Palmer Park

LodgeDodger · February-10-10, 09:21 PM

It was pretty amazing. Here's a pic of the style of ice skates I wore when I skated at Palmer Park.

**Stinger4me** · February-10-10, 10:02 PM

There is some good information here. The was a small part of the pond it was in the front part of the yard with a white house. The white house had some folks from the Dept. of Parks & recreation. If I recall correctly there was a pipe with water flowing into the pond. At the south end of the pond near the parking lot there was a drain. There was a building opposite the police academy building and that was where the "parks & rec." shop was located. They made swings and kept the equipment in the yard. There was a small metal building where the police stabled their horses while they were assigned to the park. I cannot recall exactly where the small stone castle was located it was still there in the late '70's.

**Rocko** · February-10-10, 10:08 PM

The Log Cabin loop is where many DSR streetcars on the Woodward line short turned during Rush Hour times back in the 40s and 50s. Northbound cars going up Woodward would have their destination boards read Woodward - Log Cabin if they were going to turn here.

Sad to see the cabin abandoned.....it would be a nice centerpiece if all fixed up.

Bearinabox · February-10-10, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Rocko

The Log Cabin loop is where many DSR streetcars on the Woodward line short turned during Rush Hour times back in the 40s and 50s. Northbound cars going up Woodward would have their destination boards read Woodward - Log Cabin if they were going to turn here.

Interesting. I always wondered about that when I saw old pictures of streetcars with that destination sign.

**Susan Messer** · February-11-10, 08:28 AM

I found the photos of Palmer Park. The log cabin can be seen in the background of a couple of them. Now I'll just have to figure out how to upload them.

Oh, we loved to go to that park. And thanks for mentioning feeding the ducks. I remember those bright orange cheeto-type crackers.

Bill Rauhauser, who took the wonderful photo on my book cover, also has a beautiful photo of Palmer Park. Here it is.

**Baselinepunk** · February-11-10, 09:19 AM

Is that Butch Hollowell in that picture?

Sorry, bad joke.

I remember in the late 70's / early 80's going to the Art Fair there. I think was held in the mid to late summer time. Also, on the diamond near the tennis courts ever year or so the some players for the Tigers used to play in some softball league. Wasn't it a Little Caesar's "thing"? I think players like Champ Summers and Jason Thompson and some other fellas played there.

We used to ride our bikes on the trails in the park, then hit Sherwood Forest for a spin to fantasize about which house we would buy if we had a lot of money.

Good times.

**Susan Messer** · February-11-10, 09:43 AM

Okay, this is probably a little too cute, but it's Palmer Park in the 50s with me in the foreground and the cabin in the back. Sorry it's so small and crooked. Not terribly adept with photos. I have a couple more.

LodgeDodger · February-11-10, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Susan Messer

Okay, this is probably a little too cute, but it's Palmer Park in the 50s with me in the foreground and the cabin in the back. Sorry it's so small and crooked. Not terribly adept with photos. I have a couple more.

Not "too" cute. It's a darling picture. Thank you for sharing.

**Susan Messer** · February-11-10, 10:37 AM

Okay, LodgeDodger. Thanks for the encouragement. Here's another one: the castle.

**Baselinepunk** · February-11-10, 10:48 AM

Yep, that's the castle. Many a Stormtrooper died there back in the day.

**Stinger4me** · February-11-10, 06:54 PM

My sister told me the rental booth for the pony cart rides was near the bleachers along the first base line of the ball diamond by the shuffle board courts. The shuffle board club had a house where they housed their personal equipment for use on the courts. The bridle paths were located through the woods in the park. It was quite a nice park many years ago.

**rodj44137** · February-11-10, 07:05 PM

Is the castle still there?

**Kathleen** · February-11-10, 08:08 PM

Here are some photos that I shot at Palmer Park last June.

**Baselinepunk** · February-11-10, 08:54 PM

Well, pictures don't really tell the whole story, but it looks a hellva lot better than I thought it would.

Route29 · February-11-10, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Rideron

Thecabin is gonna crumble or burn, the pond is a cess pit.

Boy, this one is a real charmer. Real sweet talker.

**Lowell** · February-11-10, 11:27 PM

Here's your castle Susan from where you would have been squatted.

**Susan Messer** · February-12-10, 08:09 AM

Thanks, Lowell. That castle seemed to be much bigger back then--though, even then, not big enough to fulfill all my fantasies. Here's another one of that little lighthouse. Again, sorry the photo is so small.

**Treelock** · February-12-10, 10:38 AM

I occasionally run through the park, and if I'm up for a bit of an adrenaline rush, I follow the paved path that leads through the woods more or less from Merrill Plaisance to the police precint/golf course headquarters building on Seven Mile Road.

There is a large homeless encampment back in the woods there constructed from all kinds of debris and tossed-off building material. I have never encountered anyone actually squatting there during my runs, but it gets remote and there are occasional stragglers who use this path.

It's the kind of place back there where you want to be aware of your surroundings. I'd never recommend that a woman go back there by herself, or that anyone go after dark.

**cman710** · February-12-10, 11:51 AM

What happened to the folks who were trying to restore the Merrill Fountain? Are they just taking the winter off, or has the effort fizzled out?

**Baselinepunk** · February-12-10, 01:12 PM

What department oversees the cabin in Palmer Park; Parks and Rec?

**detroitpride313** · June-12-11, 11:12 PM

cman710, I have been trying to find out the same thing. I couldn't find anything online but please let me know if you find something.

**stasu1213** · June-13-11, 09:15 PM

I think that the extending of Palmer Park would be a great idea for the greening of Detroit. Palmer Park could extend down Hamilton9raze the area of both sides of Hamilton0, all the way down to the Boston Edison and the Ford Hospital distrct. There is nothing on Hamilton anyway and Highland Park could be a part of it also and really could be called Highland Park

**stromberg2** · June-14-11, 12:41 PM

I don't pretend to be a first hand observer of Hamilton, but the pictures on Google certainly don't make it look like there is nothing. Anybody have pics of this "war zone"?

Stromberg2

bartock · June-14-11, 01:09 PM

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...46.15,,0,-2.66

This is just south of McNichols. When I lived over by U of D 15 years ago, I thought the area of Hamilton south of McNichols was something of a "war zone," but from Google, it does appear more abandoned than anything now.