Belgian Neighborhood Tour

[Buffalogirl]

Some friends would like to do a short tour of old Belgian neighborhoods later this month. We will be ending up at the Cadieux Cafe, but would like to drive around a bit before we go there.

Are there specific areas that were known as Belgian neighborhoods at one time?

Are there any landmarks or historical buildings that we should see?

Any links to stories related to historical Belgian neighborhoods?

Thanks

This may come too late to help you but my friend Margaret told me that a man called Stewart McMillan who lives in Detroit's Indian Village has given private tours of Belgian Detroit in the past.
I understand he's a researcher and history buff. You can find him in the Detroit White Pages.

[Bobl]

Stewart is a walking encyclopedia of local, and world, history. Been to just about every nation on Earth.
He also piqued the interest of this bored high school student who at least partially woke up to the world around him while taking a civics class from Mr McMillan, many moons ago!

[Maggy R]

My Dad was a member of the Belgian-American Floor Bowlers that usually played out of Bill & Madeline's Bar on the eastside but I don't recall on what street. They may have played out of other bars too. I grew up on the westside so we usually only went to the semi-annual or annual banquets. The annual banquet included a motor vehicle parade thru the Belgian neighborhood with that years' champion riding in an open car. This was in the early 60s.

That would be the bar owned by Bill and Madeline Brennan. She was Belgian but he was Irish, I believe. It was located on Mack Ave in the vicinity of Drexel or Lenox.

[Maggy R]

There is also a former Belgian ethnic hall that I have yet to photograph. MikeM could tell where that is. I remember him posting a picture of it on the old forum.

While not in the neighborhood, I think the ruins of the Dorais velodrome might qualify as a Belgian site too. Scroll down in this thread to see it: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1147780842

Re Velodromes, does anyone know about the velodrome, possibly the very first one in Detroit, once located on the grounds of St John Berchman grade school Lakeview just east of Warren? I remember the remnants of the cement footings on the playgound. However, the earliest velodrome in my memory was on Harper a little north of Morang. It had very steep sides and I rmember going there for the six-day races which brought in riders from New York and many other places.

[Maggy R]

From the names mentioned above it would appear that most of the Detroit Belgians were Flemish [Dutch speaking] vs Walloons [French]. The Cadieux Cafe seems to be the only associated French name and I wonder if that was adopted from the Detroit Cadieux, as in the street. The country is divided between those two groups along with a small German community [from which our former forum member Ghettobutterfly hailed and has since returned to].

In the 1950's they nearly came to blows but settled their differences.

The Belgians in Detroit were primarily the Flemish or Dutch-speaking I think that Wisconsin has more of the Walloons. Cadieux Cafe got it's name from the street, I am sure, because the owner previous to the Devos family was a man by the name of Elie Calmeyn and the bar was always referred to as Calmeyn's at that time. Another old Belgian owned bar years ago was the Green Oaks on Harper north of Morang. It had one of those huge mechanical organs and was a popular spot for dancing. They also had an archery club which met there and they competed outdoors in a sort of a screen enclosure and shot up to the sky

[Maggy R]

From the names mentioned above it would appear that most of the Detroit Belgians were Flemish [Dutch speaking] vs Walloons [French]. The Cadieux Cafe seems to be the only associated French name and I wonder if that was adopted from the Detroit Cadieux, as in the street. The country is divided between those two groups along with a small German community [from which our former forum member Ghettobutterfly hailed and has since returned to].

In the 1950's they nearly came to blows but settled their differences.

Most of the Belgians here in the Detroit area are Flemish,or Dutch speaking I think. It seems that many of the Walloons went to Wisconsin
I thought that I had responded to this item last night. Did I neglect to do something? i am a new participant.

[Maggy R]

Most of the Belgians here in the Detroit area are Flemish,or Dutch speaking I think. It seems that many of the Walloons went to Wisconsin
I thought that I had responded to this item last night. Did I neglect to do something? i am a new participant.

I apologize, I found my original reply but I still don't understand why I have such trouble logging in. I get rejected 3 or 4 times and get discouraged.

