Hey, just to be clear I did not take those photos. There are several websites dedicated to the crumbling remains of the dirty city, but I'll take some crazy ones when the weather gets better since there's so much subject matter around.
A tour of the city
- Thread starter dbk
- Start date
Here are some shots I dug up of the upstairs and outside of the Bankle. Many of you have been in the lower level which is where Camilo lives and his studio is. Upstairs is in significantly better shape than it was, but it has a long way to go. The building is located in the area of the houses of Brush Park.
Triheart7
GT Owner
I grew up as a kid in England and lived in homes that were 100 years old. My best friends house was almost 200 years old. I do not know why more effort was not placed in upkeep. In England space is more of a premium, here we just move on.
My Ex wife was from Detroit, so I am amazed how much it has changed in the past 20 or so years, since I saw some of these places.
fjpikul
GT Owner
City paid to pave most of the way to the gate and he had to do the last couple feet. Makes a BIG difference. Only car ever parked there is his E-series work van...as long as it lasts there :lol
gtinmyblood
GT Owner
Several of my customers are Tier one automotive suppliers. I was doing a project for Visteon when Ford first spun them off inplementing IT systems and seperating data from Ford. I was in Dearborn every week for about two years and did a bit of exploring around the town. Beautiful old buildings just left to rot all over. The first car I ever had was a Model T Ford. I restored it a 12 years of age. Ford, Dearborn and the lot has always been near to my heart. When other kids played soccer I hung out at the machine shop behind the NAPA store in my home town. They read comic books and I read Vintage Ford magazine from the MTFCA. I love cars. I love detroit. Part of my heart is dying when I see these pictures. Still get to Detroit every couple of months.
Someone was lookin for this thread, so here it is again.
Just as an addendum, a couple days ago the Packard plant was back up in flames. They had to let it burn through the night because it's unsafe to go in there and battle the flames if you're a firemen.
Some of you guys probably went to this place long ago:
Full demo finally underway. Sat there half torn down for quite a while.
Just as an addendum, a couple days ago the Packard plant was back up in flames. They had to let it burn through the night because it's unsafe to go in there and battle the flames if you're a firemen.
Some of you guys probably went to this place long ago:
Full demo finally underway. Sat there half torn down for quite a while.
Kip Ewing
CF Vendor
nthfinity
Well-known member
Speaking of bad ass houses, Detroit has some absolutely UNREAL historic houses that are ridiculously dirt cheap, but again, you have to deal with horrendous shitholes being literally a block or two away. When you pass the Boston Edison historic district, you wouldn't even believe the houses and how much they cost. These are legit mansions. Not modern McMansions, but "I built this house in 1915 and it's 8,000 square feet with a giant marble foyer and ivy growing up the brick towers" mansions.
$199,000 (5 brd, 3.5 bath, 3500 sq/ft)
Looks like my grandfathers old house... I think his was a little larger. He was held up at his home, the thief stole a vintage musket; and nothing else.
Indian Village is another neighborhood of monstrous homes... My friend bought their house 35 years ago for about 90k, and sold it 3 years ago for 600. The house had 3 "secret" passages, a servants wing, two dance floors, a full wood workshop inside, a 10 car garage, walk-in fridge and freezers; three above ground floors, and a full basement... Too bad my car was stolen while briefly parked out front a few years back. (15 min.). I recall that house being the 2nd largest in Indian Village; with the larger one being some 8,000 more sq. feet.
Google Street View of this home
doogie48084
Well-known member
As DBK stated. There are several sites dedicated to these ruins. Here are 2 of them and one of the table of contents . I enjoy viewing them. I have lived here all my life and it is truly sad to see the deterioration of these buildings, but it is also interesting to see some of the success stories such as the Fox theater and the old Gem theater. The Gem was moved severl blocks from its old site to a new location and is glorious in its new look.
http://www.detroityes.com/home.htm
http://www.detroityes.com/toc.htm#Gilded
http://www.white-history.com/hwrdet.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/detroitderek/2238376612/
This is one of my favorite old buildings in Detroit. I love its architecture and often thought it would have made a nice restaurant. The key to it's state of abandonment has been a lack of parking.
http://www.detroityes.com/home.htm
http://www.detroityes.com/toc.htm#Gilded
http://www.white-history.com/hwrdet.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/detroitderek/2238376612/
This is one of my favorite old buildings in Detroit. I love its architecture and often thought it would have made a nice restaurant. The key to it's state of abandonment has been a lack of parking.
KMCBOSS
RED GT owner
Sad to see that happen. Now that FORD, GM and Chrysler have hit bottom (hope its the bottom) perhaps the companies can rebuild and start anew. However, because of union labor laws in Michigan, Ohio and such, the car companies may decide to start the rebuild process in other states where they won't have to carry that baggage again.
Triheart7
GT Owner
Hi Dave,
Reviewing this site kind of Bummed me out. The links to pictures of the demolition of Hudson's, reminds me of when I got engaged my ex Mother in law(who I actually liked) sold furs there, and they had to take me to look around. Also an old posting by Bony.......I always thought that living in Detroit in it's Hey Day would have been tremendous.
