  Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2007 |
Does anyone Have any pics of Georgia Street between Gratiot and VanDyke? | ||
Formerspringgardener Member Username: Formerspringgardener Post Number: 27 Registered: 07-2006 |
If you can wait a few days I can get some from my Mom. Her mom used to live on Georgia right across the street from Patronage of St. Joseph which is a block or two south of Gratiot. I know she has some with people on the street and of the church. | ||
B24liberator Member Username: B24liberator Post Number: 23 Registered: 01-2007 |
For a modern drive-thru virtual tour you can check out that um, other 'chocolate' detroit site-- Just click on the Detroit pictures thread... | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1191 Registered: 02-2005 |
This was taken near my grade school, A. L. Holmes, circa 1954-55. I'm not sure if was on Georgia or a cross street near the school.  | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2007 |
Thank you! I was born and raised at 9352-54(2 family flat)right in between Patronage and A.L.Holmes at Isham.That pic is Crane St. I believe on the side of the Main Office. I attended A.L.Holmes(1977-1983) | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5565 Registered: 02-2004 |
Georgia St. today just like the ghettohoods around the Lodge Park area is almost blighted no thanks to blockbusting slumlords and low-income folks and periods of white flight. No ethnic folks don't want to live over there. The ghetto just across from St. Cyril St. is now a 6 blocks of a empty urban prairie. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 6 Registered: 02-2007 |
IT is trying to come back...There is some new housing and alot of the people that live there have been there at least twenty years.We need more businesses around there but all in all I have seen worse. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5572 Registered: 02-2004 |
Cub Are you writing about the New homes on Peter Hunt St. Edgewood, Astor, Erwin St. and many others. that's not enough to filled up the blight. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 7 Registered: 02-2007 |
You have to start somewhere...... | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1192 Registered: 02-2005 |
Cub, my grand parents lived on Woodlawn, between Erwin and McClellan. I went to grade school at A. L. Holmes (1953-1959) because both my parents worked and my grandparents could be what we now know as day care. They built their house about 1920-21 and my grandmother moved out in 1968. It was a simple wood frame 2 bedroom. I've looked at Google Earth and other aerial photos and can't tell if that house is still there (many were similar and it looks like 65-70% aren't there any longer). | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1193 Registered: 02-2005 |
Oh, by the way, the one in front in the checked coat and hat w/ear flaps is me. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 75 Registered: 01-2007 |
I would have to ask my Mom but I believe that she along with her parents and Grandparents all lived on Woodlawn at one time. My mother was a teacher at A.L. Holmes in the early 1960's. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 8 Registered: 02-2007 |
Jiminnm, If you could get me an address I would love to check for you. | ||
Nativegirl Member Username: Nativegirl Post Number: 69 Registered: 01-2004 |
Cub, I have some family who grew up in that area. What high school did you go to and what year did you graduate? | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1194 Registered: 02-2005 |
Thanks, Cub. Their address was 8656 Woodlawn. It was on the south (towards Knodell) side of the street, 8-10 houses east of Erwin, and I think there were 2 newer brick houses across the street. For one class at Holmes, I had the same English teacher that my dad had 20 years earlier (Mrs. Eckmann - some things you never forget). She kept calling me by my dad's name. I'll always remember what my dad said when I told him that she was my teacher - "she was old when she was my teacher." I used to take the direct route to school, cutting through folks' back yards (and avoiding a couple of extra blocks' walk) until hitting a street that ran toward the school. Not sure I'd try that today. Ookpik, I don't remember any teachers mentioning that they lived in the neighborhood. Both my grandparents have been dead for decades, but my dad or aunt might remember someone living on the street. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 76 Registered: 01-2007 |
Jiminnm - I think the house on Woodlawn actually belonged to my Great Grandparents. My Grandparents and their children (one of which was my mother) stayed with them for a time. My mother had grown up and was no longer living there when she taught at A.L. Holmes. I will have to talk to her to get the particulars. | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 77 Registered: 01-2007 |
Got the low down: My Great Grandparents and their children (one of which is my Grandmother) lived at 8626 Woodlawn from approximately the mid/late Teens to the early 1940's. My Grandmother first attended St. Thomas and then A.L. Holmes. This would have been the 1920's. My mother taught at A.L. Holmes from approximately 1962 - 1965. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2452 Registered: 02-2005 |
