  Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 713 Registered: 08-2006 |
Oakman Boulevard has always been an interesting road to me. One of many interesting roads in and around Detroit. While at DPL I found an interesting old advertisement that was a large fold out advertising the creation of the "Fordson Highway" by Robert Oakman. This large advertisement was a color fold out that was very cool with lots of flare of the time. Anyways I made copies of what I could and thought I would share them. The demand cited in this and other older items from the time sure brought to light how fast Detroit grew and reminds me a lot of what is going on in the southwest today. To bad the southwest is very generic and cheap compared to what Detroit was built into. Please share anything interesting about this cool twisty road. Personally my favorite Robert Oakman Subdivision would have to be the Aviation Field Subdivision bounded by Wyoming, Joy, Schaefer, and Warren Rd. Links below are full size images. They are four shots of one big sheet in the order of upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. There is also a copy of part of the text.  http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdvert-1.jpg  http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdvert2-1.jpg  http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdvert3-1.jpg  http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdver4-1.jpg  http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdvert6-1.jpg this part shows the part at left cut off in the above link. http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/fareastsider/OakmanAdvert5-1.jpg | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1530 Registered: 02-2006 |
Geez, Detroit looks like Chicago in that one picture, before they broke up the street grid so much. So regimented, I love that for some reason. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2136 Registered: 10-2006 |
"To bad the southwest is very generic and cheap compared to what Detroit was built into." It's all relative. Eighty years from now, people might be looking back at the SW and think how well things were built there. | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1490 Registered: 10-2003 |
I believe that Oakman Blvd. is where Parducci did some work at the Sanders Candy factory. I am looking for info on the building, like, who was the architect? And an address would be nice. I've got it as being 1940, but everything is up for grabs. Here is CP's "Sugar Cane Cutter" (he goes through the whole process of what's needed to make candy) and it's my contention that he sort of ripped of Lee Lawrie's cane cutter from the Louisiana Capitol, but perhaps that's another story for another thread. Or at least later in this one. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek  | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 11075 Registered: 12-2003 |
I spent my formative years on Appoline between Belton and Oakman, just after the curve north of Tireman...in the heart of the Aviation Subdivision. I still go back to those curves through the park in the middle of the Esper Blvd/Littlefield "X" to test any new vehicle's handling! Thanks for the history on the area... | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 452 Registered: 08-2006 |
that image of the CBD is awesome. Any chance of getting a higher resolution scan? edit: any chance of getting a higher resolution scan of everything so we can read the text? Great find by the way. I've always liked driving down Oakman Blvd, I find it really unusual as well the way it crosses the grid and twists and turns. I can see how it could have been the start of another freeway or highway. It adds a lot of dynamism to the street pattern. Detroit planners seemed to have an affinity for diagonal boulevards over the years. (Message edited by gsgeorge on December 14, 2007) | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 141 Registered: 08-2007 |
drove through the littlefield x, about a month ago, first timer , wondered who the hell thoght this up? | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5739 Registered: 11-2003 |
jjaba rode the Oakman streetcar as a youth. It terminated at Manchester Yards in Highland Park where we transfered to the sleek Woodward PCC cars downtown. jjaba and his brother would be taken to Hudsons for haircuts in the horsie chairs. If we were good boys, we were rewarded with hot corned beef sandwiches at Broadway Market before dad picked us up in the car under the Kerns Clock on his way home form work. jjaba, Oakman Memories. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2636 Registered: 10-2003 |
I pulled out my copy of "Sanders Confectionery" (Arcadia, 2006) by Greg Tasker to look up the Sanders building located at 100 Oakman Blvd. Tasker dates the building at 1941 based on when the company moved into the offices, so surely it was under construction a year or even two earlier. No mention of the architect. Dave and I spent a very cold Sunday afternoon a couple years back taking photos of the building and the sculptural details....as part of our Oakman Blvd. explorations! | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6475 Registered: 10-2003 |
That's a great building, I don't have any record of an architect either... The Bell building near by is also quite the gem. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 11101 Registered: 12-2003 |
Heya Jjaba, Did that streetcar run all the way to the Aviation Subdivision? Those islands that I played upon in my youth...believe me when I say the neighborhood kids OWNED those islands from Belton to Appoline around the bend during the late sixties/early seventies...had STREETCAR lines through them?! I wonder how toxic that soil was...heh. THAT could explain a bunch, heh! Thanks again for the memories! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 11103 Registered: 12-2003 |
