Obscure neighorboods of the City

[Hermod]

...and amazingly, in the time I was there, Grayton was the only of the three east-west sidestreets in that area that was actually had good quality pavement clear from Kelly to I-94. Britain and to a lesser extent Yorkshire - especially between McKinney and Lansdowne or so - were the streets I remember as having tar-covered, bumpy sections. They must have fixed Grayton and left the other two alone!

I used to walk to Denby High School from Nottingham and Grayton to Kelly and Grayton where the school was. They had paved Grayton by that time. Very few houses faced Grayton. The houses along Grayton were all the corner houses of the north-south streets.

[EMG]

That is absolutely correct, and was and is true of Britain and Yorkshire as well [[as far as the houses). With the exception, I think, of a few houses along the south side of Grayton in the Wayburn-to-Laing area, NONE of those east-west streets had any houses facing them - at least between Kelly and McKinney. From McKinney to I-94, however, [[or from McKinney to Cadieux in the case of Britain), all three of those streets became residential blocks with houses on them - and the north-south King Richard was the cross street without houses facing it.

Of course, between Kelly and McKinney, some of those corner houses had GARAGES which faced the east-west streets.

[Hermod]

That is absolutely correct, and was and is true of Britain and Yorkshire as well [[as far as the houses). With the exception, I think, of a few houses along the south side of Grayton in the Wayburn-to-Laing area, NONE of those east-west streets had any houses facing them - at least between Kelly and McKinney. From McKinney to I-94, however, [[or from McKinney to Cadieux in the case of Britain), all three of those streets became residential blocks with houses on them - and the north-south King Richard was the cross street without houses facing it.

Of course, between Kelly and McKinney, some of those corner houses had GARAGES which faced the east-west streets.

Yes, those were referred to in the real estate biz as "side-loading garages" and were supposedly quite desirable.

I agree with you that east of McKinney the streets quit being side streets and became residential. Those streets were probably developed moving west from Harper [[the houses were older). West of McKinney the houses were developed moving north from Whittier. Most everything north of Grayton was still empty fields on Nottingham, Beaconsfield, Roxbury, and Lakepointe during WWII.

[kathy2trips]

Krainz Woods was named for Captain John Krainz, a World War II hero from Detroit. They named streets, neighborhoods, etc. after war heroes a lot. If you know your history, sometimes you can tell how old an area is just by their street names.

My mom's people all lived in what is now evidently called McDougall-Hunt, east of Mt. Elliot, but I never heard it called that. by anyone. I don't know where that name came from. I most often heard it called "Old Germantown" by the old folks [[born before 1920), due to the high concentration of Germans there at the time. I've also heard it referred to [[jokingly) by the "greatest generation" crowd as "North Indian Village". Oh, LA-DEE-DAH! LOL

[Cass1966]

This picture shows the area from Davison/ 6 Mile south to Luce and Fenelon west to Moenart. As you can see, it was part of the Highland Gardens sub-division and is just northwest of Hamtramck. The map shows that Jerome Ave. was changed to 6 Mile Road which was then changed to McNichols. We lived in lot #235 on Moenart, colored red. During the 1960’s there was a pizzeria called Home of the Pizza right on the corner of Moenart and 6 Mile and I was the delivery boy around 1965-66.

[Stinger4me]

Cass1966;
Thanks for posting the diagram. We lived on Buffalo between Luce and Desner. I remember the "Home of the Pizza" and when it took over a building which was vacant for a long time prior to them occupying the building. It wasn't a well-to-do neighborhood but the folks took pride in their homes and took care of them. Do you remember the Bazaar and Sunny Boy Supermarket?

[Gistok]

Now the neighborhood that I lived in until my parents moved us to Shelby Twp. was Lannoo St. between Chandler Park, Mack and Moross, Warren. I've heard of this area being called Cornerstone Village now but I've only heard it by word of mouth and nothing concrete. Can anyone back this up?

Cornerstone Village is the new name of ONE [[Organized Neighbors East). This new name was decided upon about 2 years ago. My mother still lives in the area, and I remember reading her ONE Newsletter mentioning the name change. ONE just didn't sound right for Detroit's easternmost neighborhood.

