Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2006 » Grand River & Joy / Grande Ballroom Photos « Previous Next »
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 36
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.94.94
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 5:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I am in the process of expanding the photo archive at our web site on the Grande Ballroom. We are searching for unpublished photos of the Ballroom and the intersection of Grand River and Joy.
Interior photos are especially rare and sorely needed. If you can help, please drop me a note at the webmaster address.

Detroit Yes Grande Ballroom Forum

Grande Photos

Thanks,

Leo B
webmasterATthegrandeballroom.c om
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Livedog2
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Username: Livedog2

Post Number: 118
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 24.223.133.177
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 7:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great post, Leob!

Is that the "Grande Ballroom" as in 20 Grande Ballroom of Martha Jean-the-Queen fame?

mjqueen

Livedog2
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Pffft
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Username: Pffft

Post Number: 895
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 69.221.67.48
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 8:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Livedog,

You're confusing the 20 Grand -- famed nightclub where R&B greats like Billie Holiday and later, Marvin Gaye played, with the Grande Ballroom on Grand River, which started out as a big band ballroom in the '30s and '40s, and in the '60s became a hippie venue where the MC5 was the house band.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 205
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 24.208.234.52
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 8:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

gr-joy grande

you must have seen this one, from WSU virtual motor city
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 37
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.9.224
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 11:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow! that looks like the Riviera in the Distance.
Is this looking West/Northwest? I am not certain which side of the Street the Riv. was on.

Leo B
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1056
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 66.2.148.82
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 11:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think it was on the northwest corner. See the Old Detroit Moviehouses thread, page one for more on the Riviera.

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/61205.html?1135998357

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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 208
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 24.208.234.52
Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 11:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Leob, yes, and yes.
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Nedab3
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Username: Nedab3

Post Number: 82
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 71.28.147.244
Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 8:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

To me Grand River and Joy Road was the home of Detroit Lutheran High School from 1940 something to 1957. An old office building just down the street fron Cunninghams. 5040 Joy Road. Went there 54-57. Then was first class at Lutheran East 8 mile and Kelly. "EASTSIDE". Lutheran West was at Greenfield and Joy Rd. Both schools are now closed. Lutheran HS are still going strong in the burbs.
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 38
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.9.224
Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 3:02 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

NEDAB3,

Any memories of the Grande Ballroom around the corner in the 50's ?

Leo
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Nedab3
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Username: Nedab3

Post Number: 83
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 71.28.147.244
Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 7:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sorry I don't recall anything about the ballroom
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 39
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.9.224
Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 8:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here is the Grande under construction 9-11-28.
There was apparently a single story outbuilding and a two story wooden frame church on the property at survey time. This would eliminate any brick storefronts razed. Therefore, I am trying to identify the two or three buildings west of the Grande and east of the Annex that appear in the Wayne state photo. Address range 8960-8990.
Thanks !

Grande 28



Leo B
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1060
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 63.41.8.56
Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 10:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

1926 Sanborn maps of what was there before, ranging from 8880-9000 Grand River.



(Beverly Ct.)



(North Martindale Ave)

S=storefront
F=apt flats
D=single family residence
A=auto garage

Your history site peaked my interest, so I fired up Photoshop.
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 40
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.9.224
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 11:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hornwrecker,

Thanks! that's awesome stuff. I had wondered what the name of the church was and what the Engine 42 building was called. Do you have a Sanborn all the way to the Riviera North of Joy ?

Ninde Methodist became Nardin Park methodist in 1927 (The church must have been razed sometime after the '27 Sanborn Map and before the Grande Construction in Summer of '28)

From Michigan Markers:
"In 1927 the Nardin Park Methodist Episcopal Church was formed by a merger of two Detroit Churches; the Ninde Church, organized in 1886, and the Grand River Avenue Church, established in 1891. The following year and educational building and gymnasium were constructed on a site across West Chicago Boulevard from Nardin Park. The Depression delayed construction of the sanctuary. In 1937 a building campaign began. The Kresge Foundation donated $50,000. The completed sanctuary was dedicated in 1943. In 1963 the congregation sold the building to the Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church. The present church was dedicated on October 17, 1965."

