Gratiot Conner Area Memories

[Maxine1958]

I'm a new member of this forum. Joined when the new site went up. But I've been 'lurking' for a long time. I really enjoy reading about everyone's warm - okay maybe some not so warm - memories of the eastside neighborhoods they grew up in.

I'd like to see if anyone shares my memories.

My parents owned the drugstore on the corner of Gratiot and Conner - Heyn Drug. I'd love to hear from anyone who remembers the store, my parents, or that part of the city.

[Bearinabox]

I was over there a couple weeks ago. I remember that.

[Maxine1958]

When they first took down that whole block, where there once were over a dozen different businesses and offices, and put up a single Rite-Aid store it took my breath away.

[eriedearie]

Maxine - how far back do your memories go in that area? :)

[Maxine1958]

My dad bought the business after WWII and we closed the store in 1972.

I went to St David's Elementary school from 1964 through 1972.

I can post some of the family names from the neighborhood, but I'd like to see if anyone remembers the store first. I know, I can be brat sometimes.

[lafontaine]

I'm not familiar with your store, but my dad was a cop at the 15th (on Gratiot at Conner). We used to to to Haas Roast Beef a lot.

[Maxine1958]

I know Haas'. That was one of the first restaurants in the area to have carry-out. A staple when you own a business and work 12-hour days.

Many of the cops came in our store. Some of their sons worked there also. Can I ask what street you lived on?

[Olddetroiter]

I'm not familiar with your store, but my dad was a cop at the 15th (on Gratiot at Conner). We used to to to Haas Roast Beef a lot.

I lived about 3 1/2 miles from there in the '50s. I went to the Conner station a couple times to check out the bikes at the bike auctions and to get my own bike registered. They used to pound a serial number into the frame to make it easy to identify if it was stolen.

[eriedearie]

I used to hang out and cruise through the A&W and Woods Drive-Inns. One of my friends was a car hop at A&W.

My family would order take out fish dinners from....I wanna say the restaurant was called "The Landing Strip"....but I really don't know for sure. I think they had part of a plane on their building or an orange wind sock flying? Maybe it was called "The Crash Landing"??? I can't remember! :confused:

For a while, another friend lived in an apartment building on Conner, just East of Gratiot. I seem to remember us going into that drug store for this or that. Memory is fuzzy on that though.

[Maxine1958]

Many of the residents of that apartment building were regular customers. A lot of them were immigrants, new to the US and didn't speak much English. I remember my parents helping them understand the simplest of things. Like how to read and pay their utility bills. The side street there was/is Promenade. It's hardly recognizable now. More than half the houses are gone.

[diver1369]

I lived on Sanford between Gunston and Elmo from Hallowe'en '76 until spring '82. The neighborhood was transitioning by then and I was part of it, from homeowners to rentals. The first murder in Detroit of one of the years I was there happened on Sanford near Gunston. A couple across the street from me was found murdered execution style, their dog too, as a result of their selling stolen property. A book titled Land Of Opportunity covered part of the continuing transition after I'd left. It's about the Chamber brothers and their crack cocaine drug trade. Many of the addresses in it are in this area.A Hmong family moved into the lower flat that I had rented.

[Detroitej72]

I remember back in the 80's a party store named Karmo's which might have been in the building that your parents used to own. A buddy of mine went to DeLasalle and we used to frequent the place. If I recall, they used to sell "pipes" of assorted varieties which was one of the reasons my buddy liked the place!

Also my father taught at St. David's the last year the middle school was open in 1989, if my memory serves me correctly.

My freind's sister used to be married to the owners of Quick Lock and Alarm that was next door to the apartment building you mentioned. The father was a retired Detroit Fire Fighter.

[Sludgedaddy]

Ms. Maxine, I grew up on the west side of City Airport, the Six Mile and Van Dyke area,which presently is now a wasteland and all but a memory. I attended DLS from 1965 to 1969 and do have some recollection of your 'hood.

Used to hang out after school at the A & W, which was run by a big Black woman who treated us punks fairly , but wouldn't take no shit. Then there was the American-Italo Club where matters of fisticuffs were taken care of by saying, "Meet me Behind the Italo Club".

I have fond memories of Woods Drive-In. Used to go there before class for coffee and a smoke. They never let more than two students in there at a time, so used to hang in their vestibule with Tim Kiska when he attended DLS for two years and puffed on Kool cigarettes.

One time, across from Woods, a Lear Jet was parked along Conners. It was the personally private jet of James Brown. Along it's fuselage were painted his gold records (ala an air ace) like "Try Me" and "Please, Please. Please". I hopped the fence and looked inside the aircraft, since it's door was open, and saw stacks of Playboy magazines as well as a beauty parlor style hair dryer for the maintenance of his "conk". I Personally met James when I went into Wood's after school and he was sitting there having coffee. I was amazed at how short he was, even in Beatle boots, but his process was "Outta Sight", One of the highlights of my youth, since most of the greasers and budding hippies were really into Mr. Brown's music.

I'm not familiar with your dad's drug store, but used to hitch-hike home from school at Conner and Gratiot, since there was a traffic signal that cars had to stop for east of the cop shop.

[jcole]

I'm not familiar with your store, but my dad was a cop at the 15th (on Gratiot at Conner). We used to to to Haas Roast Beef a lot.

So was my dad. What years was your dad there?

[14509glenfield]

I'm a new member of this forum. Joined when the new site went up. But I've been 'lurking' for a long time. I really enjoy reading about everyone's warm - okay maybe some not so warm - memories of the eastside neighborhoods they grew up in.

I'd like to see if anyone shares my memories.

