferson and Kercheval, the city blocks between these two east-west avenues were perhaps the longest blocks in the city of Detroit! Say on Chalmers Steet, for example, it has to be around three quarters of a mile (or more) between Jefferson & Kercheval. I remember hiking around the neighborhood as a kid, and being shocked at how long these lower eastside blocks were, compared to other sections of the city. Same thing with the north-south avenues below Jefferson. | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.111.124 |
Guyton gets conditional reprieve – well if the folks my brother and I met there several months ago when we went for (what we thought was) a farewell tour are an example of grit, it will be open for a long time because they are a dedicated and organized bunch of people, and dearly love the old school as we did so many years ago. Moreover, the paper was right, Guyton’s test scores were tops in the area. The students seem eager to learn and are polite and well behaved. I kind of got the idea that the school’s staff and surrounding community work closely together. In short, as when I was there, the teachers don’t take any stuff from the students and the kid’s parents back them up – something unusual in Detroit’s schools these days. Mike C – When you mentioned Harry shared some of his ‘67 riot stories with you, it reminded me of the time we could have caused an international incident when we accidentally invaded Canada. Harry and I stuck together and were all over Detroit during the riot. In fact, we never really got settled at any one location before we were packing-up our gear to move somewhere else. However, one time we lucked-up and were sent to the fire station by the foot of W. Grand Boulevard. That was where they docked the fireboat. Anyway, the brass must have forgotten about us because we managed to stay there for a couple of days, which was unusual. The riot didn’t affect the river traffic and the steamers were still running up and down the river. In addition to the fireboat, the J.W. Westcott – the little tugboat that took mail to the steamers as they passed Detroit – was also moored nearby. While we were there, the captain invited the two of us to go with them on a mail run out to the big boats. It sounded like a good idea and we went, taking our weapons, of course. The shipping channel is on the Canadian side of the border so while we were helping to pass up the mail to the crew (they throw buckets over the side attached by ropes, then the mail boat crew fills the buckets up with mail and they’re hauled back up to the ship) we were in Canada. Unlike the U.S., the Canadians get real ticked about bringing firearms into their country. They might have gotten even a bit testier had they known that two uniformed soldiers, armed to the teeth (and, we were federalized by that time, too) were floating around in their territorial waters for hours. We didn’t think of it at the time, but I’m sure now that what we did was some kind of treaty violation. I hope there is a statute of limitations on our inadvertent incursion since I’ve put it out here in cyberspace for all to read, and we really didn’t want to take over their country anyway (smile). (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1756 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Thanks for the tip Mike; I think found the former Fox Creek PO on Kercheval (at Marlborough), based on the style of building and the flag pole:   According to city records, it was built in 1940. I can't find a date for the new one on Jefferson, and I see the link to the picture I posted isn't working, so here it is:  | ||
Eastside Member Username: Eastside Post Number: 429 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 68.42.170.57 |
Leave it to Mikem to get those pics. Good do. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 25 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Mike Mooney. I'm also 53. You mentioned St Mark's, you must of meant St. Martin's. I was the last graduation class of 1970. As I mentioned before we had a grocery store at Eastlawn and Freud. | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
ooopps! Yeah Ron, I meant St Martins. St. Marks is a church I go to now. I lived on the north west corner of Newport & Freud (one block east of eastlawn) between 1968 and 1971. I went into your family store everyday. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1816 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Another view of the Detroit Motor Boat Club formerly at the foot of Alter:  | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.18.30 |
Just a little far from the old neighborhood, but we’re all eastsiders so what the heck. Does anyone remember the old W.W. II submarine that use to be moored behind the Broadhead Naval Armory. I toured it once on a school trip, but I can’t remember the name of the boat. Can anyone help? (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mike_mooney Member Username: Mike_mooney Post Number: 9 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 68.40.216.42 |
I don't remember the name, but I do remember that there was also an old Destroyer stationed there. Both the sub and Destroyer were moored to the east of the Belle Isle bridge. Also, there used to be that huge stove at the entrance to Belle Isle, on Jefferson. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1840 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
USS Tambor http://info.detnews.com/histor y/story/index.cfm?id=62&catego ry=locations | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 26 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
I use to go fishing down there too. | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
Great site. Here's a treasure from my grandfather's files. He was a police inspector at the time. I copied Mikem's research from February to go with it. (Thank you Mike!) Unfortunately, I had to scale it way down before this forum would allow me to post -- but use this as your reference and I'll send some crops of the high res version. "OCT. 24, 1958: A British Royal Air Force bomber jet -- trailing smoke and flame and its pilot calling out "mayday" -- crashed on Ashland Avenue near the Detroit River on the city's far east side. All six crew members were killed. Three homes were destroyed and about 40 others were damaged. Wreckage was scattered into nearby Grosse Pointe. No one on the ground was killed; two women were treated for burns. The four-engine delta-winged plane was on a training mission, flying from Lincolnshire, England, to Lincoln, Neb. Crippled, it dived from 45,000 feet, passing over hospitals and schools on its path to the ground. The impact was so hard that searchers dug 70 feet in an unsuccessful effort to find the plane's cockpit. The largest piece of wreckage found was a 6-foot section of wing that landed on a porch."  | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
This shows the point of impact, fire engines, ambulances and onlookers.  | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
Klenk Island and a few onlookers standing right next to the burning house.  | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
Grosse Pointe Park, (notice the cars get better) with spectators on the Alter embankment, which was also a great place to watch fireworks and kill June bugs. Notice the Tudor bath house, which converted to a skate-changing/hot-chocolate house in winter when we were allowed in. Not pictured: bent iron post back by the tennis courts where we snuck in the rest of the time.  | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1892 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Great contribution 286Marlborough! I searched for a long time for information about the crew's mission and the typr of aircraft, but found nothing. You said you had to scale down the pictures -- any chance you could email the original versions to me? Thanks and welcome to the forum! kc8ttv@comcast.net | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 5 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
The subject Marine Hospital and trailer park.  | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1893 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Was there a traffic signal in front of the hospital? I think I saw a signal control box across the street from the hospital; I thought that was odd, but then maybe the amount of traffic generated by the hospital, trailers, and park were enough to warrant a light. | ||
