  Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 237 Registered: 08-2006 |
I don't know what people consider the south side of Detroit, but I'm interested in it. I'm talking about anything within the city limits south of Michigan Avenue. South of MCS and south of Downtown. I'd like to know what the area is like, is it being renovated? Any cool architecture or places to see? Is the area as blown out as the east side along Jefferson near Grosse Point (Sorry Eastsiders not a dis to you guys)? I've never driven around the south side and just interested. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 258 Registered: 04-2006 |
Huh? South Side? You mean Windsor? | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 804 Registered: 01-2004 |
Gotta agree with Detroitplanner, the south side is Canada | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 210 Registered: 03-2006 |
Jefferson to Grosse Pointe is hardly blown out...especially compared to like Gratiot. I think you're talking about Southwest detroit, home to mexicantown and one of the more intact areas of the city http://modeldmedia.com/neighbo rhoods/swdetroit.aspx http://www.modeldmedia.com/nei ghborhoods/mextown.aspx but Detroitplanner is right...ur geography is wrong. If you want to know anything about Detroit hoods look at modeld, they have a comprehensive list along with their relative geographical locations. Read up then come back with any specific questions | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 238 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thanks Apbest. The area I'm talking about is really hard to describe if you're not from Detroit. Thanks for the site, I'll look it up. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4559 Registered: 10-2003 |
Detroit only has three sides, west, east, and southwest. | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 327 Registered: 03-2005 |
Damn you Steve Perry! Blame him for the misunderstanding. | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 239 Registered: 08-2006 |
The area I'm interested in is Southwest it sounds like. The website had some good info. I want to clarify the regions. Southwest is Zug Island, enterance to River Rouge, Fort Street, Michigan Avenue, and I-75? All these are in Southwest correct? Is the west side any thing west of Woodward or Livornois? I understand the eastside borders pretty well. There's nothing like central city in Detroit? Meaning Woodward, Highland Park, Hamtramck, and New Center. If anyone knows what the borders to southwest, west, and east are, I'd like to hear about them. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3090 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yep, the southside is Windsor - welcome to the world's largest international metropolis. Other southern parts include what we call "downriver", the stretch of Delray, River Rouge, Ecorse, Wyandotte, Riverview, Trenton, Gibralter, and Grosse Isle. | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 240 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thanks everyone for the info. I found the Model D neighborhood map right after I posted before. Southwest sounds really cool, I definately plan on driving around there on my next visit. | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 211 Registered: 03-2006 |
if ur on the urbanplanet forum ever, look for allanm he lives in southwest if Im not wrong, maybe hed be willnig to give u some places to visit or even a tour if ur lucky | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1346 Registered: 05-2005 |
i'm not from originally from detroit and I know exactly how to describe it | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 212 Registered: 03-2006 |
and ur description would be? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2938 Registered: 08-2004 |
Well then there's also the lower Eastside, the Far Eastside and don't forget the Northeast and Northwest side, and then there's Downtown, Midtown, New Center and Uptown...  | ||
Wilderness Member Username: Wilderness Post Number: 26 Registered: 09-2006 |
The area that I was born in ;) My parents moved to Lincoln Park in 1954. My Grandparents were required to leave their home at what is today Clark Ave & I-75 to make room for the yet-to-come Fisher Freeway. As a child I played in Clark's Park and as mentioned in another thread (visited the W. Gd. Blvd docks where the Aquarama used to dock. I'm not sure how effective these images will be, as I had to downsize them for the forum.  this image shows show the surrounding cities boudaries, however without the streets.  Traditionally, SouthWest Detroit was the strip of land west of River Rouge and south of Detroit. It was commonly referred to as Visger. Beginning just below the entrance to the old Morton Salt Mines (near the Fort St & Rouge River drawbridge and extending south to the Lincoln Park Border of W. Outer Drive. East to River Rouge and Ecorse and West to Melvindale. The old Tiger Stadium was/is in the area that your referring to as was/is the Old Michigan Central Depot. Grand River the Gratiot of the West. Michigan Ave was a busy street with plenty of retail outlets, however was even degrading in the mid-50's as that is where the old skidrow was located. Fort Street between downtown and Rouge drawbridge was a busy retail district years ago as well. A few blocks south of Fort St. & Clark was the old and glorious Hollywood Theatre: Recently and thanks to Lowell's fine forum, I was able to chase some leads and see some old photo's of the Hollywood theatre and a few other westsides. W. Vernor Highway between W. Gd Blvd and extending south to the Rouge Plant was busy reatil as well. Zug Island is actually located in River Rouge, however just across the bridge is a today's blighted area that was known previously as Delray, along W. Jefferson. Years ago rich with Polish and Hungarian Families. And old Saloon in that area north of River Rouge that was infamous, was Joey Stables. Historic Fort Wayne is in close proximity as well. The old Fleetwood plant was large. The Cadillac Clark Ave plant was large as well. As late as the 50's and earlier there were massive buildings from Fort Street to Jefferson that housed maunfacturing, from W. Gd. Blvd to Junction. Some folks may recall a Bi-Lo's that was located at Fort and Junction (not sure what store it was prior to that.) In the 50's there was a Wrigelys a block north of the Hollywood Theatre and on the same side of Fort St. There was also a very large apartment building (Clark's Park Apartments) that was perhaps two blocks long. It was still open in the late 60's. Don't recall how many floors, however I recall the elavators. The Rouge Plant is located in what is known as East Dearborn. In the very early days (late 18-early 1900's the city boundary was Livernois as discussed in the Grosse Pointe Track thread.) This entire area having been polluted from Zug Island, the Rouge Plant and the Wyandotte Chemcals and many other companies along the waterfront is said to have some of the highest popualtion of allergy problems in the nation. (not sure how accurate that is today.) Add to that the Marathon Refinery which has been there for decades. My parents went to SouthWestern HS. I recall the Halloween night 1956 (5YO) and trick or treating the night my brother was born. Heading home I left a trail of candy on Scotten from Vernor to Lafeyette. My uncle and a friend took me back out and my bag was filled much faster than previously. I'm not aware of any regeneration or building in these areas. Corktown was previously mentioned. | ||