My parents owned the drugstore on the corner of Gratiot and Conner - Heyn Drug. I'd love to hear from anyone who remembers the store, my parents, or that part of the city.
As a paper boy for the night Free Press, our pick up was at the Police Station. Yes I do remember "A Drugstore" and Heyn does ring a bell on that corner of Promenade/Conners and Gratiot. DLS was the home field for the Servite High football team. Quick Locksmiths was a block South on Conners. Loved cruising A&W and The Woods after getting a license

[eriedearie]

Oh Diver - you mentioned Gunston! The little baptist church that was there on Gunston just off Gratiot is where me and Mr. Erie were married in 1972. Back then the church was actually just a basement. Last time we did a drive-by the church was all built up.

[Buy American]

I remember eating ribs at the Happy Landing Restaurant on Conner across from the City Airport....best in town. The slabs were huge, cole slaw, french fries, the sauce was great!

[IrishSpartan]

I used to hang out and cruise through the A&W and Woods Drive-Inns. One of my friends was a car hop at A&W.

My family would order take out fish dinners from....I wanna say the restaurant was called "The Landing Strip"....but I really don't know for sure. I think they had part of a plane on their building or an orange wind sock flying? Maybe it was called "The Crash Landing"??? I can't remember! :confused:

For a while, another friend lived in an apartment building on Conner, just East of Gratiot. I seem to remember us going into that drug store for this or that. Memory is fuzzy on that though.

The place you are referring to is Happy Landings which was often referred to in the neighborhood as "Crash Landings". It was on Conner between Whithorn and Sanford. The A&W became the Big Boy's later on.

[IrishSpartan]

I believe Heyn was the place in the neighborhood to buy Stroh's Ice Cream. Closing the store in 1972 was probably a good move looking back even though the neighborhood was still okay. A good number of businesses stayed too long into the 1980's and paid for it. However, a few of the "old guard" still remain. Conner Park Florist is still around at Conner & Longview.



I'm a new member of this forum. Joined when the new site went up. But I've been 'lurking' for a long time. I really enjoy reading about everyone's warm - okay maybe some not so warm - memories of the eastside neighborhoods they grew up in.

I'd like to see if anyone shares my memories.

My parents owned the drugstore on the corner of Gratiot and Conner - Heyn Drug. I'd love to hear from anyone who remembers the store, my parents, or that part of the city.

[hockey_player]

Does anybody know what that huge factory used to be, off Gratiot just south/west of Conner (between Conner and French)?

[Maof]

Bud Wheel?

[Frankg]

Dear Maxine,

We used to live on Wilshire near Roseberry, but we moved away when I was 10 in 1972. I also went to St. David's Elementary for grades 1-4. My parents are both from large families in the neighborhood and all my uncles and aunts married others from the neighborhood.

I was too young to see the changes going on at the time. But I just find it strange that every person who used to live there, to a T, says that was the greatest neighborhood to live and raise kids. Yet within 10 years, everyone was gone. As part of my fascination with this topic, I started a blog about the old neighborhood, although I must admit to being a slacker and not making any recent posts. I do, however, have a list of a dozen topics to write about when I get off my butt.

http://www.theoldneighborhoodindetroit.blogspot.com/

Frank

[eriedearie]

Thanks IrishSpartan and BuyAmerican! Yeah Happy Landing!

Oh and another memory I have of the area...parking next to the fence at the airport and "watching the planes land" :o

[Frankg]

Maxine, I see your screen name is 1958, I am assuming you have an older sister? My Aunt Debbie (maiden name Bieke) used to pal around with a red-headed Heyns girl back in the day. My aunt was born in 1955. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1988.

[Maxine1958]

Gosh, I'm torn between making a lot of 'quote' replies, or one huge one to reference all of your posts.

Maybe one huge one will be easier to manage grammitcally.

My grandparents lived on Sanford just off Conner. I fondly remember the Happy Landing restaurant, one of the first 'family' restaurants in the area.

Karmos was the name of the store in the building after we closed. I have to say after all the years of my parents keeping that corner 'neat and tidy' that store was a mess. In a lot of ways. I was only inside it once, and I'm not surprised they sold 'pipes'. <sigh>

How long did your dad teach at St. David's Detroitej72? Would he have been there in '72?

I know the locksmith you're talking about. Can't remember the family name right now though.

Sludgedaddy, my mother was raised in the area of VanDyke & 6 Mile. Before they moved to Sanford, they attended Holy Name Catholic church. All my deceased relatives are buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetary.

The A&W on the corner of Rosemary and Conner, down the street from where one of my aunts lived. Oh those root beer floats!

Many summer nights were spent watching the planes take off and land at the airport. I even worked at a few of the air shows in the late 70's.

14509glenfield & eriedearie, we lived on Glenfield between Gunston and Gratiot. Houses only on one side of the street. I remember that little church. We watched it 'change' over the years. Not always for the better. Saw quite a few fights take place there. Later we bought a house on Wilfred, right across the alley from where we used to rent.

Yes, Irishspartan, we carried Stroh's ice cream. For many years, we had a soda fountain in the store. I believe we closed that sometime in the 60's.

Hockey_player that was orginally a Packard plant on Conner. Can't remember what it was last though. I want to say Cadillac finishing, but I'm really not sure.

Frankg I will be checking out your blog. And no, I don't have an older sister. I was born in 1958, which means I am officially and 'old lady' like Maxine now. LOL Our (my) last name isn't Heyn. That was the name of the former owner. My father didn't want to change the name and risk loosing customers way back then.

We were one of the last 'corner stores'. Our demise was sparked by Councilman Killean's rampage to cancel liquor licenses within so many yards of schools. We couldn't afford the legal fees to fight him.

I cannot tell you how much this has touched me. Such warm, fond memories. One last 'odd' comment for this post. Even though they tore the complete block of businesses down, they left the one tree, on Promenade, with was right at our back door. Sort of a lankmark for me.