Reviewing this site kind of Bummed me out. The links to pictures of the demolition of Hudson's, reminds me of when I got engaged my ex Mother in law(who I actually liked) sold furs there, and they had to take me to look around. Also an old posting by Bony.......I always thought that living in Detroit in it's Hey Day would have been tremendous.
nthfinity
Well-known member
There was a little economic downturn in the late 1940's; and to combat it, Detroit put on a show every bit as big, (or bigger) than the World's Fair called the Golden Jubilee. It lasted for two weeks, new construction, shows, displays, parades... pure American Exceptionalism to get the country excited and buying again... Makes me wish I could've seen it. I believe there is some kind of exhibit of it at the Detroit Public Library.
tpraceman
THEE GT OWNER
A few weeks ago I drove around the Ford Utica Trim Plant where myself and many of my family worked including my Dad who died in the plant (1972)
This plant was recently vacated and now has for sale signs.:frown
Originally the Packard plant 1927, Ford moved in 1962 and I remember the huge 2.5mile high-speed concrete oval track with timing tower where you could go 100mph and take the hands off the wheel. My Dad took me in his specially built 1965 Burgandy Parklane Mercury around it when they were shooting a segment for Gold Finger.
When I worked at the plant there were about 4,000 people per shift sewing and making all the interiors. THe cool silos for testing the WWII Packard plane engines are amazing.
Today a good friend of mine is restoring the home/office building on the property as the official Packard museum.
Here is some of the restored Packard site 1 before and a few after.
This plant was recently vacated and now has for sale signs.:frown
Originally the Packard plant 1927, Ford moved in 1962 and I remember the huge 2.5mile high-speed concrete oval track with timing tower where you could go 100mph and take the hands off the wheel. My Dad took me in his specially built 1965 Burgandy Parklane Mercury around it when they were shooting a segment for Gold Finger.
When I worked at the plant there were about 4,000 people per shift sewing and making all the interiors. THe cool silos for testing the WWII Packard plane engines are amazing.
Today a good friend of mine is restoring the home/office building on the property as the official Packard museum.
Here is some of the restored Packard site 1 before and a few after.
doogie48084
Well-known member
I've lived here all my life and this is the first time I heard of it!
Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
One of the things that got restored was the old Garland stove replica Built by the Michigan Stove Company for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, the World’s Largest Stove” weighed 15 tons and measured 25 feet high, 30 feet long and 20 feet wide. After decades of exposure to Michigan weather, the familiar Detroit landmark was dismantled in 1974 and stored in a warehouse.
In 1998, John Hertel, General Manager of the Michigan State Fairgrounds rallied corporations, labor unions and individuals to restore this symbol of nineteenth-century Detroit industry for present and future generations to enjoy. The restoration project was successful and the “World’s Largest Stove” was unveiled at the Fairgrounds on August 24, 1998.
http://seekingmichigan.org/look/2009/06/09/now-were-cooking
nthfinity
Well-known member
Sure thing, here's the library link... pretty sparce, but interesting. My great grandfather, and one of his daughters were in the parade... along with the country's premier classic car collector parading some of his restored cars (He owned somewhere north of 1000 cars by the time he stopped buying them in the early 1940's).I've lived here all my life and this is the first time I heard of it!
Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
A few of his iron steam engines are on display at Henry Ford Museum.
It's amazing that stove wasn't "recovered" during the war!
http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/GoldenJubileeExhibit/GJ WEB/index.htm
Kingman
GT Owner
Since we are taking a trip down Nostalgia Lane...the following are a couple sites that the 'Old Detroiter's' might enjoy.
http://www.detroitmemories.com/
http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroitpix/ALL.html
http://www.detroitkidshow.com/
....any of you guys remember 'Jerry Booth's Fun House' on CKLW? They had great cartoons. They would also trailer a 'Fun House' to different locales (GEM's Department Store, and Hudson's, etc...) and set up remotely to broadcast.
It was great growing up in and around Detroit back in the 60's and 70's. Huge backyards. Plenty of new homes going up provided much lumber for building forts and go-carts.
Summer meant going down to the Detroit River for the hydroplane races, a couple weeks at Camp De Sales, lakes within 5 minutes of just about anywhere you were at, and plenty of woods, streams, and rivers for exploring.
Sunday, Sunday...Detroit Dragway!!!!
Winter meant waiting for the lakes to freeze over to play hockey and ice fishing. Trips to Boyne Mtn, Highlands, and Nubs Knob for skiing, and the 'Uupper' for camping.
............and let's not forget that the Lions would ALWAYS lose the BIG game. Guaranteed.
Kaline, Lolich, Freehan, McLain, Willie Horton, and Gates Brown......Mayo Smith
WRIF - - Baby!!
http://www.detroitmemories.com/
http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroitpix/ALL.html
http://www.detroitkidshow.com/
....any of you guys remember 'Jerry Booth's Fun House' on CKLW? They had great cartoons. They would also trailer a 'Fun House' to different locales (GEM's Department Store, and Hudson's, etc...) and set up remotely to broadcast.
It was great growing up in and around Detroit back in the 60's and 70's. Huge backyards. Plenty of new homes going up provided much lumber for building forts and go-carts.
Summer meant going down to the Detroit River for the hydroplane races, a couple weeks at Camp De Sales, lakes within 5 minutes of just about anywhere you were at, and plenty of woods, streams, and rivers for exploring.
Sunday, Sunday...Detroit Dragway!!!!
Winter meant waiting for the lakes to freeze over to play hockey and ice fishing. Trips to Boyne Mtn, Highlands, and Nubs Knob for skiing, and the 'Uupper' for camping.
............and let's not forget that the Lions would ALWAYS lose the BIG game. Guaranteed.
Kaline, Lolich, Freehan, McLain, Willie Horton, and Gates Brown......Mayo Smith
WRIF - - Baby!!
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Mad Max
Well-known member
Sir Graves Ghastly, George Peroit, Lou Gordon, Bill Kennedy, Monster week on The 4 O'clock Movie... All good Detroit TV memories..oh, yeah, and THE GHOUL:thumbsup