In case any of you haven't been exposed to this tool yet, local.live.com is a powerful tour for getting a sense of what a neighborhood looks like today. Particularly good for out-of-towners. Use the bird-eye view (which can be zoomed in obscenely close). http://local.live.com/default. aspx?v=2&cp=r1yz9p82czh4&style =o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1 000&scene=5636348 Use that link...it's centered on Georgia St., which is in bad shaped compared to Oliver St. | ||
Missnmich Member Username: Missnmich Post Number: 566 Registered: 11-2004 |
Looks as if it's still there: http://www.google.com/maps?q=8 656+Woodlawn+St,+Detroit,+Mich igan+48213&sa=X&oi=map&ct=titl e | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 78 Registered: 01-2007 |
Jiminnm - If my Grandma's memory is correct and I did that Fresh Logic Atlas thing right - our ancestors were next door neighbors!!!  O = Ookpik J = Jiminnm | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 9 Registered: 02-2007 |
Mackinaw, Thanks, my part of Georgia is east of VanDyke on that thread. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2457 Registered: 02-2005 |
Your welcome, and now I see that it's one of those streets that has a few different sections. Unfortunately things don't get too much nicer. http://local.live.com/default. aspx?v=2&cp=42.393283~-83.0293 57&style=h&lvl=16&tilt=-90&dir =0&alt=-1000&scene=5633199 This area just west of Van Dyke is one of the largest urban prairies I've ever seen. I think I want to cry after seeing this (and I've seen plenty of vacant lots on the far east side.) | ||
Formerspringgardener Member Username: Formerspringgardener Post Number: 28 Registered: 07-2006 |
This was taken in 1951 on Georgia in front of the Patronage of St. Joseph church. At the time my grandmother lived right across the street. Of course the house is gone no like so many others in the area.  | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1195 Registered: 02-2005 |
Ookpik & MissN, I've tried using Google Earth and other online maps and got the same result - which is wrong. 8656 was further east down Woodlawn, at least 8-10 houses from Erwin (me, my dad and aunt all came in with those numbers). On your map, that would put it near the label "Woodlawn St" (south side), or possibly across from those 2 similar houses on the north side (if they're brick). That would then put 8626 4-6 houses west of 8656 (toward Erwin). Ookpik, there was a butcher shop on the SW corner of Erwin and Woodlawn. My grandmother walked down there most every day to buy meat. There was also a bakery next door to the shop or across the street (but my grandmother did all of own baking, except for an occasional treat). | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3091 Registered: 10-2003 |
8656 = 10th house east of Erwin 8626 = 5th house east of Erwin BTW, I think Fresh Logic Atlas does a poor job of pinpointing addresses. (Message edited by MikeM on February 24, 2007) | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 79 Registered: 01-2007 |
Oh well - 5 houses is pretty close! My Grandmother said that 5 houses from her were the "Magettas" but did not say in which direction. She also remembered the stores and thought the "Magettas" may have owned one of them. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3095 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jim in NM, 8656 is still there, barely:  Sorry, Ook, 8626 is an empty lot. The corner markets at Woodlawn & Erwin:   Gorgia looking east from Erwin, typical of the area:   If that earlier picture in front of Holmes School was looking at Crane Street, well, there are no more houses on the street:  On the other side of the school is Rohns Street, where some infill housing has recently been built:  Might be a tough sell though:  Farther east, St Joseph is still looking good:  The rectory is a little rough around the edges:  Across from the rectory:  | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 80 Registered: 01-2007 |
Thanks for the info Mike! That sucks to learn that the house is gone tho.  | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1196 Registered: 02-2005 |
Mike, thanks a lot for that photo. I am going to forward it to my parents and aunt. Given the devastation shown in the aerial photos, and the simplicity of the house, I am surprised that it's standing after 86-87 years. Wow, what a flood of memories. | ||
Maxcarey Member Username: Maxcarey Post Number: 47 Registered: 07-2006 |
I assume that the schools of Patronage of St. Joseph are gone? | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3098 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yes.   | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2461 Registered: 02-2005 |
Those new houses are decent looking. Nice imitations of a standard 1890-1910 frame house. It appeared that the garages are attached, but they don't stick out and dominate the view from the street. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3099 Registered: 10-2003 |
Another view of Rohns, from Marcus:  | ||
Maxcarey Member Username: Maxcarey Post Number: 48 Registered: 07-2006 |
Mikem Where can you find that black@white map on-line? I would like to check a couple of other areas. Thanks. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 618 Registered: 12-2005 |