Thank you all so much for sharing your memories with me. I so appreciate it.

[Detroitej72]

How long did your dad teach at St. David's Detroitej72? Would he have been there in '72?


My dad only taught there the last year they were open, I want to say 1989. They closed the church and school at the end of the year and he moved on.

[14509glenfield]

Maxine: I delivered the evening Free Press on Wilfred from Gratiot (starting at the funeral home (name-ugh?) to Hayes. My neighborhood sidekick did basicaly the same on Glenfield. Single copies were 8 cents, home delivery were .65 daily & Sunday if that dates me. Earlier (mid-50's) a plane crashed into a home on Glenfield. Were you kickin' then? Saw JFK on his swing through Detroit by the City Aiport. Another buddy worked at Quick Locksmiths, the owner and he were both firemen. I'll get the name.

[Maxine1958]

Maxine: I delivered the evening Free Press on Wilfred from Gratiot (starting at the funeral home (name-ugh?) to Hayes. My neighborhood sidekick did basicaly the same on Glenfield. Single copies were 8 cents, home delivery were .65 daily & Sunday if that dates me. Earlier (mid-50's) a plane crashed into a home on Glenfield. Were you kickin' then? Saw JFK on his swing through Detroit by the City Aiport. Another buddy worked at Quick Locksmiths, the owner and he were both firemen. I'll get the name.

We lived on the other side of Gratiot, between Gratiot and Gunston. First on Glenfield then on Wilfred. We lived there from I'll say 1961 until the late 80's. In those days you knew all the people on your block by name. :eek:

[Buy American]

14509...the funeral home was Gordon C.Crabb Funeral Home.

[14509glenfield]

Maxine:
Harold Mader ran/owned Quick Locksmiths. A block then consisted of homes and neihbors like you said.

[Maxine1958]

14509...the funeral home was Gordon C.Crabb Funeral Home.

Crabb Funeral Home was on the corner of Gratiot and Outer Drive.

[14509glenfield]

Maxine: How about the name of the one on Wilfred? First structure East of Gratiot on the right.

[Buy American]

Maxine, you are absolutely right about Crabb Funeral Home, sorry.

The spelling may be incorrect, but I think the one referred to is Whitenburger Funeral Home, (sp?), near Mapleridge and Gratiot. Or could it have been A. H. Peters Funeral Home?

[Flanders]

Maxine: How about the name of the one on Wilfred? First structure East of Gratiot on the right.

Buehler Funeral Home

[IrishSpartan]

Maxine, you are absolutely right about Crabb Funeral Home, sorry.

The spelling may be incorrect, but I think the one referred to is Whitenburger Funeral Home, (sp?), near Mapleridge and Gratiot. Or could it have been A. H. Peters Funeral Home?

A.H. Peters Funeral Home was at Gratiot & St. Patrick. The building is still there but its a church now.

[RJ_Spangler]

I lived for a year on Wilfred, by Kaulf's Bar at Dickerson. Even after I moved back to Jefferson-Chalmers, we still went backs to Haas Roast Beef. I sure miss that place.

[RJ_Spangler]

Oh yeah, anyone remember "Learn to Fly with Lank Tygard" and that house with the sign with the Indian Chief right across the street on Connor?

[Maof]

Oh yeah, anyone remember "Learn to Fly with Lank Tygard" and that house with the sign with the Indian Chief right across the street on Connor?

I remember seeing it on our way to Mt. Olivet Cemetary.

[IrishSpartan]

The sign for the Indian was at Conner & Kennebec for decades.


Oh yeah, anyone remember "Learn to Fly with Lank Tygard" and that house with the sign with the Indian Chief right across the street on Connor?

[Flanders]

I lived for a year on Wilfred, by Kaulf's Bar at Dickerson. Even after I moved back to Jefferson-Chalmers, we still went backs to Haas Roast Beef. I sure miss that place.

Kolf's, I used to play pool and foosball games at that bar in the mid-70s, I eventually became so skilled at foosball, that it got to the point that my partner could be a total newbie, and we would still beat most challengers even if they were experienced as well.

[danofcamden]

We were just talking about that Indian sign a couple weeks ago. Do you rememebr what it actually was an advertisemet for or a back story? We couldn't at all.

[Olddetroiter]

Speaking of signs, is the sign on Gethsemane Cemetery (Drive carefully. We can wait) still there?

[pgn421]

Danofcamden- the sign said "herbal medicines" as I remember

[Maxine1958]

RJ_Spangler - If you'd ever been back in the kitchen at Haas', you'd never eat there again. I'll admit the roast beef tasted wonderful, but after my aunt took a job there, and told us about the kitchen, we never went back.

Lank Tygard and his 'students' were a bunch of 'grabass' trolls. I used to frequent the airport bar in the early days of my wild-wicked-youth. Once those 'fellows' came in, my friends and I would leave.

Danofcamden & pgn421, since my father was a pharmacist, he was quite familiar with that house. It was probably one of the first herbal medicine stores. The man who lived there was supposedly an Indian Medicine Man. People would go there and get the herbal remedies, then when they didn't work, they would come to my father and ask him for something else.

[mauser]

Hey does anybody know what the blown out building along Gratiot next to the tracks and across from Gesthemane used to be ? It sure looks like a church, but its been burned several times so its real hard to tell. It would have been on the same block as the drug store.

It sits in a giant empty field that looks like an old mobile home park. I walked through yesterday, and there is what looks like a mobile home park clubhouse in the middle, and lots of small foundations.

This would be the area between Gratiot and the large factory.

Any recollections ?

Heres the building:

http://detroitfunk.com/church.jpg

[Sludgedaddy]

Mauser....you hit the nail on the head when you surmised that a mobile home park once existed south of the City Airpot. When I attended De La Salle in the late sixties one of the school's janitors , a Mr. John Pupa, resided there.

