Garwood Mansion

[Whaler]

That's Funny...I grew up in Cleveland...We called em Taps!!!...Had to have Them!!!...Hope everyone is well and ready for Spring!!!..58* for Opening Day here in the "D"...Whaler

[old guy]

Spent hours in there.....passed on the cleats option, though. Saw too many guys slip and fall on their ass because of those things. Orthopedists loved 'em.

Hey Larry, I grew up as a west side greaser. Not to be misconstrued with the west end. The taps/cleats were pretty much required to be cool. Also, we were reasonably poor and they made your shoes last longer. Outlawed in schools eventually. Hard to imagine a time when you'd take your shoes in to be repaired. New soles, rebuilt heels. Used to go to Carl's. He had the best prices and would deal with you. I could save enough money to take a trip to the barber college. That's when I was pretty young.

Funny, if you stepped back from the record mart a block and a half, the 100 block of south main, I had a retail store that I opened when I was 16. I was expelled from the Illinois school system the day I turned 16. Got a job in a factory, saved all my money for 6 months and opened a retail store.

A year later, I met Gus and we rented a third story walk up apartment up two blocks from the left side of the picture of the record mart. We started booking shows through the William Morris Agency, Heller Fischel etc. Not sure how we pulled it off on a shoe string or less. Booked some great bands like Cheech & Chong, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, America, Jefferson Starship [[questionable at that point) Muddy Waters, Humble Pie, Dr. John, Average White Band, Black Oak Arkansas and many others I can't remember. Next thing I remember we were in Key West trying to raise money for a show that went south, and then we were living in Ypsi, drinking 40's [[after work) and eating spanish rice and toast at the Garbage Can Cafe? Life is funny, sort of. I kind of like it.

[stnfrnt]

The Mind-Blowing Alfred Fisher Mansion Asks $1.2M



http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2014/04/the-mindblowing-fisher-mansion-politely-asks-12m.php

Attachment 23133

[Whaler]

I did a tv show there many years ago...Beautiful Grounds and Landscape....Inside was awesome so many years ago!!!...Also did a show at the other Fisher Mansion on Lennox [[Iscon Temple Hare Krishna )...Also incredible inside...Ballroom similar to the Gar Wood...in there day nothing finer in Detroit...As you well know Location was Killer!!!...Whaler

[Whaler]

Fisher Mansion on Lenox!!!...Whaler

[Whaler]

EastSide Cat posted this pic from another thread...He said it was taken fm the Gar Wood Property...Stone , Bush Mark remember this???...They had a brewery in the Basement!!!!...Yikes!!!...Whaler

[stnfrnt]

Hell yes I remember that place. Here's a shot of Keelson Drive taken from the house. I'm guessing this is just about the time I moved in, because I remember a bunch of us cleaning out that little white shack one day. It was floor to ceiling-front to back filled with garbage bags of trash. Oklahoma Mike had a Ford Ranchero, and he made a shitload of trips to the dump [[or somewhere) with piles of trash bags we loaded up......didn't think we were ever going to get done!

Attachment 23152

[old guy]

EastSide Cat posted this pic from another thread...He said it was taken fm the Gar Wood Property...Stone , Bush Mark remember this???...They had a brewery in the Basement!!!!...Yikes!!!...Whaler

Yeah Whaler, was that eastside cat that said his relatives lived in that house. it was in the original garwood mansion thread. i can't remember if if it was the korbers mansion. I do remember it was on the west side of the canal. I remember the father died one Saturday night when we were living there. I believe they owned a brewery.
The Fisher mansion, I remember going down there for cocktails on several occasions when Gill owned it. Scary guy, but nice. He developed heat sensing units for the army and CIA.Visited the Garwood a few times, brought FBI agents. CIA agents and armed guards with him. They smoked pot with us and he flipped us a $100 to go buy some McBurgers. First time he had ever eaten them. Thought they were great.

His house was great.