This is MikeG responding, not MikeM. I'm assuming that by "black & white map" you mean the old B&W aerial photos. They can be found here. Just scroll sown to the bottom of the page to see the City of Detroit section. You will need Adobe Reader and also a broadband connection to view the high resolution images. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2086 Registered: 07-2004 |
The new houses can be found in other eastside neighborhoods like Fairview between Canfield and Mack. Also, some have gone up off of Forest near McClellan. I first saw this style of housing in Brightmoor. I actually like the look. Also, the houses are given a nice big fenced in yard. No community backyards like in the suburbs. These aren't market rate homes, however. I have never seen a for sale sign in front of any of them. I guess the organizations that build the homes have a clients list because after they are built people move in them quickly. | ||
Formerspringgardener Member Username: Formerspringgardener Post Number: 29 Registered: 07-2006 |
MikeM- My aunt and her sister (my grandmother) used to have houses next to each other on Georgia. I believe the green house across from the rectory in one of your pictures was next door to my aunt. They used to share a driveway which was pretty common back then. Here is a picture from 1952 showing Georgia looking north towards Gratiot in that area by the church.  | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2087 Registered: 07-2004 |
Former, who are the people in the picture? | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 10 Registered: 02-2007 |
Nativegirl, I graduated from Kettering High in 1990.... | ||
Formerspringgardener Member Username: Formerspringgardener Post Number: 30 Registered: 07-2006 |
Royce- My Grandpa, Grandma and me. (Mom's side) We are standing a couple of doors down from where the last picture that MikeM posted the other day was taken. | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1199 Registered: 02-2005 |
Ookpik, my aunt would like to know your great grandparents' name. If you don't want to post it here, send me an email to jgainnm at yahoo dot com. Also, does anyone know who the A. L. Holmes school is named after? I probably knew once, but no more. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2007 |
I would presume that some of the Polish folks that lived around Hamtramack sprawled into this area also. | ||
Crew Member Username: Crew Post Number: 1125 Registered: 02-2004 |
Urbanize, I thought this was more of an Italian neighborhood. | ||
Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 3888 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cool I see another C/O 90 student amongst us...  | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1200 Registered: 02-2005 |
There many Polish and Italian folks in the neighborhood, but it was the quintessential melting pot with mostly immigrants and first generation Americans. My grandparents were Polish immigrants. The family that lived on Knodell, behind my grandparents, immigrated from Scotland. One next door neighbor immigrated from France and the other from Italy. Two houses down, the family was from Germany. Across the street lived a family from Russia. Despite the language and custom differences, all managed to communicate and get along pretty well. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 16 Registered: 02-2007 |
It was both. the whole Gratiot corridor from Downtown through probably Mt. Clemens always was majority Italian neigborhoods. However, the amount of Italians living in the areas did alter throughout the years, but stayed generally along Gratiot. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 80 Registered: 01-2007 |
https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/94928.jpg Is this what Detroit is to become? I hate it! The city is building this pap all over town. Real sad. | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 444 Registered: 03-2006 |
you'd rather have this? https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/94925.jpg come on let's be realistic this is a very blighted neighborhood far from the downtown core that has any sort of appeal...providing affordable housing in an area that sorely needs it. It really doesn't look that bad | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2092 Registered: 07-2004 |
Bulletmagnet, I think the homes are quite appealing for what you get for the price (which I honestly don't know since I've never seen a for sale sign in front of one). I do wonder how long all of that vinyl in the railings and the siding is going to hold up before having to be replaced. | ||
Cklwbig8 Member Username: Cklwbig8 Post Number: 116 Registered: 02-2005 |
oh yeah.. wait and see what those homes will look like in 10 years. blight all over again. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 120 Registered: 02-2007 |
"oh yeah.. wait and see what those homes will look like in 10 years. blight all over again." That's really being down to earth with it, no hope or anything. | ||
Cklwbig8 Member Username: Cklwbig8 Post Number: 117 Registered: 02-2005 |
sorry but it's the truth. The beautiful craftsmenship that once was will never return. | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 922 Registered: 11-2003 |