As to the identity of the burned out hulk you depicted above...it's where the Morlocks drug my Time Machine.

[lafontaine]

So was my dad. What years was your dad there?

My dad was a sergeant at the 15th from the late sixties to 1977, when he died. His funeral was at the Buehler Funeral Home on Gratiot and he was buried in Gethesame. Our funeral procession down Gratiot stopped in front of the precinct, where all of the police offers lined up and saluted us. It was an impressive display that I have never forgot.

[jcole]

My dad was a sergeant at the 15th from the late sixties to 1977, when he died. His funeral was at the Buehler Funeral Home on Gratiot and he was buried in Gethesame. Our funeral procession down Gratiot stopped in front of the precinct, where all of the police offers lined up and saluted us. It was an impressive display that I have never forgot.
My dad was there quite a bit earlier than that. He retired from Detroit in 73 after 37 years, so he probably crossed paths with your dad at some point in time. He died in 75, a year after he left the city.

[MikeM]

Hey does anybody know what the blown out building along Gratiot next to the tracks and across from Gesthemane used to be ? It sure looks like a church, but its been burned several times so its real hard to tell. It would have been on the same block as the drug store.

That was the "Gary Terminal" for the interurban line on Gratiot. It was built in 1925 as a transfer station for inbound passengers. Congestion was causing D.U.R. cars to get tied up in traffic on their way downtown, so they built this station where passengers would transfer to busses for the remainder of the ride. The busses got tied in traffic as well, so the plan backfired. I don't know when it was finally abandoned. Somewhere on the internets there is a color photo of the station while it was still in use.

A couple of photos from "When Eastern Michigan Rode the Rails, Volume II":
671

672

[MikeM]

Does anybody know what that huge factory used to be, off Gratiot just south/west of Conner (between Conner and French)?

It was built for Clayton & Lambert, makers of auto bodies. Later sold to Hudson Motors, and later still to Cadillac.

[mauser]

Mike m rox !

[mauser]

Um - that last post was supposed to be shouting in all caps.. :mad:


Hey - anybody in the hood across from City Airport and back to Gunston remember a paperboy named "Don" ? My father in law delivered papers in that hood back in the very early 60's.

He said when JFK came to Detroit, he landed at City.

[swan]

If I'm not mistaken the A&W Drive-In at Rosemary and Conner was called Gieger or Gieger's Drive-In in the early sixties. Spent many a weekend evening watching the submarine races at the City Airport Parking Area along Conner Ave.

[mauser]

Turns out that my father in law delivered the Eastside Shopper, the precursor to C & G News, which (for the time being) delivers throwaway advertisement driven papers in Macomb, Oakland and Grosse Pointe. Hilarious !

He said he would stop now and then at Happy Landings for a hamburger deluxe at the end of his paper route.

He was also telling me that the field behind Osborne High was mined for red sand while they were building I-94. Anybody remember that ?

[kville]

My wife grew up in that neighborhood during the 50's & 60's. I grew up in an adjacent area farther east. We lived there in the 70's & early 80's when I was a minister at Our Saviour on Elmdale & Dickerson. So many of these posts take me back. Many of my family members were buried through Buehler's (I went to school with Mark Buehler). My wife remembers how the focus of the area she lived (on Maiden near Newport) was around the church (roller skating weekly and other community events), and around Gooddale. All the small family stores interspersed throughout the side streets really helped make it a true neighborhood too. It was a true challenge for outsiders trying to figure out the streets in the area because it seemed that several different patterns converged in the area, with Gratiot and Kelly running on an angle, Outer Drive's curves, the triangle east of City Airport, plus the parallel streets to Harper and then the grid pattern north of Houston-Whittier. It was a special place.

[Flanders]

My wife grew up in that neighborhood during the 50's & 60's. I grew up in an adjacent area farther east. We lived there in the 70's & early 80's when I was a minister at Our Saviour on Elmdale & Dickerson. So many of these posts take me back. Many of my family members were buried through Buehler's (I went to school with Mark Buehler). My wife remembers how the focus of the area she lived (on Maiden near Newport) was around the church (roller skating weekly and other community events), and around Gooddale. All the small family stores interspersed throughout the side streets really helped make it a true neighborhood too. It was a true challenge for outsiders trying to figure out the streets in the area because it seemed that several different patterns converged in the area, with Gratiot and Kelly running on an angle, Outer Drive's curves, the triangle east of City Airport, plus the parallel streets to Harper and then the grid pattern north of Houston-Whittier. It was a special place.


Yes, it certainly was, esp an infamous party store named Renzi's across the street from Gooddale, in the early 70s!!

hic...

:D

[Maxine1958]

Mauser....you hit the nail on the head when you surmised that a mobile home park once existed south of the City Airpot. When I attended De La Salle in the late sixties one of the school's janitors , a Mr. John Pupa, resided there.

As to the identity of the burned out hulk you depicted above...it's where the Morlocks drug my Time Machine.

Yes that trailor park was home to many of our customers. Mostly for their daily bottle of booze :p. But some for more respectable purchases.

[mauser]

My fatherinlaw also mentioned that after WWII they had a small colony of veterans who stayed in little round tent buildings in the area that is now includes Conner Playfield that runs along Conner from Gratiot towards Harper. They lived there until they got homes and jobs and got going again after the war.

Anybody remember these things ? His description leaves me very curious as to what these little huts looked like.

Theres gotta be photos of that out there someplace.

MikeM ?

[LodgeDodger]

Maxine, you are absolutely right about Crabb Funeral Home, sorry.

The spelling may be incorrect, but I think the one referred to is Whitenburger Funeral Home, (sp?), near Mapleridge and Gratiot. Or could it have been A. H. Peters Funeral Home?