286marlborough Member Username: 286marlborough Post Number: 6 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 65.24.198.185 |
Can't tell. Here's the last one. It shows the end of Harbor Island across the canal from the crash.  | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2056 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
I found this postcard in an antique store last week. Not sure of the date, except that it only required a one-cent stamp to mail it, and the backside has no information other than the hospital's address:  Here's a close up of the old curved bridge I mentioned before, with some cars in the background. Late '30s, early '40s?  | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 27 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
That place was huge. Nice Pic's. | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.41.126.244 |
We moved from the trailer park ,3 years ago. They wanted all of us out fast. Till this day, there is still no progress. All the trailers have been demolished. Has anyone heard anything? TrailerpARK pAT (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.99.193 |
Ron Sadd – I read the post by Southwestmap on the “Jefferson/Eastlawn area” discussion site and I completely disagree that you were responsible for closing down this site. You expressed your opinion and unless I’m mistaken, this is still America and you can do that here. Without thinking, I might have been responsible, as my comments about joining the Nat’l Guard to avoid service in Viet Nam could have been construed as insensitive. So if anyone is to blame for the lack of participation on the forum it is I, and for this I apologize. I have already expressed regret in an earlier post to those that my remarks might have offended, and I hope this second apology will bring back the old neighborhood residents to the forum with more great memories. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 46 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
Mark You already did. The National Guard are in Iraq now. God bless them. Some people just don't understand. That's the way it goes. Like you said everybody does have an opinion if you like it or not. Go Cadets | ||
James Amato (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.42.252.134 |
Hi Everyone, Well I finally made it back. I've been tied up moving and just a whole bunch of stuff. I tried to read everything I missed and it seems I missed quite a bit. Did I see Mike Cerrick??(spelling)post here? Geez Mike I haven't heard your name for awhile. No matter how hard I try I can't place your face or remember to much about you. Most everything posted here I have forgotten though. It all comes back once I read it. You mentioned a lot of names of people I hung around with back in the day so I'm sure our paths crossed or we even hung out at times. Was it you & Mark Colden who tried to nail me with the bowling balls when I was setting pins at the Jefferson Club?? I did get hit once but not by you guys. Some league player threw the ball down the wrong lane and smashed my ankle. I couldn't walk for weeks. lolol Knocked me right down in the pit. I think setting pins is how I got my bad back. Mark I'm going to get you for that brother. I did forget by the way. lol But now I know so watch your back......... Mark did you say you worked for the Detroit News? In what capacity? Were you a carrier or did you actually work for them? I retired from that place. I worked there for 24 years. What a dump. I was so glad to get out of there. I left two years after the strike. Best thing I ever did. I'm going to re-read all the new posts and I'll be back to post somemore later. (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mark R. Colden (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.229.99.230 |
Jimmy – You’ve got to stop following me around (just kidding). You said you retired from The News a couple of years after the ‘95 strike having put in 24 years of service at the “Old Grey Lady.” According to my reckoning, you came just after I left. I started at the News just before the ’67 riot. I thought I was being hired to be the next super reporter. Consequently, I showed-up for my first day in a suit. Boy, was I surprised when I was guided up a couple of stairs, directed to my right, walked down a corridor – past the presses – and through another door leading into the garage. Once there, I was taken across the garage, up some more stairs to the dispatcher’s office. I was to begin my newspaper career in the circulation dept. I would start by loading newspapers into trucks, then jumping off of them to run the papers into drug stores, supermarkets, etc., as a division jumper. I got a district of my own in 1968, after the strike. They gave me District 50 – where the riot began the year before. I think they were trying to tell me something. Anyway, I left there in 1972 or ‘73 and went to work for a suburban ad agency. After that, I wrote for the Highland Park paper until it went belly-up then moved over to the Hamtramck paper. I had a column in The Michigan Citizen until 2000 and did freelance work, which I still do. You must remember Mike Carrick. He was the skinny kid that ran around with Eddie M., Harry D., Frank C. Cliff (Iggy) B. and me. Nice dude, too. (Message approved by admin) | ||
James Amato (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.42.252.134 |
Mark C. - Now isn't that strange? I started at the Free press and worked there as a District Manager for 14 years. I even won a few awards for effciency. When I saw the JOA coming I took an offer to drive truck. I wanted to get out of the field because they were going to combine a lot of jobs and being a District Manager would have been three times the work. I drove truck for 10 years and retired. The Free Press really treated their people well but when Gannett came in things really changed. They were totally anti-union and they had the majority on the board. That was the beginning of the end for us. The whole JOA was a scam and should have never happened. I know Meese got paid off to ok it. He retired the very next day. Everyone I know that works there now hates it and I can't blame them. It's like the blind leading the blind. They make money dispite some very bad management. I'm glad I got out when I did. I was a jumper also and a loader. I would drive but take overtime shifts as a loader. I liked jumping and loading. Pretty easy for the money. I do remember Mike Carrick like I said but I can't form a picture of him in my mind. I take it Eddie M. is Michaels and Frank C. is Claserto? I sat right next to Frank in homeroom at Southeastern. I used to get him in so much trouble. I'd always pass him these pictures I would draw and he would almost fall out of his seat laughing and of course the teacher would be there in a flash. We had some really great times. Was Harry D.- Diamond ?? I hung around with Dave Diamond and I know he had a brother. Dave died of cancer some time ago. I have a great idea. Lets co-write a book about the good old days. Think of a good title, throw in some fiction mixed with some truth and wind up with something like 1943. There were so many interesting characters and things that happened. Wrap up a movie deal and retire to some south seas paradise. I have to laugh just thinking about some of the stupid things I got involved in. It was crazy. Did you ever see the movie A Broncs Tale with Robert DiNero? The kid that played his son was arrested about a month ago with a another guy. They were doing a B&E at a vacant house and a neighbor who was a cop caught them and his buddy shot the cop and killed him. Unbelievable. He had it all going on. Stupid. That was a cool movie about that neighborhood and times. Some time I'll have to tell you a little story about you and I that I'm sure you have forgotten but I don't think I ever will. It's one of those things that sets itself in your brain and you never forget it. I don't want to tell the story on here because it was so embarassing for me but it was so damn funny (at your expense) that I still laugh about it to this day. You have to promise me that if I tell you, you won't slug me. It was a young and stupid thing. Like when you guys tried to cream me with your bowling balls. It's like someone walking into a parking meter and getting hurt but you just can't help laughing. Well I'm out of breath so I'll close it out here. Talk to you soon bro. (Message approved by admin) | ||
