Favorite Old Photographs

[Wordsmith]

I know that most everyone is familiar with the WSU Virtual Motor City and as someone who has never had the chance to experience Detroit as it was meant to be, i.e. thriving, and as a History major I have an avid interest in looking at old photographs. I essentially created this thread to post old photographs that you enjoy whether they are from the collection or not.

Metro Detroit, pre-suburbs, 1920s:

Christmastide window display staring, 1920s:

WS

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome pictures! I love seeing old ones.

[Jin Kim]

I second that.

[Wordsmith]

Oh, well thank you, I have more:

Michigan Ave. at 31st street, 1940s(?):

A grocery store on Broadway, 1930s:

WS

[Allan]

These are some great scenes...ones not often posted online. I love them...they really capture what life in the city was like back then.

[detroitfan]

Looking up Library under the Crowley Arch 1950's

Streetcar loading station 1940's

Downtown aerial from the Penobscot notice 1001 Woodward under contruction mid 1960's

[ZachariahDaMan]

Awesome pictures detroitfan, thanks for posting them. Keep the pictures coming everyone!

[Wordsmith]

Okay, I never knew that Crowley's arch (or the building for that matter) existed and am reasonably upset with jealousy and regret for something I had no part in destroying... Just something else that makes me sympathetic to "Chicago Envy" as someone else once coined it. When gorgeous things like that are being replicated I'll feel better.

A neighborhood corner:

WS

[Wordsmith]

Scripps Park:

Bagley Fountain, Palmer Park:

Boarding the Grand River line, downtown:

New Winkelman's store soon:

Teamster's picket grocery at 2nd and Euclid:

WS

[ZachariahDaMan]

Great pictures!

[Zissou]

I feel the same way about that Crowley arch. Maybe Allen can shed some light on its demise.

[detroitfan]

You may have noticed that the Compuware garage spans over two streets. Well that's where Crowley's was when they closed their downtown store it was demolished.

Here view from the east you can the two Crowley buildings in the foreground

From the west

[Wordsmith]

Having one of those "Why did they leave it all behind? Someone please tell me..." moments. It just kills me that those in the suburbs feel like they have the right to be upset about the city's decline and then the active facilitation of suburban design now... No one made you leave your home, no one made you close your business... And please, please build up to the curb, this isn't Farmington Hills, this is Detroit for god's sake. You don't need a car that damn much... I'm sorry to admit it, but it's disgusting. I'm obviously having one of those nights.

WS

[NCB]

Great pictures, everyone!

[Allan]

There are several photos from Crowley's demolition in the 1980s on virtual motor city. It's kind of depressing....

[Zissou]

Why exactly did they tear that place down?

[Allan]

Crowley's closed in the 80s, I believe. Demolition came not long after.

Btw, I just noticed that there used to be a parking deck at Farmer & Gratiot where that free gravel lot is now. I guess there was so much demand for parking that they plowed it over to build the lot. I think the long-term plan for the site is residential, but time will tell....

[TheseGoTo11]

Thanks for posting these wonderful pics.

[Aaron]

Something didn't quite look right about the Crowley's arch and the fact that it passed over Library. According to old maps, Library extended down to Lafayette instead of truncating at Gratiot. The Compuware garage is now on that block.

[detroitfan]

I don't get what doesn't look right about it Library passes under the garage in about same manner ending at Monroe. You are right Library, it use end at Lafayette the garage next to the National Theater cut that section off.

[Aaron]

I don't get what doesn't look right about it Library passes under the garage in about same manner ending at Monroe. You are right Library, it use end at Lafayette the garage next to the National Theater cut that section off.

The Compuware building and its garage are connected over Farmer, not Library. The former route of Library would be right through the middle of the Compuware garage block.

[Wordsmith]

LN

[ZachariahDaMan]

Cool pictures!

[rbdetsport]

Nice pictures!!!!! It is so awesome to see what Detroit was like and what it could become.

[Wordsmith]

Metro Detroit, pre-suburbs, 1920s:

I keep looking at this picture and thinking that this should have been preserved somehow... But that house is probably long gone.

WS