The Weitenberner Funeral Home was located across from Assumption Grotto Church on Gratiot.

[MikeM]

My fatherinlaw also mentioned that after WWII they had a small colony of veterans who stayed in little round tent buildings in the area that is now includes Conner Playfield that runs along Conner from Gratiot towards Harper. They lived there until they got homes and jobs and got going again after the war.

Anybody remember these things ? His description leaves me very curious as to what these little huts looked like.

Theres gotta be photos of that out there someplace.

MikeM ?

I believe they were Quonset huts. Do a search on Dequindre housing project; you should find a thread where HornWrecker and I compiled a collection of aerial photos of these projects from around the city. They lined the west side of Conner from Gratiot down to Warren or Mack and also down at the riverfront. You might find some pictures in the Virtual Motor City collection.

[mauser]

Thank you again, MikeM.

Do you have a website ? If not, you should.

[MikeM]

Thanks, but no website. I waste enough time on the computer as it is.

Here is the thread I mentioned:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/62684/73103.html

[Flanders]

I remember that there were a couple of large car dealerships in that area, Dick Green Chrysler-Plymouth and Mike Dorian Ford. I remember hearing rumors of mob ties to the latter. There also was a Dodge? dealership across Gratiot from Dick Green, but it's name escapes me now.

Dick Green had built up their car lot to nearly 5' above street level with dirt and asphalt, in order to prevent their new/used cars from being stolen. I used to walk past it to and from school in the 60s @ St. David Elementary, and the dealership had a large service and repair building that ended at Glenfield. The service employees used to drive their customers' cars out of the automatic roll-up/down service doors at a high rate of speed, and one of them nailed me one afternoon as I walked past on the sidewalk. My books went flying and I slid a few feet,covering my pants with oil from the driveway. I wasn't badly hurt, but I did end up getting a nice sized bruise on my right leg. The service employee cussed me out for "not watching out for their cars" yeah, right!!!

There were a couple of memorable fires in that area, a 3 alarm one summer night @ an A&P located between Flanders and Jane on the east side of Gratiot, and another involving several factory? buildings on the west side of Gratiot between Bradford and Flanders, where the Burger King and a Red Barn fast-food restaurants were later built. The Burger King is still there, I believe. At the corner of Dickerson and Gratiot, a tire or auto repair shop exploded from a bomb or something one night, there were bricks from the building scattered all over Gratiot the next morning.

[Hornwrecker]

I believe they were Quonset huts. Do a search on Dequindre housing project; you should find a thread where HornWrecker and I compiled a collection of aerial photos of these projects from around the city. They lined the west side of Conner from Gratiot down to Warren or Mack and also down at the riverfront. You might find some pictures in the Virtual Motor City collection.

There still was one quonset hut left in the 1970s; it was by the lawn bowling area at the north end of the park, near the DetEd substation. I think it was used to store park equipment.

[Maxine1958]

Flanders, we lived right there on Glenfield just behind Dick Green's. What years did you attend St. David's? I went there from '64 through '72 - 1st through 8th grades.

Those car lots were the reason weren't allowed to ride our bikes around the block. Mom was convinced I'd be killed by one of those idiots.

Ah, memories.

[Flanders]

Flanders, we lived right there on Glenfield just behind Dick Green's. What years did you attend St. David's? I went there from '64 through '72 - 1st through 8th grades.

Those car lots were the reason weren't allowed to ride our bikes around the block. Mom was convinced I'd be killed by one of those idiots.

Ah, memories.

I was a couple of years ahead of you, 61-70, then one year @ St David's HS 70-71, then it closed due to allegedly low enrollment the following year. You may have known the Gennriches (sp?) the Pietrobonos, the Salkowskis, and the Farrs who lived on Glenfield near Gratiot. I had a choice to go to DLS, Servite, or Denby, and chose Denby to finish out HS. Quite a difference between the chaotic druggie Denby and the rigid, controlled, and structured organization of St. David.

There were students selling all kinds of illegal drugs (uppers/downers either way blood flows) who were lined up along the sidewalks @ both of the entrance doors of Denby all year long, even in the dead of winter. I did not do as well at Denby academically, compared to St. David, not by a long shot, but it was mostly due to my very excessive truancy.

There was a Standard Gas station on the northeast corner of Gratiot/Glenfield where my brother and I would wait for my father to come home from work at the bus stop in front of it once and a while. Across Gratiot was the Bella Cleaners. Further down was the Airport Beer & Wine Store run by a old Italian guy named Joe, where us neighbor kids would buy candy and pop, and later beer, wine and ciggies. My father filled in for Joe a few times, when he was sick or took a vacation, which wasn't very often. There were a LOT of small used car dealerships around that area of Gratiot.

[Maxine1958]

I was a couple of years ahead of you, 61-70, then one year @ St David's HS 70-71, then it closed due to allegedly low enrollment the following year. You may have known the Gennriches (sp?) the Pietrobonos, the Salkowskis, and the Farrs who lived on Glenfield near Gratiot. I had a choice to go to DLS, Servite, or Denby, and chose Denby to finish out HS. Quite a difference between the chaotic druggie Denby and the rigid, controlled, and structured organization of St. David.

There were students selling all kinds of illegal drugs (uppers/downers either way blood flows) who were lined up along the sidewalks @ both of the entrance doors of Denby all year long, even in the dead of winter. I did not do as well at Denby academically, compared to St. David, not by a long shot, but it was mostly due to my very excessive truancy.

Flanders,

I did know one of the Gennriches, one of the girls, but I cannot remember her name right now. She was more a friend of my cousin's.

We did not have the money for Catholic high school, so I went to Osborn, being on the other side of Gratiot was the deciding factor. And it was a HUGE culture shock. I was 2 years ahead in math and at least one year in English and literature. I should have been on the honor roll, but I got lazy and made easy B's through those 4 years.