I know what you're saying, CKLW, but really? Very few people care! I'm not knocking you, but not many people "buy" craftsmanship anymore. These houses look better than what's being put up in the exurbs! Those who appreciate craftsmanship will seek it out. It's a commodity. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 130 Registered: 02-2007 |
"I know what you're saying, CKLW, but really? Very few people care! I'm not knocking you, but not many people "buy" craftsmanship anymore. These houses look better than what's being put up in the exurbs! Those who appreciate craftsmanship will seek it out. It's a commodity." Wrong! They only appreciate Craftsmanship like that if it's a far away from an area like the Van Dyke/Harper area as possible. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 15 Registered: 02-2007 |
I wonder what ever happened to the proposal for the City airport expansion....A lot of people in that area tought it was going to expand towards Harper.. I remember being a kid having men come up to some friends and i asking us to set some properties on fire for money. I hear that still goes on around here. ( No I never set any fires). | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 131 Registered: 02-2007 |
I wonder what ever happened to the proposal for the City airport expansion....A lot of people in that area tought it was going to expand towards Harper.. I remember being a kid having men come up to some friends and i asking us to set some properties on fire for money. I hear that still goes on around here. ( No I never set any fires). They still plan to expand, but the issue is getting the land to expand on. It's already located over a cemetary, and there would be nowhere else to go but through the cemetaries. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2131 Registered: 07-2004 |
Bump^ | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 25 Registered: 02-2007 |
^Bump | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 952 Registered: 02-2007 |
^^^^^try again (bump) | ||
Joken Member Username: Joken Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 |
SEEING PICS OF THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD BROUGHT BACK MANY FOND MEMORIES. I LIVED THERE FROM 1946 TO 1960 WHEN I JOINED THE NAVY. ATTENDED PATRONAGE OF ST JOE FROM 48 TO 56. LIVED ON MILNER. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 103 Registered: 02-2007 |
Bump | ||
Peterhuntprincess Member Username: Peterhuntprincess Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2008 |
I really enjoyed this thread. I lived at 9633 (guess what street) for my entire childhood. I attended A. L. Holmes elementary from the late 80s til early 90s. My mom also attended A. L. Holmes in the 60s, and had most of the same teachers as I. She grew up at the corner of burns and my favorite block. My grandparents owned quite a few houses, a store on Harper, and a church on the corner of St. Joseph (near Mack) and Gratiot. They owned 2 homes on Peterhunt, 2 on Burns, 2 on Georgia, 1 on Chelsea, 1 on Rosemary, and another on 16th (which is odd). The grandparents gave each of the 8 kids (my aunts and uncles) a nice house. Well, my mom and one aunt still own homes on the east side. Two of my uncles houses are still in good condition, but have new owners. The rest are now vacant lots. I know what happened to the city... One of my uncles houses was auctioned for $12,000. After his death his wife let the house go. The house was beautiful, on the corner of Rosemary and Roseberry, a couple blocks from E. Outer Dr, but a little too close to Gratiot. I guess he had it coming, he sold my grandpa's church and a couple other houses that are now vacant lots... | ||
Peterhuntprincess Member Username: Peterhuntprincess Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2008 |
Also, my mom is friends with the folks that currently operate out of the former Patronage of St. Joseph. We used to go to the gym and the summer bible camp every year as kids. Anyway, the folks leasing/ buying the church could not afford the gym and school property, which was in poor but salvagable condition. So the Arch Diocese saw fit to tear down the school and gym, but leave the convent, which was in much worse condition. They also saw fit to remove the bell that rang for most of my youth. You can still see the old gym wall from the rear of the property, in pristine condition... | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 983 Registered: 08-2007 |
While looking up the National theatre I came across this. I know it ain't bout Georgia ST or Detroit.I grew up in Garden City, My block had folks of Southern heritage up and down,Spoke like "hillbillys" Dad included. Yet about the time I turned 16 while at my friends house about 5blocks to the west and in Westland, I heard all sorts of ethnic sounds, Polish,Romanian,and Austrian. Seeing photos of the old Georgia St area and hearing the stories brought back memories to this suburban kid. Better yet reminds me of when I was growing up and my father would talk to my Grandparents next door neighbor in the "North" Warrendale area. He'd say "Thats a nice old Polish fella", then want to go get pizza from the "Dago Bakery" on Joy RD. As most former Detroit residents are not likely to be happy with how their old street looks, I have only been to Georgia St since Cub planted his garden. The before and after pix show the change. Thanks for the Stories and pictures of what once was. And hopefully can be again. |