James Amato (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.42.252.134 |
Mike Carrick - Hi Mike. It's Jim Amato. I was reading your posts. I still talk to Bob Mali. He lives up north. Cheboygan. I believe his father was a fireman. He lives in a big log house by himself. He's trying to sell it and move back down here. He has MS and has trouble getting around but he's doing well. All the guys in the neighborhood just saw Quickie not to long ago. His father passed away and he came in for the funeral. He lives in California with his wife. He has his own business. I think he does powder coating. I couldn't believe how he has changed. He totally cleaned up his life and is doing quite well these days. I sure am glad because I never held out any hope for him. Norm Joseph is still around. You wouldn't even recognize him. He's totally bald. I was at the second from last St. Martins reunion and saw him their. We just called him "Numa" back then. St. Martins just had their 40th reunion at the Mirage on 18 mile and Garfield. I DJ'd it for them. Pat Borlase (Lips) was on the committee. I saw Bonnie Koonz, the Hitt brothers, the Broullard brothers, Tony Smartage, Vince Contrera, and Pete Hage amoung a few. I have two group photos and some other ones I took. If you would like them just e-mail me and I'll send them to you. eldorado865@comcast.net That goes for anyone on here also. Just let me know. I have some other pics but not that many. I sure would like to get ahold of any pictures that anyone has of anyone we grew up with. If I could get enough of them I would turn them into a dvd slide show to watch on your tv. I've got nothing but time on my hands these days. I sure would like to get something organized, like a picnic someplace this summer and see if we can't get as many people as we can to come for the day. Like a pavillion at Stoney Creek. That would be a gas. Cool Daddy O. lol My brain is cramping so I'm outta here. Catch you guys later, when your legs are straighter. (Message approved by admin) | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 67.38.11.17 |
The Trailer Park site is to be redeveloped with expensive condominiums, mostly in a high rise. There could be as many as 270. Some will be townhouses on the water. (Message approved by admin) | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.41.126.244 |
When is the trailer park going to be redeveloped? They sure wanted us out of there. I heard about the condos. They were accepting new tennants up till they closed. I dont think that was right. (Message approved by admin) | ||
doogie48084 (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.216.117.68 |
Here is a picture of the Giant stove that used to be at the Uniroyal location, it was formerly garland stove company. [img]http://www.michmarkers.com/ima ges/S0661.jpg[/img] (Message approved by admin) | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.41.159.127 |
Hello: I used to live up near Coplin and Vernor and was reading your site. Before there was a trailer park or a hospital the area was the Windmill Point Lighthouse and Klenk's Windmill Point Inn. The Inn was there at least until 1923. Please see the attached aerial photograph and publicity shot from the Packard Motor Car Co. (Message approved by admin) | ||
(Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 205.174.22.27 |
286marlborough Please send me the crash photos.I was born on Ashland about 2 blocks from there don't remember the address the landlords name was Vera...Thanks ..M.Maes (Message approved by admin) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2819 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Recently this postcard was up for bid on eBay:  It eventually sold for $11.50. The seller estimated the card to be as old as ~1935. Caption says: "Lakeside Trailer Court 14630 Riverside Drive - Foot Alter Road Detroit, Mich On the Lake" | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 56 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.244.174.32 |
COOL | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2853 Registered: 10-2003 |
Another thread over in the Discuss Detroit section is hashing out the history of horse racing on the east side ( Where was Grosse Pointe Race Track?). Two horse tracks were located in the area between Connors Creek and Fox Creek at the turn of the century; the Detroit Driving Club and the Detroit Jockey Club...  The Detroit Driving Club was turned into an automobile race course for a few years before it finally closed. It's most notable for being the course where Henry Ford beat a well known auto racer, finally bringing serious attention to Ford and his potential. Did you kids find any horse shoes or spark plugs while playing in your yards? | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2005 |
I sure do miss the trailer park! Lots of nice people. Anyone know of the whereabouts of former tennants, please reply. I lived there from 1999-2003. Pat N (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 58 Registered: 03-2005 |
Hi (Message approved by admin) | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 61 Registered: 03-2005 |
Did you type something Brenda? Doesn't appear here. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 2 Registered: 02-2007 |
Yes Ron: It was here last night? I will try to find it and reenter. Hope you have a great Valentine's Day you and everyone. Think Spring. Brenda PS: I saw a picture when Bobby Kennedy was in town. I remember working for his campaign in 1968 as a student at Cass Tech before his death. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2007 |
Ok, I will try again. I basically said I lived at 419 Eastlawn and was two blocks from St. Martin. I could see it from my back yard. I remember the beautiful trees that touched each other forming an arch along the streets. I loved to rake the leaves for my parents and burn them--it was so much fun. There are many people I remember and have heard sad stories about quite a few of them. I have also heard positive as well. Some of the family names I remember, Hutchcraft, Chenewith, M. Hurt, Steisands (twins), voynoffs (famous lol), Zuellig, Valerie Frosh, Sparrows, Clays and of course, Mr. Weitschat. I am glad that the people here and rekindled my memory of the neighborhood, the people and the trusting life we experienced so long ago. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3044 Registered: 10-2003 |
The trailer park is now completely empty. Nothing left but the foundations and one little cinder block building in the middle:  | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2007 |
I've been reading this forum for about 2 years now and just couldn't stand by any longer and not add my fond memories of growing up on the lower eastside/Jeff Chalmers neighborhood. It was especially nice to see my favorite teacher from Guyton mentioned recently, Mr. Weitschat I can still remember helping him put books away in the Library or taking a trip out to his Boat down at Klink Island. For me I grew up at 247 Chalmers, my parents moved there from Eastlawn in 1968 when I was about 3 years old. Back in the 60's and early 70's you couldn't walk 3 blocks before you ran into one of my relatives. My parents were also original eastsiders having attend Anunciation through High school, my Dad worked at the Roostertail during its heyday. My Grandmother was one of the original residents of the Greyhaven Project, her father was the owner of Koerber Brewery (big before prohibition) and they had a home built across the canal from the Garwood Estate and attended St Martins back in the 1920/30's. I have throughly enjoyed all the collective memories of these posting....someone should write a book. For me I left the land of canals and the Hill store (Flo's) for the Navy in 1983 and have lived in Hawaii for the last 16 years but I make it back to the old neighborhood at least every other year or so and have never failed to go visit my old haunts down at Angel/Lakewood Parks although as we all know its not the same, the memories of the best neighborhood in Detroit are as fresh as ever. Aloha Lyle Eagle | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 8 Registered: 02-2007 |