[old guy]

That was the Fisher mansion on Lenox.

[Isle_of_fun]

Old Guy , with such good memory! You made me recall the spelling as I went to school with one of the descendants.
Michigan Brewing co.
Charles Koerber
Brewed in Detroit: Breweries and Beers Since 1830
By Peter H. Blum
Fisher Mansion was [[or is) amazing. Spent a little time there, got out as fast as humanly possible! Yes, they were very scary! I think it was stillrockin who might have more related stories.

[old guy]

Good to here from you Isle.

[Whaler]

Another Great story Old Guy!!!!...Those were the Days!!!...Whaler

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Yeah Whaler, was that eastside cat that said his relatives lived in that house. it was in the original garwood mansion thread. i can't remember if if it was the korbers mansion. I do remember it was on the west side of the canal. I remember the father died one Saturday night when we were living there. I believe they owned a brewery.
The Fisher mansion, I remember going down there for cocktails on several occasions when Gill owned it. Scary guy, but nice. He developed heat sensing units for the army and CIA.Visited the Garwood a few times, brought FBI agents. CIA agents and armed guards with him. They smoked pot with us and he flipped us a $100 to go buy some McBurgers. First time he had ever eaten them. Thought they were great.His house was great.

Old Guy
Yes, my Great Grandfather, W.G. Koerber had the home built there in the mid-late 20's with construction finished in 1927, my paternal grandmother grew up there and was one hip old Gal. I was in the home as a toddler but the only memories I have of it was as a teenager in the late 70s early 80s when I explored all the old mansions on the river front. I grew up on the first block of Chalmers just a few houses up from the Klink Island canal and loved rooting around those canals. I used to ice skate in the boat house over at the L. Fisher Servants quarters house. Good times back in the day....
The second image is a water color rendering from the architect during construction.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Here a photo of my Great Grandfather W.G. Koerber the Brewmeister with the Garwood Mansion in the background.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

All three mansions in their early days. The flagpole on the Koerber estate served as the ventilation tube for the brewing operation that sat behind a false wall just off the boathouse. Let the good times roll!! The long roof line in the upper right hand of the photo covered the entire length of the boat house at the L. Fisher servants quarters, this is where I would ice skate in the winters, we rigged a rope up over the rafters and would swing from one side to the other. If Mom only knew what her son was doing while he went down to the park to ice skate

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Garwoodian Gurus

To those of you who may have interest in the evolution of the Grand Marais or Great Marsh that facilitated all those great homes being built, here are a few old maps of the area in order of posting 1876,1904,1917,1921...enjoy

[stnfrnt]

EASTSIDE CAT 67-83 ......great stuff! I really like the flagpole/vent thing.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

stnfrnt
What I would give to be able to go back in time and have beer with the old guy!

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

It was a great neighborhood to grow up in, lots of character in those old streets.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

And characters

[old guy]

Great stuff eastside. Also love the story about the flagpole.
There were strange rooms inside the Garwood that didn't make any sense. Rooms that you wouldn't know existed. Always wondered what they were. I would assume they were for illicit activities. Those must have been interesting times.
Thanks for sharing those stories.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Old Guy
I'm posting a little bit of the Koerber home history here that also has some general info on Greyhaven, you may find this interesting as you guys were neighbors for a few years.

[Whaler]

Boy they don't build them like that anymore!!!...How cool... Thanks EastSide Cat...Really Cool Stuff!!!...Whaler

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Your welcome
Those are some mind blowing details for sure, at least they had a good 45 year run there. Do you recall if anyone ever come out of the Koerber place to enjoy the funky sounds coming out of the Garwood...

[stnfrnt]

I was wondering about that myself. I remember a guy named Ralph and another guy coming to one or two of our parties, but I'm not sure if anybody from the Koerber mansion rocked out with us. Ralph lived in the house on Keelson Dr. that was the closest to the mansion, and ultimately he was the driving force behind getting us evicted and kicked off the island....