Northwest Detroit Six Mile& Outer Drive

**tapstevenson** · July-14-09, 10:45 PM

Hello again, Patrick Stevenson here. Anyone out there from the northwest neighborhood around six mile and outer drive? I grew up there in the 60's went to Isaac Newton School, played at Peterson park and ran all over for blocks. Anyone remember Gil's hamburgers?

**kryptonite** · July-15-09, 12:18 PM

I did not live there but had an aunt that worked there for a realtor and was at her office quite often. The burger place doesn't sound familiar but that was about 35 years ago.

Maybe post your question under Discuss Detroit, people don't monitor this page nearly as much.

**tapstevenson** · July-15-09, 10:09 PM

Thanks, I will do that. I am in the middle of writing a novel that takes place in the 60's in that very neighborhood and I am interested in different takes on that era.

**kryptonite** · July-16-09, 07:27 AM

I don't know if you are writing about the Rosedale Park area, but it was the prettiest nieghbohood I have ever seen with meticulous homes and tall elm trees that shaded every street.

There is a major institution still operating in that area, the Redford Theatre on Lahser north of 6 Mile. It is now run by a non-profit group and has been renovated and draws decent crowd to movies and other events.

And I think Knudsen's Danish Bakery on Six Mile is still in business.

I expect you will find a lot of people on Detroityes with great memories of that neighborhood. it is a good resource for any recent or distant past history of the city.

**aprilgirl33** · July-19-09, 06:25 PM

Wasn't Iverson's Bakery in that area?

**reddog289** · July-19-09, 11:33 PM

I belive Knudsens is still there my Mom still goes down there, But not in the last couple of months.

**Meddle** · July-20-09, 12:04 AM

Funny, I can picture Grand River and Outer Drive, but not McNichols & Outer Drive. Been a long time.

And note the correct road name for that area.

**tapstevenson** · July-20-09, 08:55 PM

St. Mary's street between six mile, [[Mcnichols) and outer drive. Remember Peterson Park. I think it is still there. I went to Isaac Newton School, in the mid 60's.

**Detroitej72** · July-20-09, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

And note the correct road name for that area.

Everybody I knew from the area always called it 6 Mile.

**tapstevenson** · July-20-09, 10:28 PM

I grew up calling it six mile

**Meddle** · July-20-09, 11:17 PM

For a long time, I never even knew McNichols and 6 Mile were the same road. It was always E. McNichols and W. McNichols in the city and all the street signs and maps are named that way.

It isn't officially Six Mile Rd. until you get west of Five Points.

Same thing with Fenkell and Five Mile Rd. which changes at Telegraph.

Never knew why 7 Mile and 8 Mile didn't have names [[except for the east end where it's called Baseline Rd.), or why the numbers didn't apply to Schoolcraft, Plymouth and Joy. I guess 7 Mile changes to Moross somewhere on the east side too.

Oh well.

**Gary** · July-24-09, 09:42 AM

I grew up in the 6 Mile/Livernois area 3 blocks from the U of D campus [[still can't get the hang of calling it UD Mercy). When I was a kid, we ALWAYS referred to McNichols as "6 Mile". I couldn't understand why the street signs said McNichols when everyone knew the name of the street was 6 Mile as far as we were concerned. It wasn't until much later that I learned how the name W. McNichols came to be.

tapstevenson...re: Peterson Park, yep it's still there and still a busy place. I pass by there 3 or 4 times a week.

**tapstevenson** · July-24-09, 07:17 PM

I played at Peterson Park a lot. I really loved that neighbohood when I was a kid. Anyone remembeer KARPS?

**Linda from Detroit** · July-24-09, 10:09 PM

I went to St Marys of Redford and when we moved from there to Lahser and McNichols it was my job to walk up to Iversons every Saturday for a cherry coffee cake. I still remember the Woolworths on GR and Lahser, State Beauty School, Rexall [[they still had a lunch counter), AAA Discount, Chatham Grocery, Sanders and a dress shop with the name Suburban in it. Boy, that made me feel old, lol.

**Meddle** · July-24-09, 10:35 PM

I don't remember a Woolworth's there.

**Linda from Detroit** · July-24-09, 11:53 PM

Yep, it was in the middle of the block. They had a huge lunch counter that we used to go to all the time. They sold out and closed up in 1968 if my memory serves. That was my last year at Murphy Jr. Hi and I was in mourning over the closing for a while, lol.

**Alfie1a** · August-11-09, 10:40 AM

Hi Tapstevenson.

I lived on Murray Hill just north of Outer Drive. Attended Isaac Newton from '67- '72. We could very well have known one another. I, like you, have very fond memories of the neighborhood.

does Allen H. ring a bell? I'd be happy to share memories, good and bad. I have sisters, Donna, Linda, Karen and Danielle. Brother named Brian. We all went to Newton.

**tapstevenson** · August-11-09, 08:19 PM

Hello Allen, I am roving through my data banks carefully. I remember a lot of names and friends, my name is Patrick S. When I was very young I carved it backwards in the knotty pine in our basement. It has stuck ever since. Did you know Mark Linke? or Maryanne Sheckle? There was the Mckenzie sisters that lived 2 houses down from me on St. Mary's, just north of Santa Maria. Or any of the Jefferies? I also went to Newton.

**agirlintheD** · August-14-09, 11:33 AM

Maryann Sheckell? I knew their family. Actually, knew Gary. Wondered what ever happened to them.

**tapstevenson** · August-14-09, 01:46 PM

The last I heard from Frank they are all very well and doing good. I must add that I have misspelled names on purpase because I am still new to this type of forum and I wasn't sure if I should post peoples names like this? anyway yes the last I heard Gary was doing very well. Anyone know Jeani Curle, Rudy Schneers, Bill Withers [[ not the singer)?

**agirlintheD** · August-17-09, 10:32 AM

thanks for the info tap. wish there was a way to find him.

**Slipkid** · August-21-09, 10:10 PM

I lived in Rosedale but my mom used to do errands and let me play at Peterson Park...it was my favorite.

**Slipkid** · August-21-09, 10:15 PM

Was the old Woolworth store the one which was an electronics clearing house later? It also had a dance hall upstairs. That area was fun....I used to go to a welder behind the old Woolworth building...there was also an autoshop back in the alley. China Clipper, Arnolds Hamburgers etc...I went to Redford and we would eat in all the small restaurants around there.

**Alfie1a** · August-28-09, 03:42 PM

Hey Patrick, I know Rudy. Back in those days, he was called Duke. I knew some people on your block. Dave and Gary Lesendak[[sp.) The Gillespies.

**tapstevenson** · August-28-09, 06:52 PM

Did you grow up in that area? I am writing a book [[fiction) it takes place in the mid 60's in that neighborhood. I am seeking as much feedback about that area and that era as I can get. I knew the Gillespies as well. Did you know the Mckenzie girls?.