I found my lost message I posted in February. It was on one the similar sights.... Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 9:39 pm: ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------------------- lived at 419 Eastlawn--two street from St. Martin. I went to Guyton school and had friends from both schools. Someone mentioned the famous Venoffs(sp). One of them was at a Guyton reunion in 94 that I attended. I loved the beautiful trees that touched each other on the streets and the smell of burning leaves in the fall. I remember taking long walks to Lakewood Park and Angel Park. I later cruised with my 10speed along Windmill Point and onto Lakeshore Drive up to 8 mile before returning home. I had my little transistor attached to my bike so I could have tunes (before walkman or Ipods, lol). My radio was made by the Zenith company that my father worked for and made in America too! I loved going to Kresge and Saunders. My mother used to shop at Alberts and my friends were regulars at the Cinderella theater. I loved the book-mobile...still an avid reader. ok, I have this posted on all three "Lost Paradise" sites. So Mr. R. Saad, you should see my posting,lol. To all the others who have read this site or crossed my path when I was young, these memories are truly precious. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 9 Registered: 02-2007 |
For all of you who went to Guyton, below is Mr. Weitschat's current address where he resides in Traverse City. I think it would be awesome if you wrote him a letter. He has a stellar memory and I am sure he would remember all of you. Though he can't write back after his recent stroke (72 years old), he is still quite alive. I have been in touch with him currently since 2005 and had dinner with him last August up in Traverse before his recent stroke. Since I work at a nursing home for the VA, I know how important it is for my boys to know they are cared about and love. This would make this site more meaningful and useful for the purpose of keeping memories alive. Here is where you can write to him: Mr. Willard (Bill) Weitschat Christwood Hills Dementia Care 3735 Yorkshire Dr Traverse City MI 49686-7202 Phone: 231-932-2051 Life is precious and Mr. Weitschat was a unique and gifted teacher many will never experience again in our lifetime or possibly in our children's future. To the other special people who went to St. Martin, your memories are just as enlightening and meaningful because we all grew up together in the best neighborhood in Detroit! | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 10 Registered: 02-2007 |
Aloha Mr. Eagle! Especially to a former sailor! Thank you for sharing your memories of the ole' neighborhood. Even though Mr. Weitschat didn't get the Presidential Medal of Freedom I submitted, I know he was honored and he had a great time "bragging" about it. The only that has changed about Mr. Weitschat is his body--his spirit is quite alive and brilliant. I remember hanging around Garwood Mansion in my youth, lol..... I also had my ten speed and my transistor (before ipods) and cruise Windmill Point, Lake Shore Drive and back to my beloved neighborhood. Keep the memories alive, share them with your children and randchildren....make the ole' neighborhood live forever in our souls. To all who read, enjoy and be happy. Smile, Brenda PS: Guyton will get close for sure now in the Fall of 2008. Not surprised. People kept it open way past what I logically thought it would go.... | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2007 |
Brenda Thanks for the kind Aloha and as I know what the word means the sprit of Aloha existed in that old neighborhood back then, it just wasn’t called aloha. I remember the floods of the early 70's when a pile of sand was dumped in the parking lot of Lakewood Park and local residents came and filled sand bags for the coming flood season. I think the Salvation Army had a truck down there that had doughnuts and coffee. I do remember the swim mobile that was parked up on Avondale and Manistique one hot summer. My grandmother lived at 320 Eastlawn for a few years as her 3 youngest sons were drafted during the early days of Vietnam. My Mom would walk us to Sunday school at St Martin down Korte. Its funny I remember sitting in MRS Gleason’s class at Guyton writing welcome home cards to the POW'S but I can’t remember algebraic formulas to save my life. It also seemed back then that everyone knew their neighbors and you could never get away with anything with somebody’s mom busting you. I really hope others join in and share their memories, it was such a rich and diverse place to grow up I owe a lot of who I am today to the streets of that old neighborhood. Remember Charlie the fruit man (Apples, Oranges and Waaaaaaaaaaterrmelon) in the Blue Van? Or the Good Humor man with the dry ice, and let’s not forgets the Twin Pine guy with the handle bar mustache. Keep the memories alive! Aloha | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 75 Registered: 03-2005 |
Mr Softy too. I lived at 418 Manistique. And 786 Eastlawn and Chalmers and by Tommy's Marina too. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 11 Registered: 02-2007 |
First of all to Eaglelv: Thank you so much for your gracious comments and input into the site. I do hope all the people from Guyton who had Mr. Weitschat write him how you are doing. I am sure he would be delighted! You mentioned writing the POWs when they came home from Vietnam. That was an excellent teaching tool never to forget who serves and fights to keep this country free. It isn't the "suits in Washington"...anyway, speaking of memory, this was is so old: I remember a man coming down the street who sharpen knives. Ron: You have a stellar memory--Mr. Softy---so cool, lol. I still think Sanders had the best ice cream! Just to go there and eat ice cream on Jefferson was a double treat! | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2007 |
Brenda That’s amazing as I was listing all those old memories I had from the old neighborhood I remembered the knife sharpening man after I had already posted, talk about a great memory you…… got it. He a big cart he pushed down the side walk going door to door. I’m looking for an old picture of me in front of my Grandmothers house on Eastlawn sipping my first beer with my uncle Leslie shortly after his discharge from the Army. If I remember correctly Flo at the bridge store had pictures of all the kids who came up to buy penny candy in a glass case. Well to wrap this up I'd have to agree with you Brenda an “ice cream Sunday” at Sanders was the best treat around and I could usually talk my mom into a stop in the Dime store for a bag of green army men or a gold fish. Take care and keep those memories coming  ! Lyle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 76 Registered: 03-2005 |
The store was called Byerly's | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 |
Hi All, Been reading for awhile now thought I'd jump in also.I lived at 528 Eastlawn 6th house off Essex. Went to ST. Martin's for the first 8 grades then was asked to go elsewhere. Didn't go to the market on Eastlawn and Freud. Instead went to Greenleaf market on Piper and Essex. Most important hung out at "The Bun" on Drexal & Essex. Dave M. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2007 |
Ron Yes it was officially called Byerlys, but depending on which house you lived in on my street I'd heard it referred to as Flo's, the Bridge store, the Hill store but you’re correct the sign said Byerlys. On most weekends in the spring and early summertime me and my buddy Vince Rife would walk up there and be at her door step at 6:30 in the morning while there was still a hint of fog in the air and you could smell that fresh morning scent, we'd get minnows or buy some candy with our little pocket full of change. In the mid 70's I had a little 12' row boat with an 8hp engine and 5 gal tank, we'd walk down the sidewalk on Chalmers carrying the boat over our heads then go back for the engine, and gas tank to the foot of Scripps then go to the bridge at Harbor Island and put my boat in there at the 1st slip over the fence (that home owner was very tolerant) then we would row over to Tommy’s cause my gas tank was always bone dry fill er up then go explore the canals, dodge the Freighters, and run around Peche Is but I would always make it a point to stop in at Flo's and pick something up, I remember she had a sign that hung behind the counter next to the dogs playing pool that said she was in business since 1945. Flo and her store was a fixture in that pocket of the eastside for decades. I was probably 12 years old when I had that boat. To this day my Mom remarks that she must have been crazy to let me take on the river at such a young age, but hey that river was in my blood for 3 generations and I survived, I think the experience eventually led me to join the Navy years later. Oh hey Davedoc, I used to hit the store down in the basement of an apartment bldg on the corner of Manistique and Essex. What a great place we all had the privilege to grow up in, count us as some of the lucky ones. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 77 Registered: 03-2005 |