[BillRush]

The area around Finney GRADE SCHOOL had many Bs. Lots of garage and basement homes awaiting the money for a house. "Skit der bruck" were the first cuss words I learned.Translation? On Harper between Moross and Vernier was abig Belgian tavern with outside bow and arrow shooting at balloons up in a huge net-also a velodrome and bike club.Austins first and De Busschere's coach Chuck Hollosy still alive in St. Marys, GA. I'm a Finney and Denby alum. Finney HS now closed.

[Buffalogirl]

Thanks very much for your help. It looks like a trip down Harper and through East English Village should be a good introduction to the old Belgian neighborhood.

Are there any specific businesses or commercial stretches that were part of the neighborhood?

A very odd coincidence: my last name has been mentioned on this thread. ??!!??

I was told there is a gentleman by the name of Stewart McMillan who lives in Indian Village and who gives private tours of Belgian Detroit...

[Carey]

One of the main Belgian parishes on the East Side in the 1950s was St. Philomena, a small church and parish on Marseilles near Mack, a few blocks east of Cadieux and Mack. A number of homes in the parish featured pigeon coops for racing birds. Confessions were regularly heard in Flemish, and a priest sometimes celebrated Flemish-language masses. As for high school, Belgians were pretty well spread out among Austin, Finney, Bishop Gallagher, Servite.

Did someone say Mayor Cobo was Belgian? Really?

[eno]

Henry Ford was half Belgian-American. His mother was first generation American from Belgian immigrant parents.

Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863, on a farm in Greenfield Township [[near Detroit, Michigan).[1] His father, William Ford [[1826–1905), was born in County Cork, Ireland. His mother, Mary Litogot Ford [[1839–1876), was born in Michigan; she was the youngest child of Belgian immigrants;
from Wikipedia

[terridarlin]

Bill Rush said: "Lots of garage and basement homes awaiting the money for a house."


Over the years, I’ve noticed that many parties were hosted in the garage. The house was not used, except for preparing food. I never realized this tradition was odd until my sister-in-law [[from Virginia) asked if everyone in Detroit parties in his or her garage?
Did the Belgians start this, and then everybody else decided to do the same?

[oladub]

BillRush asks, "The area around Finney GRADE SCHOOL had many Bs. Lots of garage and basement homes awaiting the money for a house. "Skit der bruck" were the first cuss words I learned.Translation? "

It roughly means "go s- in your pants" and would be used to convey the same general message as telling someone to "go f- yourself" in English.
---
A not related anecdote:
On Farmbrook as a kid, I used to hang out at the Szarzinski's. The lady next door was known to us as 'Buffalo Emma". She was kind of a grumpy[[to us anyway) heavy lady with a disapproving demeanor. One day we were doing boy experiments with cherry bombs - using them to shoot things out of pipes, blow up cans - that type of thing. I guess she didn't like what we were up to so she came out into her back yard to glower at us just in time for us to see what would happen when we blew up a cherry bomb that we had covered with glued BB's. One seems to have hit her in the rear because she jerked and then ambled off to her house without saying anything.
---

[swiburn]

I believe another Belgian church [[on Coplin nr E. Warren) was St. John Berchman, now closed. He is a Belgian saint. Servite High School was attached to the church and it was co-ed-so perhaps there are some Belgian women around Detroit who once went there.

[kathy2trips]

I found quite a bit more information worth including in this thread. For now, time permits me only two of them. More to come.

Lowell said he wondered what happened to the original crucifix from the original Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church on Meldrum and Benson. Thankfully, the Flemish holy relic can now be viewed at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church on 13 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores [[where many descendants of Detroit's original Belgian immigrants reside).
http://www.themichigancatholic.org/2011/10/historic-verbiest-crucifix-restored-to-hang-again/

It was considered lost for many years, but was found and lovingly restored. With a nod to those who saved it, off-duty fire fighters brought the crucifix into a church, this time, St. Margaret's



On a sadder note, I found a series of exterior and interior photos of the Belgian Hall on Facebook under the heading: "The Sad Story of Belgian Hall in Detroit" ; I don't know when these were taken, but it is pretty rough. According to one of the subsequent posts, it burned down September 2015. https://www.facebook.com/43978473622...44101525790850

[p69rrh51]

This church was founded by Belgians.

Designed by Peter Dederichs. Saint Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Parish 1515 Baldwin built 1918-1919 Islandview Neighborhood Detroit, MI.

