diamonds in the rough

as hard hit as the neighbourhoods are, i am always amazed by some of these homeowners who still really care. sometimes there house might be the only one on the block. but the grass is cut, the gardens are well kept the house is painted and well maintained.

i have always been interested in detroit, i love to drive around the neighbourhoods, and cruise the strips.. and even though i enjoy photographing blighted warehouses and schools, lately i am more interested in the jewels of the city.

i hope some of you can help me. im looking for stories and i would like to see a photo to go along with it [[even if its from google street view)

you know who im talking about... its the little old lady who has lived in her house and maintained it for 50, 60 or however many years, is she the last person on the block? what her history, what was the neighbourhood like back when she bought the house? why does she choose to stay? sometimes its a new family who just purchased a rough home and polished it until it shined... what is it like living here? how do you keep a sence of normality when you are surrounded by blight? what are your plans for the future?

so if anyone could contribute, maybe its you and your house... i feel i know the physical city, the streets and buildings, but i don't know the people...

i am hoping this can get the ball rolling on a project i would like to do, a book of photos and stories, about detroit and its people.

thanks

Tramps and theives organize, plan and prepare their heist anywhere they want. They are looking for your treasures and use it for their glory.

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Originally Posted by Danny

Tramps and theives organize, plan and prepare their heist anywhere they want. They are looking for your treasures and use it for their glory.

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im sorry.. correct me if im wrong but are you suggesting that theives will use the information posted on this thread to plan their crime?

Please ignore Danny. Most of us do ...

No, Danny's usually spot-on.

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Originally Posted by Danny

Tramps and theives organize, plan and prepare their heist anywhere they want. They are looking for your treasures and use it for their glory.

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You forgot about the Gypsies. They hang out with the tramps and thieves. Gypsies, tramps and thieves. We'd hear it from the people of the town. They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves. But every night all the men would come around. And lay their money down.

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Originally Posted by Det_ard

No, Danny's usually spot-on.



You forgot about the Gypsies. They hang out with the tramps and thieves. Gypsies, tramps and thieves. We'd hear it from the people of the town. They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves. But every night all the men would come around. And lay their money down.

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Well played, Det_ard.

i found that the people in brush park are friendly, and usually happy to talk. i've actually never had a problem anywhere in detroit, taking pics in mostly abandonned neighborhoods. people are usually happy to talk. i'm planning another trip up there wednesday

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Originally Posted by windsor_shane

i am hoping this can get the ball rolling on a project i would like to do, a book of photos and stories, about detroit and its people.

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That would make an interesting book. It could be done in the fashion of Foxfire where they chronicle vanishing aspects of unique local cultures. I'd bet it would even sell well outside of Michigan.

This actually doesn't sound like a bad idea.

If the city ever goes through with it's "downsizing", many of these homes and "neighborhoods" will be bulldozed and whatever stories that they may have had to tell, would be lost forever.

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Originally Posted by Jimaz

That would make an interesting book. It could be done in the fashion of Foxfire where they chronicle vanishing aspects of unique local cultures. I'd bet it would even sell well outside of Michigan.

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It wouldn't be very 'PC' yet, but the lack of law enforcement and lenient courts in Detroit could probably rival the Old West in stories and movies someday.
Many Western movies and 'nickel paperbacks' exaggerated the lawlessness of the Old West. It wouldn't take much fiction to put together Detroit 'tales'.

When the ethnic groups and cultures fled Detroit, seems they were mostly scattered all over the suburbs, no one certain 'enclave' for them. One exception being the Jewish communities that moved to Dexter/Davison, then NW Detroit, then Southfield/Oak Park, and then West Bloomfield.

Go the the nw corner of E. Grand Blvd & Frontenac, a couple blocks from the Packard Plt. There is a church and 4-5 large two family flats left in great condition. The little old brick church was added on to in the late 50' or early 60's....my parents were married there in 1938, and my ma grew up right behind the church on Medbury.
The pastor emeritus and his wife live in one place [[as of last year) his son the current pastor lives in one of the other places. They also have ties to the two houses on the east side of Frontenac and the parking lot there.
In the old days it was the E. Gr. Blvd. Christian Church. The first congregation moved to the far east side on Cadiuex circa 1953.

Other than the little enclave right around the church, the rest of the area is pretty desolate.

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Originally Posted by econ expat

It wouldn't be very 'PC' yet, but the lack of law enforcement and lenient courts in Detroit could probably rival the Old West in stories and movies someday.
Many Western movies and 'nickel paperbacks' exaggerated the lawlessness of the Old West. It wouldn't take much fiction to put together Detroit 'tales'.

When the ethnic groups and cultures fled Detroit, seems they were mostly scattered all over the suburbs, no one certain 'enclave' for them. One exception being the Jewish communities that moved to Dexter/Davison, then NW Detroit, then Southfield/Oak Park, and then West Bloomfield.

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Well, Warren had a load of east Europeans. You either needed six syllables in your last name to live there or, if your last name was short, it couldn't contain any vowels.

Well the Italians still have an enclave along the Gratiot corridor in the suburbs [[espcially Eastpointe & Roseville), although rather marginal, it's still something for Metro Detroit's standards. If my memory's correct they originated from the Eastern Market area and moved NE along Gratiot as time progressed.

Then the Chinese originating from Cass Corridor's Chinatown now have a marginal enclave in the 14 Mile/John R. vicinity.

In addition, I've also heard the Koreans now have a new little tiny enclave in the Somerset Mall vicinity [[I'm not sure if these are the ones who migrated from NE Detroit).

wow... thanks for all the response so far! i will follow up on those leads.. please keep them coming!

i think hitting up some of the churches and talking to the pastor about their congregation.. im sure they will be able to lead me in the right direction as well as connect me with some of the congregants that they feel would like to talk. [[this is where i really need help.. i think if a pastor asks someone if they want to talk to me it will get the ball rolling alot easier then just knocking on doors or approaching people in the street!)

any suggestions on churches? thanks mike, i will go over to the east side to speak to pastor of the church on Medbury