William Boeing days at 1101 Woodward Ave, Detroit...

[Al Publican]

I had read sometime ago that William Boeing of aircraft manufacturing fame was born in Detroit. This past weekend the National Geographic Channel ran a bio on Boeing that placed him at 1101 Woodward Ave in Detroit.

Due to some channel flipping to a NFL game during the Boeing bio, I may have missed if he was born at 1101 Woodward Ave or lived there as a child. Did anyone catch if Boeing was born at said residence on Woodward Ave.?

What is at 1101 Woodward Ave. today?

[Gistok]

Al, I'm not sure the addresses from 1881 [[when he was born) match up with today. Remember there was a point around 1921 when addresses were realigned. Someone would have to find an old map of that time. Today's 1101 is around Woodward at State St. But I'll bet that back in the early 1880s it was likely north of Grand Circus Park... where houses still lined Woodward back then.

[p69rrh51]

A check of an 1885 city directory lists the Boeing address as 1101 Woodward. The post 1921 address is 5405 which places the home at the corner of W. Kirby and Woodward or where the Detroit Historical Museum currently resides.

[Kathleen]

I knew this topic sounded familiar....here's the link to the thread from a couple years back...

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...n-Detroit-1881

The first few links, including the one to a photo of the house, still work.

[EastsideAl]

I think the 1101 address is wrong. I don't see an 1101 Woodward on any old Detroit maps, and all of the other sources I find list the Boeing house at 1189 Woodward. This location today would be roughly 5515 Woodward, which is on the west side between Ferry and Palmer.

That entire block of Woodward is taken up now by a WSU surface parking lot. However, there are still 2 other late 19th century houses standing on the block to the south, and, of course, the Hecker Mansion across Woodward.

A little history of the Boeing house from the 63 Alfred Facebook page, including a photo and some Sanborn map clips showing the house through the years, until it disappears on the early '50s map replaced by a used car lot.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...4799738&type=3

[p69rrh51]

I think the 1101 address is wrong. I don't see an 1101 Woodward on any old Detroit maps, and all of the other sources I find list the Boeing house at 1189 Woodward. This location today would be roughly 5515 Woodward, which is on the west side between Ferry and Palmer.

That entire block of Woodward is taken up now by a WSU surface parking lot. However, there are still 2 other late 19th century houses standing on the block to the south, and, of course, the Hecker Mansion across Woodward.

A little history of the Boeing house from the 63 Alfred Facebook page, including a photo and some Sanborn map clips showing the house through the years, until it disappears on the early '50s map replaced by a used car lot.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...4799738&type=3

The city directories from 1883-1888 show the Boeing family at 1101 Woodward. In 1889 the city directory shows the Boeing address as 1189 Woodward. The 1891 city directory shows Mrs. Boeing at 1189 Woodward Mr. Boeing having passed away in 1890. Did the city change the way Woodward was numbered around 1889? Did the Boeings move? 1189 is not listed in the 1921 address conversion tables but 1187 is listed as 5513. That places the house in the area described by EastsideAl.

[EastsideAl]

In the 1880s that area would have been well outside of the center of the city heading out into the countryside. It's possible that the addresses weren't yet formalized that far out [[and so were given as just the base address for that block), or that addresses were changed as the area was built up.

[Gistok]

EastsideAl... that property would have been right across the street from the Ferry Seed Farm.