Shorpy Two'fer - Woodward 1905 & Livigstone Channel construction 1910

[Magnatomicflux]

..... That said, it could still have been taken earlier, but it would take considerable time for me to review earlier Directories to see when all of the easily identifiable businesses first show up together.

......Soooooooo.....are you gonna get started on that?

j/k lol

[Mikeg]

......Soooooooo.....are you gonna get started on that?

j/k lol

Maybe.......

I'll need a full morning with nothing on my calendar, much like the day when I did some NYC Directory sleuthing on this Shorpy photo [[look for the comment "Turnout on W. 36th St.?")

[Magnatomicflux]

Maybe.......

I'll need a full morning with nothing on my calendar, much like the day when I did some NYC Directory sleuthing on this Shorpy photo [[look for the comment "Turnout on W. 36th St.?")

Wow...good work on that! If you do find the time, I'm very interested in the results now that it's a bit of a mystery!

[Mikeg]

Wow...good work on that! If you do find the time, I'm very interested in the results now that it's a bit of a mystery!

Here's what I've found in the various Detroit Directories:
1901 - First listings appear for "Avenue Theatre" at 80 Woodward and the occupants of the "Avenue Theatre Block"; includes a listing under "Cafe" for "Thomas Swan" at 87 Woodward
1904 and 1905 - Listings for both "Avenue Theatre" [[80 Woodward) and "Swan's Restaurant" [[87 Woodward)
1906 - Listings for "Avenue Theatre" [[80 Woodward), "Swan's Restaurant" [[87 Woodward) and the first listing appears for the "Socialist Labor Reading Room" [["Avenue Theatre Block").

The Socialist Labor Reading Room was also listed in the 1907 Directory but not in the 1908 edition.

My conclusion is that the earliest this photo could have been taken was in 1905 while the 1906 Directory was being prepared for publication. The latest it could have been taken was in 1906.

I also noticed that the 1905 Detroit Directory printed the ordinance that went into effect on Dec. 1, 1903 regarding the operation of automobiles within the city limits. The speed limit was set at 8 miles per hour "inside the 3/4 mile circle" and 12 mph "outside the 3/4 mile circle". It was also 8 mph on all boulevards and on any roadway within a park. Violators were subject to a fine not to exceed $100 and if they could not pay, they could be sentenced to a maximum of 3 months in the Detroit House of Corrections.

I doubt that 1906 Packard was going more than 8 mph on that Belle Isle roadway!.