Mw2gs Member Username: Mw2gs Post Number: 228 Registered: 03-2005 |
There's some good fishing on the south side of Detroit. I wouldnt wanna live there tho. Should you decide to relocate to that area please dont shit or piss in the fountain. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5067 Registered: 02-2004 |
Detroit doesn't have a south side. Only west, east, New Center Area, north, northwest, northeast far northwest southwest, And lower southwest side. The north side of Detroit is mostly black with a few blighted ghettohoods and a small Chaldean Community along W. 7 Mile Rd. The Northwest side of Detroit is mostly black with few whites near the Redford TWP. border, lots of well kept up housing, few blighted ghettohoods and good black businesses along 6 Mile Rd. and 7 Mile Rd. starting from Livernois Ave. Excellent businesses along Livernois Ave. from 8 Mile Rd. to Puritan St. The north east side of Detroit is mostly black with a few Hmongs, Chaldean Arabs, and 3 fast growing Bengladeshi, East Indian and Yemeni Arab Muslim communities excellent businesses on E. 7 Mile Rd. from Chrysler FWY. to Gratiot Ave. improved Gratiot Ave. From 8 Mile Rd. to Linnhurst St. The far northwest side of Detroit is a mix of blacks and whites, good businesses on Grand River Ave. from 6 Mile Rd. to the borders of Redford TWP. The west side of Detroit is mostly black and a few Asians with a mixture of well kept up houses and vacant lots. Blighted ghettohoods has a fast growing hip cool skinny white young adult community along the north end of Cass Corridor plus a fast growing East Indian community in the corridor. Ethnic Arabs and Hispanic/Mexican community along Lonyo St. and up to W. Warren and Warrendale district filled with mostly Arab both Iraqi and Lebanese Muslims. The east side of Detroit is mostly black with lots of blighted ghettohoods. Development and gentification has lowered lots of hip cool white young adults into the area from the borders of Woodward Ave. to the I-75 freeway. New businesses are being developed. The southwest side of Detroit of is mostly Hispanic/Mexican with a few blacks, whites, and Arabs. There is a mixture of well kept up homes and blighted barriohoods. There are some excellent Hispanic/Mexican businesses along W. Vernor, Bagley and Springwells Streets from the Downtown Detroit to borders of Dearborn. The lower southwest side of Detroit is mostly black with well kept up housing and no good businesses. Mostly, God fearing Black Christians lived in that ghettohoods with excellent block clubs and communiity churches in every ghettohood. The New Center Area is mostly black with a few whites excellent businesses along Woodward Ave and W. Grand Blvd. | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 241 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thanks for the information Danny and Wilderness. Wilderness thanks for the stories, that's the kind of thing I wanted to hear about the Southwest side. Danny, thanks for the descriptions. | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 3895 Registered: 10-2003 |
It's in the weblinks, but to make it easy for you: http://www.insidesouthwest.com / | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4406 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks Wilderness. You tell it like it tis. Great work about the SW side. Yes, there is no Southside in Detroit. There is a Northend, and after that begins the East and Westsides as you move up Woodward. Exclude Hamtramck and Highland Park since they are Cities themselves. jjaba, Proudly Westside. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 524 Registered: 02-2006 |
What about the city boy, born and raised in South Detroit? | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 249 Registered: 08-2006 |
Technically, there is a Northeast side, southeast side, and a northwest side, and there's a big NW side of Detroit | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4562 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yeah, those are all subregions of the three main regions. | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 251 Registered: 08-2006 |
Focusonthed, there are many Detroit's in the nation. I can see people mistaking our Detroit for the person singing it on the song, but he could be talking about Detroit, TX, Detroit Falls, MN. Then again, he could of simply meant, SW Detroit, just putting it in a shorter form | ||
Docmo Member Username: Docmo Post Number: 132 Registered: 10-2005 |
Or, Journey didn't really know what they were talking about when they wrote the words "South Detroit". Check the link for people getting all hot and bothered about South Detroit http://www.songfacts.com/detai l.php?id=383 | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 1400 Registered: 06-2004 |
supposedly Journey stayed in Southfield when in the area | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4407 Registered: 11-2003 |
Dolly Parton dreamed from Detroit City. Ok, she's from the cotton fields back home. You wanna a Southside, ask Leroy Brown, the baddest cat in the whole damn town. Badder than old King Kong, meaner than a junqueyard dog. Or try Southie in Boston. You want South Street, try Philly. But no Southside in Detroit. jjaba, Proudly Westsider. | ||
Billybbrew Member Username: Billybbrew Post Number: 223 Registered: 07-2005 |
Milwaukee, drop me an email when are heading this way... I'll be glad to point out some places and things for you in SW Detroit. I was just in Milwaukee for 3 days down by Jones Island. Neat town, I'd like to explore it more, but only have water transportation when I'm there. |
