Detroit Turners Club - Any Body?

https://img.newspapers.com/img/img?i...&ts=1607715658



https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6508...it-free-press/

Forum Constituents: I came across this story in the FREEP about what was undoubtedly Detroit's first health club - the Detroit Turners Club

Founded in 1853, its longest held business address was at 8731 East Jefferson. At the time of the article [[1961), the club was celebrating its 108th year serving families in Detroit. It was set up very much like a Y.M.C.A. I had never heard of this club, but such are the joys of losing oneself in old newspapers.

If they have Competitive Kielbasa Eating and Beer Mug Arm Curl championships, count me in!

More properly, the Detroiter Socialer Turnverein. It descended from a movement brought to the U.S. by German immigrants, many of whom fled to the US after the failed revolution of 1848. Turnverein clubs were originally centered not only on physical training but also the humanist social activist politics of the German revolutionaries, promoting secular public education, public health [[like Herman Kiefer Hospital), organized labor, active participation in democracy, public service, and opposition to slavery.

There was though a huge emphasis on fitness and the regular practice of physical activities using certain apparatuses [[pommel horses, horizontal bars, parallel bars, rings, etc.). In fact, most of our modern sport of gymnastics as well as the practice of pilates [[founded by Turner Heindrich Pilates) comes from the exercise regimen of the Turners.

Over the years the Turners became more a gym and social club and less specifically German or activist, especially during and after WWI. Although I did know some old German American families on the east side who were very avid Turners. The building that housed the Turner club in Detroit was on Jefferson between Fischer and Crane, and I believe the club closed around 1970. It was later used as the UAW Miller Retiree Center and then pretty hideously remodeled [[or "remuddled" as our architecture posting friend would say) by the UAW. Last I noticed it was empty and for sale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turners

Attachment 41095

1929 photo from the Virtual Motor City. Contractor's sign on the left makes me think construction has just been completed.

From 2010
https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...ler-Turnverein

My family were members of Turners. As a young boy in the 50's I used to go there one day a week after school to take gym and swimming classes. Used to catch the Chalmers bus at Seymour and Chalmers and take it to Jefferson. Then get the W/B Jefferson Bus to in front of Turners. After classes my farther would meet me and we would have a bite to eat in the restaurant that was on the second floor. My parents also bowled on a bowling league there. The bowling alley was on the third floor.

Attachment 41096eek... someone turned that into this????