Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum opens May 16

**Kathleen** · May-11-14, 11:16 AM

Dedicated to the Detroit Auto Industry and its employees and their combined efforts in the defense of this great nation. The museum is located at 22960 Industrial Drive W., St. Clair Shores 48080 [[near 9 Mile and I-94). Hours: 1-7pm Friday; 9-5 Saturday. For more information, call 586-775-1976.
http://www.detroitarsenalofdemocracy.org/

Articles:
[[1) http://www.candgnews.com/news/arsena...um-open-may-10

[[2) http://www.candgnews.com/news/museum...99-war-efforts

This new museum complements the already open Michigan Military History Society & Museum located at 16600 Stephens Rd., Eastpointe 48021. Open Saturdays 10am-5pm, Sundays 12noon-5pm; other days and times by appointment. Admission: $5, ages 16 and over; $7, families [[2 adults and children under 16); $3 seniors, military, and students with ID; free for children under 16 accompanied by an adult. http://www.mimths.org/

You can visit both on a Saturday!!!

**poobert** · May-11-14, 07:41 PM

You're all going to murder me for this but I wish it was in real Detroit instead of some weird St. Clair Shores industrial park.

**Mikeg** · May-11-14, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

You're all going to murder me for this but I wish it was in real Detroit instead of some weird St. Clair Shores industrial park.

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

Q: Where was the "Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant" located that built one-fourth of all tanks produced in the USA during WW II?
A: Macomb County.

**Gistok** · May-12-14, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

You're all going to murder me for this but I wish it was in real Detroit instead of some weird St. Clair Shores industrial park.

I live in SCS... and no one is going to murder you... the biggest mystery about this location is.... WHY?? Does this mean that SCS now qualifies for a Shinola clock??

**jt1** · May-12-14, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

You're all going to murder me for this but I wish it was in real Detroit instead of some weird St. Clair Shores industrial park.

I agree, I can already see the conversation:

SCS resident: You should come to see the Detroit: Arsenal of Democracy Museum.

Out of towner: Sounds great. Where in Detroit is it located

SCS resident: It's in SCS, not Detroit. Detroit stinks and is dangerous

**mtburb** · May-12-14, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

You're all going to murder me for this but I wish it was in real Detroit instead of some weird St. Clair Shores industrial park.

Up next: the Midwest War of 1812 Museum, located conveniently in a converted distribution center in Troy that's at least two miles from the nearest SMART route and that no one will ever hear of.

**Kathleen** · May-12-14, 05:43 PM

Knowing how difficult it is, both financially and resource-wise [[both people and time), I have a hard time understanding how you can complain about the location of a museum. Such an undertaking is a labor of love. The opportunity to even open a museum is rare because so much has to come together. This is not a civic undertaking!! Just a group of folks who love this history and want to share it. So rather than being naysayers from the outset, why don't you just give the guys a break and check out their museum and spread the word!!!

**gnome** · May-12-14, 05:57 PM

Kathleen, you are absolutely correct.

I look forward to seeing the place and salute the hard work that went in to the project.

**p69rrh51** · May-12-14, 05:59 PM

I agree with Kathleen. Stop the crying especially Poobert [[get a life there is more to the metro area than just EEV). I have a customer on E. Industrial and it is not a "weird" industrial park. Most of the buildings are large and spacious with very high ceilings, perfect for displaying large items along with decent lease rates, and the site is just a few 100 ft. from the I-94 entrance/exit. I can stop by the museum and right it off to business with a quick stop by my customer.

**SDCC** · May-12-14, 06:06 PM

History is my bread and butter...Thanks to all those that served, and thank you to those who supported the war effort...We couldn't have won without you...
Great job

**masterblaster** · May-12-14, 10:33 PM

I greatly appreciate all of the efforts of those hardworking individuals who labored to establish the Arsenal Democracy Museum. I am sure it will be a fascinating place to learn the history of the wartime production of vehicles, etc, that took place in the area during WWII. I look forward to visiting it soon...

...However, it would have been cool if the Fisher Body Plant 21 had been chosen as the location. Tanks and other wartime vehicles and parts were produced there, and it would be relatively close to other cultural amenities [[the museum district, the 1st Model T Factory/Piquette Street, New Center), etc.

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**Honky Tonk** · May-13-14, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

I greatly appreciate all of the efforts of those hardworking individuals who labored to establish the Arsenal Democracy Museum. I am sure it will be a fascinating place to learn the history of the wartime production of vehicles, etc, that took place in the area during WWII. I look forward to visiting it soon...

...However, it would have been cool if the Fisher Body Plant 21 had been chosen as the location. Tanks and other wartime vehicles and parts were produced there, and it would be relatively close to other cultural amenities [[the museum district, the 1st Model T Factory/Piquette Street, New Center), etc.

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Good post, and I totally agree. Bring Detroit back to Detroit. I will visit the museum, though. is it on the "Nautical Mile?

**Kathleen** · May-13-14, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I will visit the museum, though. is it on the "Nautical Mile?

The Arsenal of Democracy Museum is located off Nine Mile Rd. between I-94 and Harper, in the industrial park that houses the Shores Civic Arena.

**poobert** · May-13-14, 09:30 AM

Of course any dissenting voice is immediately shot down. Called that one.