We owned the store on Essex and Freud. Flo ran Byerlys. I worked at Tommy's for 5 years. What street was Donna Lees On, Freud and Coplin wasn't it? | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2007 |
Ron What years did you work at Tommys? | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 78 Registered: 03-2005 |
1965 to 70. Roughly. What is your real name Eagle? | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2007 |
My birth name is Lyle V. Eagle IV, you most likely knew one or all of my uncles Mark, Leslie and Bill who are nearer to your age they all served in the Army between 65-71. I'm in my 40's so was just a kid when you were working at Tommys. My Uncle Mark lived at the trailer Park in the mid 70's and my Uncle Bucky (William Koerber) lived in the Trailer at the foot of the light house on the GPP side of the trailer park at the end of the first row on the water, he passed away there in about 1978. Take care Ron, your knowledge of the area is an important part of a living history, you help keep those memories alive for all of us. By the way Ron, Thank you for your service to the country when they called. Respectfully Lyle Eagle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 79 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thanks Lyle. I might of known Mark | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2007 |
I'm sure you ran into him over the years, he introduced me to Angel Park in the late 70's and was more like a brother to me than an Uncle. I used to pop into his trailer and grab some fishing poles and drag him down to the rocks and drop a few lines in the water, sadly he passed away last summer after a car crash on St Paul and Bedford in GPP at the young age of 55. He always owned a Boat or an old muscle car, usually an old Chris Craft and we were always working in the Boat Houses on Klink Is or behind Tommys and down at Keans off Frued, he taught me alot. Take care Ron. Aloha Lyle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 80 Registered: 03-2005 |
Did you know Chum on Klink island? Had a muscle car too. 71 Charger. Sorry to hear about your brother. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2007 |
Doesn't ring a bell but I probably saw it in the neighborhood, My Uncle Mark drove a '67 metallic green Vette, a Silver/black '71 MACH 1 etc. My first car which he sold me for $50 was a '65 Black Chevy Van, 3 on the tree, no seatbelts, no windows and Mag wheels all around, how I survived that car is a mystery. I just about had my own parking spot at Angel park My uncle owned the 2nd house off the corner of Essex and Manistique, directly behind Mr. Weitschats house on Phillip. It was a double lot cause by the late 70's Vacant lots started to appear at a high rate on the eastside (another sad story in itself) anyway he always had a bunch of cars in that extra lot which gave a young motor head such as myself much to do. Lyle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 81 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thought Mr Weitchat lived across from Guyton. I lived second house off Manistique too. 418 .Between Avondale and Essex. I knew people at the second house off Essex on opposite side of subway store toward Avondale. | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2007 |
Ron I'm sure my Aunts and Uncles & cousins went to your store . They lived on Piper and Freud. The first house on the corner. would have been Bill and Michael Moffitt. I see Mike & Tim Gallagher when I go back to Detroit (every few years).I recognize so many names here. I would have graduated from St. martins in'65. I am now corresponding with a nun that taught me in the 6th grade (Sr. Vincella) | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2007 |
used to know a Newall Eagle (sp) can't remember but thought he lived on Newport | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 82 Registered: 03-2005 |
Pretty sure it was the Moffitts. My brother's used to deliver groceries on Piper. Think second house towards Essex. Whats's your last name Dave? | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 4 Registered: 04-2007 |
hey Ron does the name Fran Crooks rings a bell. She & I were in the same classes together with her cousin Jerry (don't ask me to spell his last name. They lived in a 2 family flat. i forget the street navaho or Algonquin possibly | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 5 Registered: 04-2007 |
the same Ron, "Moffitt" and they lived in the corner house on piper & freud jefferson side of freud. I lived on Eastlawn down by Essex. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 83 Registered: 03-2005 |
Whats your last name Dave? The Lapointes lived on Eastlawn by Essex. I went to school with Joan Crooks. | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 6 Registered: 04-2007 |
my last name is Moffitt and when I lived on Eastlawn the Lapointes lived in a corner house on Piper and Averhill I believe. It kitty-corner to the playground | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 12 Registered: 02-2007 |
I hope all the people who went to Guyton will write Mr. Weitschat at the above address. I spoke with his brother' wife the other day and he getting lots of letters. I think this is great and I part of the reason maybe this site can spread the word about their favorite teacher from ole Guyton! | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 84 Registered: 03-2005 |
I graduated with Dan Moffitt and Charlie Lapointe. Yep Lapointes moved to that house. | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 7 Registered: 04-2007 |
Don't know Dan Moffitt, I think his last name was spelled Moffatt and they lived on marlboro. philips or manisique over there someplace. Joe Lapointe was a year or two behind me at St. Martins. Ron you said you graduated in '70 I would have in'65 had i stayed there. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 9 Registered: 03-2007 |
Hey Ron So I just googled my uncles old address on Manistique to see how far he was from your house and the place looks like farm country now with all the torn down houses and open lots! Its really is sad how that street took so many hits. My dad grew up on Harding below Jeff in the 40s and 50s and he tells me they are building new houses right next to the old burned out remains. I think you guys (Ron/DaveDoc/Brenda) were very lucky to have lived in that neighborhood at the age you all were during its heyday. Brenda I did get a letter off to Mr Weitschat so hopefully it reminded him of better days. Keep those posts coming. Lyle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 85 Registered: 03-2005 |
Time flies. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2007 |
Thats the one thing that Never slows down. I just hit my 24th year in the Navy and it seems like yesterday the recruiter pulled up to my house on Chalmers and drove me off to this great adventure. | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 8 Registered: 04-2007 |
Congrats Eaglelv 24 wow! I did 4 yrs and it seemed an eternity. What rating are you ? I was a corpsman on a Destroyer (vintage WWll), with a stint at the Naval Hosp. in Oakland Ca. and then with the Marines in the Nam. Finally as a patient at the Hosp at Great Lakeks Il. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 13 Registered: 02-2007 |
Lyle: Congrats on your stellar Naval career! You are in one of the most beautiful states in our country! You must be a chief now or maybe senior chief? Thank you so much for sending a letter to Mr. Weitschat. Then man has an awesome memory, especially of all his students during his tenure at Guyton. The memories of our old neighborhood are a moment in time that will never exist in Detroit again. Our generation was fortunate to have this upbringing. I loved going to the candy store on Essex and filling little brown bag up with goodies! We did get more for our money. For all the military and veterans on this site, check out my Vet friend's web site: http://mysite.verizon.net/timl itton/ | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 86 Registered: 03-2005 |