The boundaries of Cornerstone Village are Cadieux on the west [[bordering EEV), I-94 on the north, Kingsville [[on the Harper Woods border) on the east, and Mack Ave. on the south. The area also includes the part of Detroit with the 48236 zip code [[east of Canyon St.... the eastern border of Balduck Park) that although in Detroit has a Grosse Pointe mailing address.

Cornerstone Village has some of the nicest commercial areas of Detroit, including St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Pointe Plaza Shopping Center... and probably the nicest retail strip left on the east side... on the Detroit side of Mack Ave. [[thanks to the still thriving commercial strip across Mack in Grosse Pointe Farms and City.

Although hard hit [[like many neighborhoods in Detroit) by the current home mortgage meltdown, Cornerstone Village has been spared the home demolitions of many other Detroit neighborhoods, even those with nicer housing stock.

Even though some of the Mack Ave. auto dealerships in Cornerstone Village have closed... that stretch of roadway has a lot of commercial potential [[large dealership acreage) when the economy improves.

[WaCoTS]

a great resource for this topic is the book Detroit Beginnings: Early Villages and Old Neighborhoods of Detroit written in 2001 by Gene Scott, and produced as a Detroit 300 Partners Program of the Detroit Retired City Employees Association

it is uncopyrighted, and looks more like a pamphlet, but it has over 100 pages, and contains maps, pictures, bibliography, and outlines the name & origin of every single old neighborhood [[of which there's 51listed ) or early village [[of which there's 44 listed). there's also an appendix to explain what the names of many of detroit's streets mean, and how they got their name

[sumas]

I would love to get a copy of Detroit Beginnings. Clues anyone?

[dtowncitylover]

I would love to get a copy of Detroit Beginnings. Clues anyone?

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-163049951.html

Order it directly from Gene Scott, the author.

[dtowncitylover]

I was looking at the blog from the thead "The Good Side of Detroit" and the author of that blog had photos of the "Chadsey-Condon" and "Norham" neighborhoods. I looked up Chadsey-Condon and that's on the west side, google maps calls it "Michigan-Martin". Norham, I could only find through another forum for being NORth of HAMtramck, kindly like Tribeca in NYC [[Triangle Below Canal St, fyi).

[Bearinabox]

I was looking at the blog from the thead "The Good Side of Detroit" and the author of that blog had photos of the "Chadsey-Condon" and "Norham" neighborhoods. I looked up Chadsey-Condon and that's on the west side, google maps calls it "Michigan-Martin". Norham, I could only find through another forum for being NORth of HAMtramck, kindly like Tribeca in NYC [[Triangle Below Canal St, fyi).

I knew which neighborhoods he meant, but I don't know that people actually call them that.

[GMan]

Bummer about the Casino building coming down. Any more info available on it's history?
I had the opurtunity to tour this building once. It was owned by the used car dealer, don't remember the name. He put a lot of money into cleaning up and mechanically stabilizing the building. Used it for storing antique cars and parts. There was a ramp into the basement level you could drive down. Upstairs; well as it was said already "reminded me of an old western cathouse." The rooms upstairs did have little wooden holders on the wall by the door that was rumored to be for condoms. Just about enough room for a bed and a nightstand in each room.
Wish I had taken some pictures.

That is the area North of 7 Mile and West of Telegraph.
The name for that neighborhood does make sense, historically.
Downtown 5 Points was the corner of 7 Mile and Grand River.
Most of 'downtown' was demolished when Stark Hickey Ford was built.
5 Points was a stop on the D.U.R. line.
There was also a big former 'casino' building on the Southwest corner of Grand River and 5 Points.It was a furniture store when I was a kid, but a fascinating old building. There was a 'balcony' all the way aruond above the main floor. Little 'storage rooms' upstairs all around. Looked like an old western movie casino/ cathouse layout.
And it was torn down in recent years for another strip mall.

[MikeM]

I would love to get a copy of Detroit Beginnings. Clues anyone?

Try the Detroit Historical Museum gift shop.