I've worked in Museum management. It is an exceedingly difficult business. You need to have a crack team willing to do a lot for very little money. You've got to balance both appeal to donors as well as to visitors [[which, in turn, creates appeal for donors). Perhaps most important of all, you need the Museum to be educational.

I wish them well, and as a World War II buff and servicemember, am interested in visiting. I think they may have a long, hard road ahead, though, and the location doesn't help.

I lived a good deal of my childhood in St. Clair Shores. It's a nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there. It isn't central to anything, except the lake. I'd be amazed if out-of-town guests could find SCS [[an hour from the airport), let alone the Museum. Hell, the people on this board hardly know where it is.

Our region already has a Cultural Center, and it would be nice if we could build on that momentum. Or just do things in a slapdash, haphazard way?

I'm not blaming the operators of the Museum. I'm sure they're doing the very best they could. But I'm allowed to fucking disagree, and I'm not a peon.

**bailey** · May-13-14, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Knowing how difficult it is, both financially and resource-wise [[both people and time), I have a hard time understanding how you can complain about the location of a museum. Such an undertaking is a labor of love. The opportunity to even open a museum is rare because so much has to come together. This is not a civic undertaking!! Just a group of folks who love this history and want to share it. So rather than being naysayers from the outset, why don't you just give the guys a break and check out their museum and spread the word!!!

well, one can point out the typical Metro Detroitness of plopping a museum in St Clair Shores..an area which IIRC did not build one tank, plane or jeep .... dedicated to the war effort industry that took Detroit into it's prime . whereas Detroit the actual "arsenal of democracy", that apparently is forever tied to that history, has enough vacant land to fit in all of Boston....but again, apparently, not enough room [[or interest) for this museum.

I mean this would make sense if it were at the Tank Plant out on Van Dyke, but if memory serve that is no more and is now yet another sprawling bland business park.

**courtney** · May-13-14, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I live in SCS... and no one is going to murder you... the biggest mystery about this location is.... WHY?? Does this mean that SCS now qualifies for a Shinola clock??

It is in the same building that used to house Stahl's Automotive Foundation Museum, which is now located in Chesterfield Twp.

My guess is the building owners perhaps recognize the hardships to bringing [[and maintaining) a museum, see its value in the community, and [[hopefully) give a slightly under marker lease rate.

**downtownguy** · May-13-14, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

I'd be amazed if out-of-town guests could find SCS [[an hour from the airport), let alone the Museum. Hell, the people on this board hardly know where it is.

It's right out there next to Harper Woods. Anybody who doesn't know where that is should ask one of the cops on Belle Isle.

**Gistok** · May-13-14, 03:47 PM

Well I was half joking about locating this museum in my neck of the woods...

Some folks have spent a lot of hard work putting this together... and I won't begrudge them that. As for hard to find... how hard can directions be leaving the airport... take a right turn to eastbound I-94 and head 28 miles to 9 Mile Rd.??

**princealbert** · May-13-14, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

I agree, I can already see the conversation:

SCS resident: You should come to see the Detroit: Arsenal of Democracy Museum.

Out of towner: Sounds great. Where in Detroit is it located

SCS resident: It's in SCS, not Detroit. Detroit stinks and is dangerous

If I recall correctly, if not for SCS voters, the DIA millage would not have passed. Apparently most SCS voters don't think Detroit stinks and a lot probably enjoy free admission to the DIA.

**princealbert** · May-14-14, 12:26 AM

Personally, when I travel to other cities, I enjoy finding off-the-beaten-path attractions. I would say this new museum qualifies as one of those. I'm sure the location makes sense to the founders. Sure, there are a bunch of vacant buildings in the city limits, but costs for re-habbing, permits, security, rent, etc. might be out of reach with a meager budget.

**1953** · May-14-14, 10:45 AM

Seems a bizarre place to locate it, unless its just for start-up/short term purposes.

Its too bad the city [[Detroit) doesn't have a proper Arsenal of Democracy museum, in light of the critical role played by locals in winning WWII.

1953

**Gistok** · May-14-14, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by princealbert

If I recall correctly, if not for SCS voters, the DIA millage would not have passed. Apparently most SCS voters don't think Detroit stinks and a lot probably enjoy free admission to the DIA.

Very true... if it wasn't for the heavy YES vote from SCS, Eastpointe and even Warren, the millage would not have been implement. These 3 towns more than offset the NO votes in the out county areas.

**iheartthed** · May-14-14, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

well, one can point out the typical Metro Detroitness of plopping a museum in St Clair Shores..an area which IIRC did not build one tank, plane or jeep .... dedicated to the war effort industry that took Detroit into it's prime . whereas Detroit the actual "arsenal of democracy", that apparently is forever tied to that history, has enough vacant land to fit in all of Boston....but again, apparently, not enough room [[or interest) for this museum.

I mean this would make sense if it were at the Tank Plant out on Van Dyke, but if memory serve that is no more and is now yet another sprawling bland business park.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum opened today. Guess where it's located? At the World Trade Center. Why? Because that's where it happened.

It ain't my museum though so the best of luck to them. At least this seems better than those Motown Walk of Fame markers scattered in random ass locations around the city that most people will never see...