I cannot get over that the Bell building is all brick...that's the one you're talking about, right AIW? Isn't that one of the biggest brick structures in town? | ||
The_ed Member Username: The_ed Post Number: 1556 Registered: 10-2007 |
"I cannot get over that the Bell building is all brick...that's the one you're talking about, right? " I used to work in that Bell building on Oakman. The one with the Yellow Pages sign on top. We called it the Oakman building. It had 3 basements and was hurricane proof. That's where the Yellow Pages and White pages used to be created. Now the White pages are done downtown in the old Bell building and we do the Yellow Pages out here on Crooks and 15 mile at the Graphic center. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5746 Registered: 11-2003 |
The Oakman Tel;ephone bldg. was really put on the map when John C. Lodge Expy. went in. All Detroiters know the bldg. and the advertising plopped on it. jjaba always got off the Oakman streetcar in the vacinity of Ewald Circle and Schoolcraft. But we know Oakman blvd. was built to connect Ford Highland Park with Ford Rouge so it may have gone the full length. That's a great question. They used the older Peter Witt cars as it didn't survive into the PCC 1950s era like Woodward, Jefferson, Michigan Ave. lines. jjaba. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 11113 Registered: 12-2003 |
That makes perfect sense...I used to wonder why it ended at Miller Road as it did about a half mile from the Rouge complex...we always passed that intersection while driving my father to work at Fleetwood Fisher Body. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5747 Registered: 11-2003 |
It was Robert Oakman who convinced Henry Ford to move up Woodward Avenue, building his Model T plant in Highland Park. Oakman then set about building his grand blvd. from there to the Ford Rouge Plant, but his road fell short at Michigan Ave. about a mile from Ford's Rouge Plant. Oakman platted fine lots for fine homes, along a blvd. named for him. Although Ford balked about investing in real estate with Oakman, John Dodge put up $250,000 to build the grand blvd. and speculate on grand lots. The historical homes in the Linwood-Davison strech are in a Natl. Register Hist. District today established in 1989. They were built before 1929's economiic crash. Oakman was a delegate to the Republican Convention, 1920, nominating Warren G. Harding in Chicago. Oakman quote: "Until the City of Detroit goes stale as a manufacturing center, property will be as valuable as it is now, with a reasonable increase." Oakman was a Water Board Commissioner. He convinced the Michigan Legislature to allow Detroit to sell water to suburbs in 1917, the onliest water board to do so. This is a legacy today and made his properties valuable along the water lines. The last City of Detroit annexation was 1925. Water lines brought into Detroit, many new subdivisions. Developers simply couldn't keep proper pressures with local wells or by wagon loads of water deliveries like in Brightmoor in the Westside. Oakman pushed for open spaces and pushed for Detroit to annex land for Rouge Park in the 1920s. jjaba. | ||
Msamslex Member Username: Msamslex Post Number: 20 Registered: 06-2007 |
I still live between Belton & Tireman, west of Wyoming. Have been here since the early 60's. Many neighbors have been here just as long and I know some of them a bit longer than I have. Have had the same next door neighbors for almost 40 yrs. There was a time when houses rarely went up for sale around here and if they did it was word of mouth, no for sale signs at all at least on my street. Some years ago I was having the interior of the house painted. All curtains and drapes were taken down from the windows and somebody knocked on the door wondering if the house was going up for sale. I told her no, just having the house painted. Had people drive by while I was watering the grass asking about houses for sale, but like I said this was some years ago. Nobody ever moved and the only time a house went up for sale is if the homeowner passed. Now we have a couple for sale since the housing market is down. I love my street and although we have had some new folk move in over the past couple years overall the majority of neighbors have been here a long time. Everybody has stayed put. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5749 Registered: 11-2003 |
Msamalx, great story about your block. Ofcourse, that was the way it went in Detroit. jjaba's Noble School takes pride in having a second generation now living in the houses bought in the 1960s when White Flight occurred. It also is very stable. jjaba greets people on his street when he does yardwork. They ask him to hire out and ask how much he charges for raking, weeding, etc. He simply says he gets to sleep with the lady of the house, no other charges. jjaba. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2414 Registered: 01-2005 |
Found him on the Find-a-grave website. Jeez, he was 98 when he died. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi- bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Oakman &GSfn=Robert&GSbyrel=all&GSdyr el=all&GSst=24&GScntry=4&GSob= n&GRid=19169773& | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 32 Registered: 09-2006 |