[p69rrh51]

Henry Ford was half Belgian-American. His mother was first generation American from Belgian immigrant parents.

Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863, on a farm in Greenfield Township [[near Detroit, Michigan).[1] His father, William Ford [[1826–1905), was born in County Cork, Ireland. His mother, Mary Litogot Ford [[1839–1876), was born in Michigan; she was the youngest child of Belgian immigrants;
from Wikipedia

Henry & Clara Ford are buried in a small cemetery on the grounds of this church. Clara Ford donated one million dollars to help build the church.
Designed by Giffels & Valet Inc., L. Rossetti. Saint Martha's Episcopal Church 15801 Joy Road built in 1952 Herman Gardens Neighborhood, Detroit, MI

[Jerry Van]

I believe another Belgian church [[on Coplin nr E. Warren) was St. John Berchman, now closed. He is a Belgian saint. Servite High School was attached to the church and it was co-ed-so perhaps there are some Belgian women around Detroit who once went there.

Thank you for remembering St. John Berchmann. Yes, it was a very Belgian Church and one that is very dear to me. My dad and his family lived at 4821 Coplin, just across for the Church & school. My grandfather worked there as the boiler operator, carpenter & custodian. To anyone who remembers how uncomfortable the "balcony" seating was, you have my grandfather to thank, he made them. There was never a formal church building. The first order of business was to build the school. Church services were held in the gymnasium with the intent to build a church building later. That never happened. Even so, there were over 5000 families attending St. John's, second only in the Archdiocese of Detroit to Shrine of the Little Flower. To all who went there, or who attended Servite High, it was a very special and blessed place. I attended the last mass there. It was heartbreaking and I shed tears even today as I write this.

To those for whom these things are still precious, attend your inner city churches.

If anyone who attended St. John's a loooong time ago should remember the custodian, Mr. Van please let me know.

[kathy2trips]

This was considered the "mother church" of Belgians [[mostly Flemish) on the near East Side. Our Lady of Sorrows was also a predominately Belgian church, but shared it with a great number of Italians [[mother church = San Francesco) and Germans [[mother church = St. Joseph [I think...please correct me if I'm wrong]) The "mother church" might not necessarily be your parish church, but was where the main religious family events would occur. For example, when my parents were first married, they went to Our Lady of Sorrows. When I was born, however, I was baptized at San Francesco.

[kathy2trips]

To those for whom these things are still precious, attend your inner city churches.

To quote a former Detroit resident "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." Boy, ain't it the truth! Don't wait until the civic treasure is gone lest you experience even more regrets over the loss of another civic treasure.

Speaking of which, as promised earlier:

Here are some photos of the fire that took Our Lady of Sorrows in 1963, along with some news stories in these clippings from the Detroit Free Press. [[I hope I don't make any hideous uploading errors!)


Here's an overhead shot of the church on fire you may not have seen; the Briggs factory is to the left of the church across Benson St. Note how densely packed the neighborhood is.



Map with another exterior shot




The inner city churches, in particular the traditional crucifix-shaped Catholic churches, are very important to a growing community of Catholics who harken back to the traditional pre-Vatican II, Latin Mass. The old churches in town were specifically built to incorporate practices such offering the Mass ad orientem [[instead of facing the people) at the altar and utilizing communion rails. These adjustments can easily be accomplished in the older churches who had them originally.

[EastsideAl]

This church was founded by Belgians.

Designed by Peter Dederichs. Saint Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Parish 1515 Baldwin built 1918-1919 Islandview Neighborhood Detroit, MI.

St. Charles is still an active Catholic parish. The parish was saved, and the building renovated, by the Capuchin fathers from the nearby monastery on Mt. Elliott. Among its charms is a lovely old Wurlitzer pipe organ.

My great-grandmother and my grandfather and his sisters went to church there when they lived on Field between Jefferson and Lafayette. They were Irish, but the church and the neighborhood was indeed largely Flemish Belgian then. My grandfather was baptized in the previous church on Field between St. Paul and Agnes, and my father [[who never has actually been a practicing Catholic) was baptized in this building, which was built around 1918. My grandfather also attended school at St. Charles for a few years.