Some of my friends from St. Davids were the Jurcak, Molitor and Bernard.

I remember the big dust up in the parish when the Archdioses 'sold' the high school to the city. Lots of furious parishoners. I have the book the parish published after the huge fundraiser to build it.

[Flanders]

Flanders,

I did know one of the Gennriches, one of the girls, but I cannot remember her name right now. She was more a friend of my cousin's.

We did not have the money for Catholic high school, so I went to Osborn, being on the other side of Gratiot was the deciding factor. And it was a HUGE culture shock. I was 2 years ahead in math and at least one year in English and literature. I should have been on the honor roll, but I got lazy and made easy B's through those 4 years.

Some of my friends from St. Davids were the Jurcak, Molitor and Bernard.

I remember the big dust up in the parish when the Archdioses 'sold' the high school to the city. Lots of furious parishoners. I have the book the parish published after the huge fundraiser to build it.

I remember the Jurcak girls, Laura was in my class at St. David, but not the Bernard family. There was a Paul Molitor (I think) that went to DLS with some of my neighborhood friends. There were a lot of large families that attended St. David,for example, the Mulloys, who had over a dozen kids, directly across Rosemary from St. David, the Bezels, the Grzywacz' and the Fedons, whose mother was the grade school secretary, or something similar.I am ancestrally related to the family who donated the land that St. David Parish was built on in the early 20th century, the Trombly family.

[Maxine1958]

I remember the Jurcak girls, Laura was in my class at St. David, but not the Bernard family. There was a Paul Molitor (I think) that went to DLS with some of my neighborhood friends. There were a lot of large families that attended St. David,for example, the Mulloys, who had over a dozen kids, directly across Rosemary from St. David, the Bezels, the Grzywacz' and the Fedons, whose mother was the grade school secretary, or something similar.I am ancestrally related to the family who donated the land that St. David Parish was built on in the early 20th century, the Trombly family.

I knew some of the Trombly family. I think it was an inlaw that lived across the street from us when we lived on Wilfred. Patricia Jurcak and Sue Molitor were two of my classmates. I knew some of the Mulloys too, who didn't there were so many of them. I knew Mrs. Fedon well as I worked in the school office from 6th through 8th grades.

[Maxine1958]

I'm flattered Lowell granted this thread 'Hall of Fame' attention.

And I'm 'borrowing' and paraphrasing a quote from Detroit72 from another thread:

Any more stories? Any one still interested in this thread? :confused:

[kat]

I lived on Longview and went to St. David's for 1st through 3rd grade and St. Ignatius for 4th grade but cannot remember what public school in the area I attended for Kindergarten. Can anyone help? I would have started 1st grade in the 1960-61 school year.

[kville]

Probably Goodale (at Dickerson between Longview &Chelsea)

[Flip]

RJ_Spangler, i remember hass roast beef, TOO bad they closed Great food (roast beef and turkey) loved their wild rice stuffing !
yes all of those places were great !
Especially JAMES O' DONNELLS siste eileen, a great woman. and a fine girl, in her youth. She was quite a sweetheart ! I really miss that girl !

[Maxine1958]

Flip, if you remember Haas Roast Beef, do you happen to remember Heyn Drugs? It was on the corner of Gratiot and Conner. My parents owned it up until about 1972.

[Flip]

Hi Maxine,
yes i remember the drug store on connor and gratiot, Someone here on this thread was recalling the "dick Green chrysler and could not remember the dodge dealer across the street wher the 9th precinect of the detroit police now sits, the name of that place was "Eastown dodge":D and bought one of my fav cars there.
My parents had a house on kilbourne (the Street Dick Green was on)

Let me say lowell, you have done great service for all of us old timers, getting this place to reminece, and relise we mostly have CRS .:confused:

[Maxine1958]

Hi Flip,

You wouldn't happen to remember my parents would you?

It was such a shock when they tore down that whole block of businesses and replaced them with one Rite-Aid store. Of course, we always complained about the lack of parking back then, but half the block is a parking lot now. <sigh>

Kilbourne was only on the east side of Gratiot, right? I didn't explore over there much, having to cross the 'big, busy' street and all. LOL Those were the days.
:cool:

[Flip]

hi maxine,

no i dont remember that many folks personally, because i was just a kid myself, even having walked home from , then"Aero Mechanics" high scholl that took right past your parents place, i would stop in for various kids stuff (pop and the like) . Yes yo are right kilbourne was only on the eastside of gratiot. many great memories in that nieghborhood. Got my first car there living with my folks on kilbourne.

[Maxine1958]

Flip, have you been through there lately? It's so sad, just remembering what it was before and what it's become. But those are great memories.:)

[carterjan48]

I seem to recall a drug store on the corner of Gratiot and Conner. Does anyone know if there was a dentist office above the drug store. I remember going there as a kid and getting figgity in the chair. The dentist told me if I didn't sit still he was going to go across the street to the police station and bring a policeman over to make me sit still. At that point my dad made me get out of the chair and we left and it seems we went to the drug store for something to relieve my tooth problem. We lived in the the Quonset Huts on Conner between Gratiot and Harper. Two families lived in one hut which was separated by a wall in the middle. They were cozy. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with a shower, kitchen and living room. They became very hot in the summer and a lot of the families would go to Belle Isle to sleep at night. Lots of buried treasure on the grounds. The Hudson Motor car company was also on that property. The building is still there. My sister and I went to Macomb Elementary. I think it was on Barrett. Trying to find families that lived there. I lived there from 1948 to 1956. At that time everyone was forced to move out. We moved to Roseville. We sure had a lot of fun living there. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

[kat]

Thanks so much for mentioning Macomb Elementary! I have been racking my brain trying to remember that school's name. I went to Kindergarten there in 1959 and needed the name to settle an argument with my sister ;o)