Interesting thread here on Robert Oakman and his Oakman Boulevard. About a year or more ago, I had put together two separate web-pages to eventually add to my Detroit Transit History web-site on the Oakman streetcar line, but hadn't gotten around to posting them yet. One is on the history of the route and the other on the role Oakman played in launching that line. In the advertisement ads posted by Fareastsider, a brief reference was made under "Transportation Advantages" about a "Ford Highway Carline." Well, that was actually jjaba's Oakman streetcar line, and the carline that Robert Oakman built. Around 1916, not long after he began building his subdivision, Oakman decided that it needed to be built along-side a transportation route. He was able to utilize his position with the DUR (Detroit United Railway) to convince (or persuade) them to build a streetcar line on his own land that would parallel his Ford Highway—the main roadway he built through his sub-division—which was later renamed Oakman Boulevard. He originally intended for both the highway and the streetcar route to connect both FoMoCo plants, Highland Pk and Dearborn (Springwells). The DUR began operating service on what was then known as the "Northwest Belt Line" in 1918. Interestingly, the DUR would only build the line for Oakman from Hamilton (right behind the DUR Highland Pk yards) to as far west as Grand River. But Oakman was determined to continue the line through the rest of his subdivision project, so he had the portion of the line west of Grand River built at his own expense. However, he ran into problems with the city of Detroit—which problems increased after the DSR took over the DUR lines in 1922. Over fears he was building a competing line that by-passed the downtown area, the city wouldn't allow him to finish the extension. Finally, in 1925, an agreement was reached—Oakman was allowed to finish the line to Michigan Avenue in exchange for allowing the DSR to operate over the new line. After it was completed, the DSR purchased the entire line from Robert Oakman and extended it to the Ford Rouge plant. In 1928, the DSR renamed the line "Oakman" after Robert Oakman. one last note: You can actually follow the path of the original Oakman streetcar route to this day by just following the "center-islands." Oakman built his carline along the center-median of residential streets within his subdivision. The median strips also helped to segregate the streetcars from motor traffic. Those islands still remain to this day. Just follow the original streetcar route listed below and you'll see what I mean: After jogging across Hamilton from the DUR carhouse property, the route traveled along Metzer Road (which was later renamed Oakman Blvd), LaBelle and American streets (both later renamed Ewald Circle), Ford Highway (Oakman Blvd.), Northlawn, Ohio, Joy Road (then known as Bonaparte) and Manor into Dearborn. Through Dearborn, it traveled via Manor, Haggerty and Oakman Blvd., to Michigan. The center medians along the above streets are what's left of the streetcar line that Robert Oakman built. (Message edited by bc_n_dtown on December 15, 2007) | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1497 Registered: 10-2003 |
I heard from these friendly folks (http://buildingsofdetroit.com/ places) who informed me that the Sanders Building was designed in 1940 and that the architects were Pollmar, Ropes & Lundy. Anyone know more about those chaps? Thanks Sean. eeeeeeeeeek | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5752 Registered: 11-2003 |
Bcndtown, this is great research, appreciated by jjaba, et. al. jjaba rode the Oakman streecars from Ewald Circle and Schoolcraft to Manchester Yards. jjaba didn't think the line went along the median on Oakman, but rather Ewald Circle since the Oakman trees are so huge today. He will try to drive the line sometime, using your route. Mother carried a timetable. At Manchester Yards, we walked around the Ex-cello Plant to the Woodward PCC line to downtown Detroit. It was a wonderful advenutre. So tell us when the line was abandoned and when the tracks were re-landscaped and removed. jjaba regularly used the Francis Parkman Library, a very impressive reading room for a little boychick getting a taste for books and learning. It was always so quiet in there and jjaba remembers big chairs. Thanks again. jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah Bukkor on the Oakman car. | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 33 Registered: 09-2006 |
yeah Jjaba, the Oakman streetcar traveled along the commercial strip portion of Oakman Blvd, between Ewald Circle (where it terminates at Oakman) to just south of Grand River. From about one to 1½-blocks south of Grand River it would cut across a private-right-of-way over to Northlawn street. You can still see the center-median along Northlawn, between the RR tracks and Chicago, where the streetcar traveled. I remember seeing a photo somewhere in one of my history books showing the Oakman streetcar along that portion of Oakman Blvd. I'll look for it and try to post it here later. Actually, the Oakman rail line was an early casualty of the DSR's post-war bus conversion program. It was the first streetcar line to be converted over to buses after World War-II. According to DSR officials the rails were badly in need of costly repairs. Buses took over the line on December 9, 1945. Usually, the rails were removed shortly thereafter. In June, 1948, the buses were rerouted along Davison to Nevada on the east-side. The route north of Davison—along Ewald Circle to the DSR Highland Park Terminal—was given to the Schoolcraft bus line, thus ending any future Jjaba hopes for an Oakman line trip to the Highland Park yards. :-( Interestingly, buses continued operating along the small residential west-side street of Manor—from Joy Road on thru Dearborn—for a number of years. However, the Oakman buses were later rerouted along Schaefer (instead of Manor) to the Ford Rouge plant in 1951. BTW—I traveled the route by car a little over a years ago, and the center-islands are all still there. Of course, trees have replaced the rails. The only problem you'll encounter by auto is there's no access to Northlawn street from Oakman Blvd. I had to access it from Plymouth Road. | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1498 Registered: 10-2003 |