I haven't been down there in so long. I live near Flint so I don't go down there rarely at all. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 87 Registered: 03-2005 |
Did you know Bob Sawahi? He lived off Essex On Manistique? | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 14 Registered: 02-2007 |
I almost forgot, To Davedoc: Thank you for serving too. The Vietnam vets were hosed really bad, but you are our heroes too! Does anyone remember Valerie Froh (how about you Ron?)she was a nice friend when I was a child. My house at 419 Eastlawn, last time I checked 8 years or so ago had been redone and looked very nice. Can't say that for the rest of the empty lots where friends used to live. What happen to our neighborhood was a travesty and did not need to happen--no matter who lives there. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2007 |
DaveDoc Now the Doc part makes sense, Thanks for your service Brother no doubt you patched up a few Marines in your day!! I'm a Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman, I started out flying as an Aircrewman on Patrol Planes (P3-C) did all my tours in Asia, Middle East and Southwest Asia (as we all do nowadays unfortunately, really hasn't been the same since 9/11). I will retire in '09 and then get a real job . Brenda I hope Mr Weitschat enjoys the memories, he was a special Teacher who taught us more than what was in the books I hope he knows how important he is. Ron my wife is from Flint and my brother in law owns his own garage there called Genesee Auto (small world) if your ever in need drop my name and he'll take care of you. I was watching the news yesterday about the current floods in the Midwest and was reminded of the early 70's when Channel 7 Action News drove down my block on Chalmers in an outboard boat between Korte and Scripps. I think half the basements had several feet of water in them including ours. Take care all DaveDoc, there is a new website for Navy Vets called "Navy Together We Served". I have a profile posted on there, its a great way to get in touch with people you served with going all the way back to the 1930's. Try it out if you get a chance. http://navy.togetherweserved.c om/usn/index.jsp | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 15 Registered: 02-2007 |
Davedoc and Lyle: My friend Tim Litton set up a special icon just for the Navy on his web site. I entered one entry and photo from the 80s--which he published. I am so glad I found this site to talk about the old neighborhood and for people their memories. My friend Tim has a place on his web site for Navy or Army pictures and thoughts! I hope all the Guyton people write Mr. Weitschat and keep this site running. This has been quite enlightening! Tim's web: mysite.verizon.net/timlitton | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 9 Registered: 04-2007 |
Brenda I gather from your address (419 Eastlawn) you must have lived across the street from Maggie Valentas (sp) and on the same side as the Brouillard's. I know pete Haige lived close also. I went to Guyton for Kindergarten only. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 16 Registered: 02-2007 |
Doc: A corpman, smile!! Right now, I don't recall Maggie or Pete. Some things I can remember like they were yesterday and others have faded forever. I lived between Avondale and Averhill. I had friends from St. Martin it seems as I got older, not so much while in elementary. The Campionis (sp) lived next door and the Shroeders (hugh family for this protesant one, lol). There was Tom Clay, who lived one street down on Eastlawn, but his grandmother lived two doors down from me and we would set up in the tree being kids and using our imagination. There was also Steve Bell (who was adopted and became Thompson)--he played guitar after the Beatles came out and was so "cool" with all the girls. It is strange when I think how separated we were as kids between St. Martin and Guyton. Kinda sad now because it would have been a great learning experience and friendship to have both schools do things with one another. In real time, most of my close girlfriends are catholic and very dear to me. In elementary school and interaction on my street, the parents kept us apart. Thank goodness I raised my daughter to enjoy all people no matter what their background, religion or creed. In the final analysis of the old neighborhood and who we are today, we are Americans and that is the best name of all. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 89 Registered: 03-2005 |
I went to Guyton for only Kidergarten too. Where is Genesee Auto at Eagle. | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2007 |
Ron, Genesee Auto is located outside of Flint on the corner of Genesee Rd. & Carpenter Rd. My brother-in-laws name is Tom Brissette. The phone number is 810-736-6500. You can tell him that Lyle sent you. He has been working on cars for 20+ years and opened his own business 5 years ago. So, if you ever need reliable work done at a reasonable price, give him a call. He is one of a few local garages still in the area that don't inflate charges to make a buck. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 92 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ok. Thanks | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 93 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thanks Alot Eagle. | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 94 Registered: 03-2005 |
Is this sight down. I said thanks Lyle 3 days ago | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 17 Registered: 02-2007 |
Lyle: Thanks for recommending the Navy site: http://navy.togetherweserved.c om/usn/index.jsp I read that they are working on the Army and Air Force to have their memory sites too! Ron: Sometimes this site is sooooooooo slow posting comments. Member when I first started and didn't think it was showing up and posted on all three sites, then to see all three postings at once, go figure. Everyone enjoy their weekend! | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 13 Registered: 03-2007 |
No but 2 little girls and a wife prevent me from logging on as much as I'd like to (smile). But your welcome Bro, I hope you get the chance to stop in there sometime if you ever need some work done. Ron how long did your family run the store on the eastside? Lyle | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 95 Registered: 03-2005 |
Probably 30 years or so. After my Dad died,We sold it but got it back a year later, then me and my Mom ran it and sold it again and got it back the third time. We ran it again and lived upstairs till someone threw a bottle through the window. We moved out and gave it to the city cause we didn't want it and nobody would buy it. The City changed so fast. What a shame!!!!!!! | ||
Newport1128 Member Username: Newport1128 Post Number: 16 Registered: 05-2007 |
Anybody remember a market called Lumetta's on Freud and Eastlawn(I think)? The owner was Jim and his son was Sal. My Dad loved Braumeister beer, and Lumetta's was the only place he could get it. He would get a case delivered to our house every week by Sal...two cases if we were having company over! | ||
Jan Member Username: Jan Post Number: 19 Registered: 07-2006 |
I remember the store on Eastlawn but don't remember it's name. There was a store on Newport and Freud that we called "Sal's." It was the owner's name but it may not have been the formal name of the store. His name might have been Cusmano. I knew someone years later who told me that had been her uncle's store. jan | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 96 Registered: 03-2005 |
His name was Jim. Next street pass our store on Eastlawn. It was on Newport. | ||
Newport1128 Member Username: Newport1128 Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2007 |
I think the store moved in the early 70's to Morang near Nottingham. I remember seeing Sal working there. The name may have been changed. | ||
Mangus Member Username: Mangus Post Number: 1 Registered: 06-2007 |
Hello all, I remember all of the VERY good times at Guyton and "Uncle Bill W.". I remember the Guyton fairs and Scout Troop #244 which I was a member along with my brothers, Bob, Mark and Ross. I am sure most of you remember my Mothers Volkswagon Bus (her trademark) and may of you may have had her for your Kindergarten teacher. She is doing very well and still lives in Detroit on the eastside. I enjoyed reading all of the posts as we kept our boat at Tommy's next to Uncle Bill's "Teacher's Pet". Kevin Mangus | ||