[econ expat]

Bummer about the Casino building coming down. Any more info available on it's history?
I had the opurtunity to tour this building once. It was owned by the used car dealer, don't remember the name. He put a lot of money into cleaning up and mechanically stabilizing the building. Used it for storing antique cars and parts. There was a ramp into the basement level you could drive down. Upstairs; well as it was said already "reminded me of an old western cathouse." The rooms upstairs did have little wooden holders on the wall by the door that was rumored to be for condoms. Just about enough room for a bed and a nightstand in each room.
Wish I had taken some pictures.

I don't know if there is any historical info on 5 Points. It WAS/ is part of Redford Township but their historical society seems to focus on the Old Redford [[Grand River/Lahser) 'Sandhill' area. Old red school house Beech Rd in S Redford is historical society HQ.
We moved into the area in '65- the heart of 5 Points 'downtown' had been recently demolished for the Ford dealer, I heard alot of stories about the old town and the casino from the 'old timers' in the neighborhood. If I'd been more than 12-13 years old, maybe I'd have recognized the stories as 'history'. The area around the casino- 5 Points - had an active business district, like Old Redford. 5-6 blocks frontage along Grand River and 7 Mile- and no parking meters.

Car dealer- Mr Miller owned 5 Points [[used)Auto Sales, a former gas station. I worked for him HS years. He did not own the 'casino' next door at the time, it was a furniture store. I doubt he himself spent much $ fixing up the bldg, he was no big spender. The main floor and upstairs was rented out to a car collector for a future museum, never finished. I think Kughn [[sp) owner of Lionel trains, who eventually moved his collection to Rosedale Park area. The main floor of the casino building was not sturdy enough for heavy autos. Basement ramp- added by Miller- the basement and fenced back lot was rented out to Dwyer Imports. Much needed additional storage for parts, extra new car inventory.

Agreed about wish I'd taken photos. Priceless memories. I had 'run of the place' as a kid, salesmen knew kids did not buy furniture, left us alone.

Miller sold his car lot and the casino to Sears. It was slated to be a National Tire Battery store site. They demo'd the casino maybe 15 years ago, site vacant many years until the strip mall was built. The developers wanted brownfield tax breaks from Redford Twp to build a Gas station/McDonalds there!

[FerndaleDamon]

What about "Leesville" @ Harper & Gratiot on the eastside? It was a distinct village, untill Detroit annexed it in the '20s. Another one was " Norris", which was at Mt. Elliot/Nevada? It was annexed by Detroit in 1924, from what I've researched. There were many more. I've always thought this kinda' history was really fascinating when you track Detroit's growth.

[FerndaleDamon]

"Norris" is particularly interesting because you can still see a cluster of a few homes & buisnesses that were the center of the town. The "Two Way Inn" is still open on weekends, which used to be the town's jail, post office & other functions. Very cool.

[missn]

Anybody ever hear of a former community on the West Side called Howlett? A friend had an old envelope postmarked from there.

I have always been interested in the part of Detroit across the Rouge River from Detroit that seems as if it should be a part of Dearborn Hts. Anyone know this area? I believe Google calls it Parkland.

[stromberg2]

What about Pilgrim Village, [[I think) around Grand River/Livernois area?

Stromberg2

[ggores]

the part of Detroit across the Rouge River from Detroit that seems as if it should be a part of Dearborn Hts.

Say what now?

[Hermod]

Anybody ever hear of a former community on the West Side called Howlett? A friend had an old envelope postmarked from there.

I have always been interested in the part of Detroit across the Rouge River from Detroit that seems as if it should be a part of Dearborn Hts. Anyone know this area? I believe Google calls it Parkland.

Howlett was a stop on the Grand River Line [[Detroit-Farmington) of the DUR. It was bounded by Livernois on the west, Dexter on the east, Fullerton on the north, and Joy Road on the south. It had a total population around 400 at the turn of the century. Grand River was the last of Detroit's 'radial roads" to be populated.

Rose Hill was in the vicinity of Schoolcraft and Grand River.

[MikeM]

Howlett, intersection of Grand River and Livernois:

Attachment 5787

[MikeM]

North Detroit, Leesville, and Kraft [[Hamtramck):

Attachment 5788

[MikeM]

Conners Creek, Greiner, and Trombley:

Attachment 5790

[MikeM]

St Clair Heights, Fairview, Cottage Grove:

Attachment 5792