IS any of this Oakman stuff related to the Dr. Charles Oakman School for Crippled Children? Which is an interesting little SH&G and CP production. eeeeeek | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 34 Registered: 09-2006 |
Funny thing Carptrash, During my research I've found that Charles G. Oakman and Robert Oakman are often times confused, and even caused me a few problems in the beginning. Both were prominent figures in the area and often times were involved in the same arenas. Both were involved in politics, real estate and transportation to some degree—although references to Charles Oakman's involvement in transportation (???) dates later, 1927-1940, well after the establishment of the Oakman streetcar line, which by 1925 had been sold to the city of Detroit, and later than Robert's association with the DUR (prior to 1922). While Robert became more of a real estate tycoon and developer, Charles was elected to the Detroit Common Council (1947-1953) and later became a U.S. Representative (1953-1955). I have yet to determine if they were related in any way.....anyone know? Funny, there seems to be more info out there on Charles than Robert. More on Charles Oakman at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C harles_Oakman | ||
Bc_n_dtown Member Username: Bc_n_dtown Post Number: 35 Registered: 09-2006 |
I do have one question that maybe someone here can answer. How was one man (Robert Oakman) able (or even allowed) to acquire so much land? I read somewhere that Oakman Boulevard stretches nearly 12 miles, and was built on his property. Were laws different back then? Although most of the land was underdeveloped at the time, there were a few established streets, such as American and LaBelle, which later became Ewald Circle within his development. I happened to mention Robert Oakman's name to an older relative a few years ago, and the first word out of his mouth was "crook." Don't know if that's true or not, but his influence in real estate was amazing! | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1946 Registered: 04-2005 |
Robert Oakman  wsu/vmc From the Political Graveyard website: Oakman, Charles Gibb (1903-1973) — of Michigan. Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., September 4, 1903. Republican. U.S. Representative from Michigan 17th District, 1953-55; defeated, 1954. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Elks; Alpha Sigma Phi. Died in Dearborn, Wayne County, Mich., October 28, 1973. Interment at Roseland Park Cemetery, Berkley, Mich. Oakman, Robert — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Republican. Member of Michigan Republican State Executive Committee, 1899; member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1899; delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1920. Burial location unknown. From the biography section of the US Congress: OAKMAN, Charles Gibb, a Representative from Michigan; born in Detroit, Wayne County, Mich., September 4, 1903; attended the public schools and Wayne State University; graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1926; engaged in the real estate and transportation business 1927-1940; member of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors 1941-1952; served as executive secretary to the mayor of Detroit in 1941 and 1942; city controller 1942-1945; served four terms as city councilman 1947-1952; secretary of the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority 1948-1954 and general manager 1955-1973; elected as a Republican to the Eighty-third Congress (January 3, 1953-January 3, 1955); was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1954 to the Eighty-fourth Congress; died in Dearborn, Mich., October 28, 1973; interment in Roseland Park Cemetery, Berkley, Mich. (Message edited by Hornwrecker on December 15, 2007) | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2416 Registered: 01-2005 |
I doubt if they were brothers, their birth dates are too far apart (1875 for Robert, 1903 for Charles. Here's Charles resting place. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi- bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Oakman &GSfn=Charles&GSbyrel=all&GSdy rel=all&GSst=24&GScntry=4&GSob =n&GRid=7448838& | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5753 Registered: 11-2003 |
Bcndtown, excellent research on the Oakman Streetcar line, the Fords, his buddies, the Dodges, and the times. No mention was made of the role General Motors had in removing streetcars for buses. Previously on The Forum, much was made of the role of GM in removing them. It certainly could be that the Oakman Streetcar helped develop the area, sort of like an Interurban at first. At that time, you could get alomst all the ways across Michigan, down to Toledo, over to Cleveland, on Interurbans. An example extant is the Chicago, South Shore, and Eastern which runs from Randolph Street, Chicago to South Bend, Indiana. You can still go to Indiana dunes Lakeshore on that line. jjaba is personally amazed that he can remember riding the Oakman, even though that date of removal was so long ago. It does tie in nicely with haircuts at Hudson's in horsie chairs, however. jjaba still remembers Guido and Angelo with their aquarium. jjaba was a big boy, no tears like his brother. jjaba. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5754 Registered: 11-2003 |
Lowell, jjaba nominates this thread for HOF. The research is wonderful and we are staying on track, pun intended. jjaba. |