Ron_saad Member Username: Ron_saad Post Number: 106 Registered: 03-2005 |
I used to help him with his boat when I worked at Tommy's and lived at the house next to Tommy's. | ||
Thomas_silverman Member Username: Thomas_silverman Post Number: 2 Registered: 06-2007 |
Would anyone happen to have an old or recent picture of Bill Weitschat? If so, could you post it? Thanks. | ||
Mangus Member Username: Mangus Post Number: 2 Registered: 06-2007 |
Our Boat was the "Naughty Nine". We used to get our ice cream cones and Fries at Tommy's after they built the new building. I remember it well. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 18 Registered: 02-2007 |
Mr.Silverman: I don't have an old picture of Mr. Weitschat, but I had the honor of seeing him in person last August before he had to live in assisted living. I can tell you he still has that twinkle in his eyes and looks alot like you remember as a child, but older. I hope someone in this group does have a picture when he was our teacher at Guyton. Until they do post it, why don't you write this precious and great teacher where he resides. He can't write back, but I am sure you will give him joy by the stories you remembered: Here is where you can write to him: Mr. Willard (Bill) Weitschat Christwood Hills Dementia Care 3735 Yorkshire Dr Traverse City MI 49686-7202 Phone: 231-932-2051 for the other posting, so how did "Angel Park" gets its' name?????? | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2007 |
There was no better treat than a Tommys cheeseburger and fries finished off with a soft serve ice cream cone on a hot summers day on the good old lower East side of Detroit. Good stuff! | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 19 Registered: 02-2007 |
Yo Mr. Eagle: The cheeseburger, fries and soft ice cream were a delight, now the medical police say we can't eat that whether you are young or old, lol. I still liked going to Kresges and getting a "real cherry coke" on Jefferson!!! The pop that is out now will never compare to a soda fountain cherry coke!! | ||
Dennymit Member Username: Dennymit Post Number: 2 Registered: 06-2007 |
I can tell you the REAL story of how "Angel Park" got its name. Any interest? | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2007 |
Come on Dennymit... were waiting? | ||
Dennymit Member Username: Dennymit Post Number: 3 Registered: 06-2007 |
How Did “Angel Park” Get Its Name? (This is the true story of how it actually happened.) At the foot of Alter Road, where it becomes Riverside Boulevard, is a large park that is run by the City of Detroit Department of Parks & Recreation. The name of this park is Alfred Brush Ford Park. Back in the day, the west and north edges of the park were lined with boat docks and a boat yard. The portion of the park that borders the Detroit River was for recreation. During the day, this tree filled park was full of young children playing on the swings and having picnics with their families. All along the waterfront, both on the canal side and the Detroit River, you could find fishermen trying to catch the biggest fish while sharing stories of the “big one that got away” yesterday. Now if you grew up in the area, you are well aware that after dark the activities of the park changed from families to lovers who seldom left the coziness of the cars that were parked along the edge of road with front bumpers against the chain that outlined the park. One hot night during the early summer of 1953, the three children of a family that lived on the corner of Philip and Avondale along with some other neighborhood kids took a ride in dad’s car down Alter Road to the Alfred Brush Ford Park. The three siblings were a fourteen-year-old boy who was the driver, an eleven-year-old girl, and their younger brother who was eight-years-old and usually the brunt of any joke that could be played on him. Let’s call these siblings “Gary”, “Jackie”, and “Dennis”. All of these children attended Catholic schools. Jackie and Dennis attended St. Martins on the Lake located at the other end of the neighborhood on Drexel and Avondale. As the car approached the end of the road in the park that memorable night, Gary turned into a parking space to turn around. As the car pulled in, the headlights shined on a 5 by 8 inch sign mounted on the chain hung between steel poles. The sign read, “Angle Parking.” Dennis, being eight years old, was in the early stages of learning to read. And being a good Catholic young man, he always listened to what the good IHM sisters taught about God and His legions of Angels. As Gary was backing the car out of the parking space to complete the turn-around, Dennis asked the fateful question, “Why do they call this ‘Angel Park’?” A huge roar of laughter rang out and the other kids in the car, all older, began making fun of Dennis since those in the parked cars were being anything but Angels. I think they were “watching the submarine races.” This story made it around the neighborhood in record time and the name of Alfred Brush Ford Park was changed forever! . | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2007 |
Great story Dennymit and I will consider it gospel from here on....what do you think Brenda? Lyle ( Jeff/Chalmers forever...) | ||
Dennymit Member Username: Dennymit Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2007 |
Well guys, as it says at the beginning of the story, "This is the true story of how it actually happened." Long before there were any drugs at the park ---- back in the simpler days! | ||
Dennymit Member Username: Dennymit Post Number: 5 Registered: 06-2007 |
Does anybody have memories of Lakewood Lunch or Gino's Pizzeria | ||
Davedoc Member Username: Davedoc Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2007 |
it's been a month since anyone posted. got tired i guess. yes Dennymit i remember Gino's on Jeff between lakewood & Chalmers. good pizza can't get one where i live. just got of the phone with Mike Gallagher & Tim Gallagher. was good to talk to them both. another reunion for the neighborhood next month ...i won't be there. | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 798 Registered: 11-2006 |
Dennymit, Thanks for clearing up the "where'd the park get it's name?" Makes it a sweet place now in my mind! I grew up in GPP, born in 1961. Your old neighborhood was always very mysterious to me. From what I've read I wish I grew up there too. Well, Wayburn was close. We did alot of the same things back in the day. You seem to be a very good group of people, and I hope you all live very long, happy lives wherever you are. | ||
Elaine_hamby Member Username: Elaine_hamby Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2007 |
Hi all! I'm new on the Forum so let me tell you where I lived and who I knew. Maybe some of you knew the same kids. I lived at 880 Ashland (and also 679 Ashland), on the bridge. Skated right outside my door all winter! My friends in the neighborhood were a mix of St. Martin's and Guyton: Angela Liberty, Valerie Vammerhaggy, Marie Zadowski, Judy Moss, Debbie Boutell and Pam Sternicki. My best friends at Guyton (I went from fourth grade - Miss Gleason, to eighth grade - Mrs. Tisdale - from 1958 to 1963) were Sharon Moore, Pam Nixon, Hermione Pursch, Lynn Horman, Judy Brightwell, Christine Smith and Mary Ellen Desmot. Mrs. Torbett was the Principal, Mrs. Homier was the Vice Princ. and my teachers were Miss Gleason, Miss Shepherd (who was crazy, sorry, but she was certifiably nuts; she smacked Richard Prichard across the face one day), Mr. Weitschat, Mr. Fiondo, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mrs. Tisdale. For other classes, I can remember Mr. Elkins and Mr. Herman (for science), Mrs. Carter (auditorium, and she was Charlton Heston's stepmother, he came to Guyton one day), Mr. Curry (gym) and Mr. Curry's very pregnant wife taught us girls ballet after school in the little gym on the third floor. I was attending Ives (third grade) when the plane hit at the end of Ashland and my mom and dad and I walked down there to look at it the next day. I heard it hit and I was two blocks away and it shook the ground, too. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 20 Registered: 02-2007 |