Apparently the Engine 42 house was phased out by the end of WWII and consolidated with ladder 21 at West Chicago and Livernois.
http://www.box42.net/history.shtml

Here is the Grande Ballroom Plot plan from architect Charles Agree's estate showng the former Church and how the the sidewalks were moved forward.

plotplan,test

Leo B
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Jjaba
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Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 3676
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 12:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Previously recorded by jjaba, Joy Rd. and Grand River was an important Westside intersection for development in Detroit. It was the confluence of 7 street car lines. This made for the building of entertainment, commerce, retail, offices, churches, etc.

Detroit 4, Michigan post office is here. Making the area zone 4 tells you it was an inner city important old place. Zone 3 was Highland Park.

Along Grand River are some important buildings, campuses, retail, etc. The Lee Plaza Hotel, Northwestern High School's K-12 school operations, the Fisher YMCA, Riviera Theater of John Eberson, a major diagonal arterial, The Olympia Arena, streetcar line. Wilbur Wright Vocational High School, Cass Technical High School, Carl's Chop House, Wonder Bread Bakery.
Nardin Park Methodist, St. Cecila Catholic Church (Livernois around the corner), Temple Baptist Church, Grande Ballroom.

Just up the street, is the Oakman-Grand River regional shopping district which was huge after the 1930s and 1940s with Sears-Roebuck, Federal Dept. Store, Richman's Clothing, Kresge's, Baker Shoes, National Shirt, Cunninghams, Meyers Treasure Chest Jewelers, Beverly Theater et. al.

jjaba, Grand River Memories.
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Jjaba
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Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 3677
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 12:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Henry Bourne Joy, 1864-1936, graduated from Yale in 1892. He was young, abitious, and had connections.

After buying his first Packard car, he convinced James Ward Packard to move his factory from Warren, Ohio to Detroit, behind the amazing group of investors assembled by Joy. Joy hired Architect Albert Kahn and they built the amazing Packard factory on East Grand Blvd. in Detroit. The automobiles were of the finest quality, catering to the high end carriage trade.

Joy was active in the Anti-Saloon League, convinced of the value of Prohibition. Then, after a fisherman was shot near his estate by U. S. Treasury Agents, he worked actively to repeal it. It ended in 1933.

On the Lincoln Highway at the Continental Divide, a Monument to Henry Joy was erected in 1939. He is credited as a main advocate of our US Highways.

He was an major patron of the Detroit Athletic Club and a huge booster of a national road system.
Joy was a civic leader, a statesman, and one of Detroit's most famous industrialists.

No wonder we have Joy Road here.

jjaba, Westsier.
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Ray1936
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Username: Ray1936

Post Number: 482
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 207.200.116.139
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 1:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Henry Joy died on November 6, 1936. He's buried in Elmwood Cemetery. As I recall, the family has a huge plot there.
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Neilr
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Username: Neilr

Post Number: 233
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.242.218.76
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 4:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Helen Bourne Joy is buried in the family plot at Elmwood. She was in her 80's when she died. Inscribed on her marker in addition to her name and her dates are the words: "Never a Dull Moment."
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Leob
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Username: Leob

Post Number: 41
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.14.9.224
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 9:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Livernois is named for what / whom ?

Leo B
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Kathleen
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Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 1273
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 9:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

According to a couple websites covering the origins of Detroit's street names, Livernois was named for the Livernois family who owned one of the original ribbon farms on the western edge of the city. Francois Benoit dit Livernois came to Detroit in 1707.
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Hornwrecker
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Username: Hornwrecker

Post Number: 1062
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 63.41.40.152
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 10:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Leob, here's the 1926 Sanborn of the Grand Riviera Theatre, 9222 Grand River.

Riviera Theatre 1926

For the motherlode of photos and drawings of it, try this link at the LOC:Built in America. Search for "Riviera, Wayne County, MI" , without the quotation marks. Their search engine uses time sensitive searches so direct links to it are FUBAR.

Built in America

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