[Maxine1958]

I seem to recall a drug store on the corner of Gratiot and Conner. Does anyone know if there was a dentist office above the drug store. I remember going there as a kid and getting figgity in the chair. The dentist told me if I didn't sit still he was going to go across the street to the police station and bring a policeman over to make me sit still. At that point my dad made me get out of the chair and we left and it seems we went to the drug store for something to relieve my tooth problem. We lived in the the Quonset Huts on Conner between Gratiot and Harper. Two families lived in one hut which was separated by a wall in the middle. They were cozy. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with a shower, kitchen and living room. They became very hot in the summer and a lot of the families would go to Belle Isle to sleep at night. Lots of buried treasure on the grounds. The Hudson Motor car company was also on that property. The building is still there. My sister and I went to Macomb Elementary. I think it was on Barrett. Trying to find families that lived there. I lived there from 1948 to 1956. At that time everyone was forced to move out. We moved to Roseville. We sure had a lot of fun living there. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Hi Caterjan48!

I started this thread looking for anyone who might have remembered that store. My parents owned it. And yes, there was a dentist's office upstairs. Both my parents had work done by him, but he was not a friendly man at all. Even when he would come into the store, he was always grouchy.

If you came into the store during those years, no doubt it was my Dad who helped you. He was in the store from open to close - 10 am until 10 pm.

I don't remember the quonset huts, but I did hear lots of stories about them and the people who lived there.

[12081 glenfield]

I grew up on Glenfield between Gratiot &roseberry. Went to St. David 1st tru 9th when it closed down.Those name sure ring a bell. There was jeff and westley farr, Joe petorbono and others many ggod times.

[Bobl]

My mouth still waters when I hear of Haas' Roast Beef. Loved those sandwiches! My uncle was a cop at that precinct, and I once ran into him there. He "suggested" that I no longer hang out in his precinct late nights. Great uncle, great dad, great cop. RIP: Uncle Bill!

[stasu1213]

I remember seeing the girls coming from the catholic school in the plaid skirts and I think white blouses crossing Gratioit at around 3Pm every mon-fri. I had forgotten the name of that school on Gratioit just east of conners. Is it still open

[IrishSpartan]

St.David was on Outer Drive. The grade school along with the church on the north side of Outer Drive over to Gunston and the "new" high school across the street, which opened around 1958. No part of St. David was on Gratiot or Conner. However, De La Salle was located at Conner & Glenfield, which was an all boys school.

I'm guessing you probably haven't been in that area in a while. St.David's church closed about 20 years ago and the high school around 1973. It has not been a Catholic neighborhood in 30 years.

[Hermod]

Maxine: I delivered the evening Free Press on Wilfred from Gratiot (starting at the funeral home (name-ugh?) to Hayes. My neighborhood sidekick did basicaly the same on Glenfield. Single copies were 8 cents, home delivery were .65 daily & Sunday if that dates me. Earlier (mid-50's) a plane crashed into a home on Glenfield. Were you kickin' then? Saw JFK on his swing through Detroit by the City Aiport. Another buddy worked at Quick Locksmiths, the owner and he were both firemen. I'll get the name.

Wasn't that plane crash in 52 or 53?? My Dad drove us over to see the aftermath. It clipped one house on the gable and chimney, then squashed the corner house. Pilot didn't quite make the runway.

[FerndaleDamon]

Hi, guys. I'm new to this site@ love it! I grew up on Charlemagne from '72-'82. Went to Wilkins '72-'76, St. David '76-'78. Graduated from De La Salle in '82. Used to play pickup baseball games @ Apollo Hall on Conner. Saw all the airshows for free. They used to have cops direct traffic on Conner after DHS football games- that's how big they were! There used to be a Mr.&Mrs. Trombl(e)y across the street from me. Haas Roast Beef? mmm.

[dennis]

uote=Maxine1958;7397]I'm a new member of this forum. Joined when the new site went up. But I've been 'lurking' for a long time. I really enjoy reading about everyone's warm - okay maybe some not so warm - memories of the eastside neighborhoods they grew up in.

I'd like to see if anyone shares my memories.

My parents owned the drugstore on the corner of Gratiot and Conner - Heyn Drug. I'd love to hear from anyone who remembers the store, my parents, or that part of the city.[/quote]
I remember that store as a young boy. My parents owned Deary Hardware on Gratiot and Outer Drive.

[dennis]

Knew that drug store. My parents owned Deary Hardware on Gratiot and Outer Drive.

[dennis]

Hi, guys. I'm new to this site@ love it! I grew up on Charlemagne from '72-'82. Went to Wilkins '72-'76, St. David '76-'78. Graduated from De La Salle in '82. Used to play pickup baseball games @ Apollo Hall on Conner. Saw all the airshows for free. They used to have cops direct traffic on Conner after DHS football games- that's how big they were! There used to be a Mr.&Mrs. Trombl(e)y across the street from me. Haas Roast Beef? mmm.


Hi Ferndale. I use to eat at Hass Roast Beef alot. The Bonus family ran it. they did business with my family who owned Deary Hardware on Gratiot and Outer Drive. My name is Dennis Deary. Was up there a few years ago . Very sad.

[FerndaleDamon]

Hi, Dennis. I worked at Deary hardware after school, part time when Ed French owned it circa'78-'79. Knew that store very well. I was through the old neighborhood last week. Looks like a third world country. Breaks my heart.

[dennis]

Maxine: How about the name of the one on Wilfred? First structure East of Gratiot on the right.


Buehler funeral home

[dennis]

Hi, Dennis. I worked at Deary hardware after school, part time when Ed French owned it circa'78-'79. Knew that store very well. I was through the old neighborhood last week. Looks like a third world country. Breaks my heart.