What a wonderful memory Elaine. You might have been a little older than I, but I also knew Judy Moss, Marleen McBride, Anita Sparrow, Susan Parker, Larry Zuellig (he passed away 1/1/2006 as a professor in Izmir,Turkey). I had mentioned earlier where anyone who was taught by dear Mr. Weitschat could write to him. He had another stroke last year, but it is a beautiful place to live. I know he reads all his mail. He cannot write back, but it would be a wonderful gift back to our favorite and probably one of the best teachers that ever existed. His address below: Mr. Willard (Bill) Weitschat Christwood Hills Dementia Care 3735 Yorkshire Dr Traverse City MI 49686-7202 Phone: 231-932-2051 My name was Brenda Foster and I lived at 419 Eastlawn..down the street from Tom Clay, Steve Bell and Donna Wasson. I went to Guyton until the 8th grade, then Jackson Jr High, Cass Tech for two years and then Southeastern for grad in 69. I went on to Wayne State University. I was active duty in the Navy during the Reagan years (1981-89) active/reserve. I moved to Indiana where I continue to work for my fellow veterans--trying to right the wrong that has been done to them. If you guys want to see pictures of my daughter, Navy years and early years go to: navy.togetherweserved and type in Carpenter,Brenda I is amazing how clear our memory is of our youth at Guyton, the old neighborhood and the people who touched our lives. | ||
Elaine_hamby Member Username: Elaine_hamby Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2007 |
Hi Brenda. Very nice to hear from you. I did, in fact, write a letter to Mr. Weitschat, a couple of years ago. I don't remember the address I used, but I found one that I believe was a house address, not a hospital, in Traverse City. I hope he received it. When I visited Guyton in the early 70s, I walked into the school by the principal's office and - I was about 25, so it had been at least 13 years since we'd seen each other, but Mr. Weitschat walked out of the principal's office - because he was the principal by then, of course - and recognized me right away. What a fine person he is. And a great, great teacher. I was also very fond of Mr. Wisniewski. You're right, Brenda, when I think about the Guyton days, it seems like just a short time ago. Does anyone remember the movie about Guyton? | ||
Eastside61 Member Username: Eastside61 Post Number: 283 Registered: 07-2006 |
Brenda : any memory of the following teachers: Fran Smith (English) Cass Tech Ed Varney (Counselor) Cass Tech Jack Ward (Coach) SE Larry Till ( English) SE Sal DeMercurio (English) SE Ed Emling (Science) SE | ||
Eastside61 Member Username: Eastside61 Post Number: 284 Registered: 07-2006 |
Brenda - Do you remember the following teachers: Fran Smith (English) Cass - Jack Ward, Larry Till, Sal deMercurio (Southeastern) | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2007 |
Eastside61: Please don't be mad at me, but none of the teachers above--either CT or SE are relevant to me. I remember a Ms. Qualye at CT...she was nuts. I remember Mr. Africh (sp) from SE, he had invited Cindy Myers and myself to his home where he had two German guys for us to meet, lol. One of the people I had mentioned from Guyton to SE was Larry Zuellig who had a brain tumor and passed in January of 07. I had the honor to write to him as a adult for a short period and was enlighten in what he had done for himself--professor in Izmir, Turkey and had married a lady there during the 70s while stationed there. Mr. Wisniewski was a gas...I remember he had this pressure he put on the guys shoulder when the goofed up---the greatest goofup was Eugene Edwards....Mr. W once asked the class who was the most famous black person they knew of in America....Butch proudly raised his hand and said "Aunt Jamima"(sp)...the class exploded in laugher for along time...Mr. W called him to the head of the class and did the shoulder trick--which hit a nerve and brought ole Butch to his knees...can't remember if Mr. W straighten the class on Butch's misinformation....but Mr. Wisniewski was a cool teacher...I hope is a cool older man enjoying his memories and laughs. | ||
Elaine_hamby Member Username: Elaine_hamby Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2007 |
Brenda, your memory of Mr. Wisniewski was great! I think you were in his class some years after I was. I was in his class - 7th grade - in '61 or '62. Joe Lupo was in my class and Mr. W. switched our grade cards one time, accidentally. He put my grades on Joe's - and I made GOOD grades! - and Joe's grades on mine - and Joe didn't make such good grades! I tried to catch Mr. W. on his way out of the school and he said, "We'll talk tomorrow." I went home with a very bad report card and my parents knew it wasn't mine...I'd never made grades like that before! So, the next day, Mr. W. looked in his book, found the error and called Joe up. Joe wasn't going to say a thing about his grades, because they were excellent! Things were straightened out, but I never forgave Mr. W. for waving me off the night before. I didn't get a wink of sleep that night! | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2007 |
Elaine: If this is any relief from that memory on Mr. W's overt stupidity, there is a line from a Woody Allen movie that says: "Those who can't teach, teach gym"....lol. Mr. Weitschat of the two Mr. Ws will always be the best and most gifted teacher I ever had the pleasure of sitting in his class. As for Mr. Wisniewski, times were different then. May have not been in the military either or he would have learned "Attention to detail". One thing, one moment in time can have such a profound affect on his that it never leaves our memory. Thank goodness for your persistance and fortitude to have your grades corrected! My mom used to emphasize "Principles and character" before her passing when I was 13....her words were never more true then and very relevant now. I hope all who went to Guyton write Mr. Weitschat at his nursing home to let him know how much what he did for us is still fresh in our memories before he crosses over! | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2007 |
Dennymit: Awesome story!••••• Angel Park..........that made my evening after working with witches today at the government, lol. To Chief Eagle...yes, that was a great story....bravo Denny!••••• | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 17 Registered: 03-2007 |
Hey Brenda Everytime I need a smile I hit this site and take a trip down memory lane, you hit the nail on the head it really is amazing how all those teachers stick out in our minds eye for eternty, I remember getting chewed out in the hallway at Guyton by Mrs Gleason after she over heard me under my breath say "Mrs Greaseball".... Needless to say at that point I think I came off her favorites list. For me 16 months until I retire from the Navy but who's counting after 26 long years. Take care fellow eastsiders. Aloha Lyle | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 24 Registered: 02-2007 |
Aloha Lyle! Thank you for the complement! Good luck as you countdown after a stellar and honorable service to our country! I live in Fort Wayne, IN near my dear Vietnam warrior friend. He shares stories of growing up in Leo that sound similar to our great stories of the east side. I loved the "Ms Greaseball" comment. I was on her "s" list too for saying she had a wig...one of the worst teachers of my memory. To all the other good people on this sight, keep the stories coming as you recall. They are gems to share!••• An honorary member of "Angel Park" forever...smile | ||
Dennymit Member Username: Dennymit Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2007 |
http://www.detroitkidshow.com/ A fun site about Detroit TV | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 25 Registered: 02-2007 |
Dennymit: Your web site that was suggested is great! Thanks for sharing it! | ||
Admin Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 627 Registered: 09-2003 |
Side note: DetroitKidShow.com is Ed Golick's wonderful site. Ed has been a long time DetroitYES poster. | ||
Brenda Member Username: Brenda Post Number: 46 Registered: 02-2007 |
I know Michigan is going thru a bad time, but where did all the people go from this site??? Speaking of kid shows...Soupy Sales asking kids to send $1 is got to be the greatest one pulled off during the 50/60s....I know Soupy got into alot of trouble for that, but the kids actually getting a whole $1 back then...boy, they must have had a good allowance...mine was .25 cents,.... | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 39 Registered: 03-2007 |
Still here Brenda, but gotta admit I can't get enough of KK finally getting to sleep in the bed he made for himself. |