We sold that to Ed in December 1977 . I moved to Texas right after that and now live in Savannah, Georgia. I agree with you about third world. My last visit there it looked bad. So many empty lots where homes once stood. Ed moved across the street where Mike Dorian Ford was. Wonder if he still owns it. Lots of good times.

[FerndaleDamon]

No, Ed moved across the street to the old Dorian Ford bldg. He closed about 5yrs. ago, or more. Keep in touch.

[AnneWM]

Maxine: How about the name of the one on Wilfred? First structure East of Gratiot on the right.

The funeral home was Schultz... one house from Gratiot.

[AnneWM]

That was the Schultz funeral home--friends of our family

[Johnnie Sue Bridges]

Hi maxine1958,
I was born in 1958, so we are the same age. Although I do not remember your store, I‘ll share where with you where I lived. We moved to the East side of Detroit in 1968. We first lived in an apartment up above a place named Morgan’s Bar. It was near Chryslers somewhere. I have no clue where that was within the city; I wish I did know. Then we moved to Anderdon Street, Hilliger, Lemay, and then to Dwyer Street by Conant and Mt. Elliott. After that we moved to the West side of Detroit to 35th Street; that’s where I grew up. I love Detroit and I loved all of the stories posted here.
Johnnie Sue Bridges

[MikeM]

Morgan Bar, 10047 Van Dyke

[AnneWM]

it was Schultz Funeral Home .

[FerndaleDamon]

Just remember how good Haas Roast Beef was, and it'll all be better.

[7andkelly]

Gratiot/Conner - Rio's Bar was near there. Not my favorite haunt, but full of characters.

[Johnnie Sue Bridges]

Morgan Bar, 10047 Van Dyke

MikeM, are you sure this is where the Morgan Bar was? I can't begin to tell you how much it drove me crazy trying to place in my mind where this apartment over the bar could have been. I have even driven down the road all around that area with google searching. Just a little gnawing nat with me. :eek: LOL Thank you!

[MikeM]

That was the address I found in a couple of phone books from the 1960s. It was on Van Dyke near the Chrysler plant on Lynch Rd, so it seemed to match your description.

[Johnnie Sue Bridges]

That was the address I found in a couple of phone books from the 1960s. It was on Van Dyke near the Chrysler plant on Lynch Rd, so it seemed to match your description.
MikeM, thanks for taking the time to look for Morgan's Bar.

[4Detroit]

When I was a teenager my friends and I used to go to Connor Park to play baseball. We used to go to Harry's Drug Store on the corner of Montclair and Harper for a Coke. Good old days.

[4Detroit]

I think the Drugstore at Gratiot and Harper was Reid's, and last time I was by there, it was still there.

[bsarabennett]

Wow that's such a great picture. Did you have that in your personal files? In my free time, I design textiles, and I bet that that print would make an awesome pillow that a ton of Michiganders would buy!

[FerndaleDamon]

The Gordon C. Crabb funeral home was on the SW corner of Outer Dr./Gratiot. There was a doctor's office on the NE corner. Dr. Prigg and Dr. Nielson to be exact. I used to go there as a kid.

[teesalk]

glad to see people are still posting, I was afraid the site was dead. An old friend pointed out the site to me, and I found references to my last name! I grew up on Glenfield (two houses two blocks apart) and went to St. David's and DeLaSalle. My Grandparents raised 7 boys and 1 daughter on Rosemary, half a block from St. Davids. Too bad what it has become; last time I drove down Gratiot, it looked more like a war zone than the old neighborhood.

[mikefmich]

Was Haas Roast Beef the only little restaurant on that side of Gratiot between Connors & Outer Dr.? Whatever it was, it was the first time I ever ate liver. lol
The osteopath right across the street on Gratiot saved my back in 1965, I will always feel indebted to him.

[mikefmich]

The Gordon C. Crabb funeral home was on the SW corner of Outer Dr./Gratiot. There was a doctor's office on the NE corner. Dr. Prigg and Dr. Nielson to be exact. I used to go there as a kid.

I just saw your post after I made mine below. Dr. Priggs family were family friends with mine when I was growing up.
On a sad note, his daughter just passed last week.

[ferntruth]

My dad was there quite a bit earlier than that. He retired from Detroit in 73 after 37 years, so he probably crossed paths with your dad at some point in time. He died in 75, a year after he left the city.

Wow, that sucks. Your poor dad only got to enjoy his retirement for a couple of years...

(excuse the thread jack)

[FerndaleDamon]

Teesalk, I lived on Charlemagne. I also went to St. David( '76-'78) De La Salle('82). I worked at Deary Hardware, part time after school. What I wouldn't give for a hot roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes from Haas, right now. Ditto the war zone comment.

[Danny]

I lived on Sanford between Gunston and Elmo from Hallowe'en '76 until spring '82. The neighborhood was transitioning by then and I was part of it, from homeowners to rentals. The first murder in Detroit of one of the years I was there happened on Sanford near Gunston. A couple across the street from me was found murdered execution style, their dog too, as a result of their selling stolen property. A book titled Land Of Opportunity covered part of the continuing transition after I'd left. It's about the Chamber brothers and their crack cocaine drug trade. Many of the addresses in it are in this area.A Hmong family moved into the lower flat that I had rented.

In the meantime a new murder for hire black gang called 'The Best Friends' ruled the 7 Mile from Schoenherr Rd to Kelly Rd. By 1986 The Best Friends Gang went to the drug dealing businesses.

[bsarabennett]

You know, this is just one more reason I love Detroit! It's one of those cities that you know people. People are familiar, and it's not this huge place where people get lost, you know? The only other city I've lived in like that is Indianapolis... and even there... it's just not as cool.
---
Canopy (http://www.buyshade.com)