The Tunnels of Detroit

**DetroitPlanner** · August-21-09, 07:39 AM

I can recall the tunnel from the parking lot to the Sears store, but not from Sears to Federals. I was a younging back then, and don't think my parents were much in the way of leisure shoppers, it was mote like, go to Sears buy a tool, and get out!

**gazhekwe** · August-21-09, 07:55 AM

I think you are right, the tunnel went to the parking lot across the tracks. I went through it though, despite being terrified of tunnels. Must have been a thrill seeker back then. The trains used to stop me walking to work up Oakman from W. Chicago. I worked at Sears in the 1967 fall to Christmas season in the catalog department. I do remember the pleasure of getting cash money instead of a check. Big Boy paid that way too.

**Slipkid** · August-21-09, 10:25 PM

There were also nice tunnels connecting the Fisher, GM and New Center [[Albert Kahn) buildings. Each of the buildings had businesses; Barber shop, Bar, restaurants, shoe shine, watch repair etc.

**detroitbob** · August-22-09, 02:00 AM

All I remember was dirty concrete. I can't remember ever going down there, as when we went to the Blvd, it was usually to Saks, Demery Bros. at Woodward and never across the street.

Does anyone remember the DSR bus drop offs on I 94 at Woodward and Davidson and Woodward, express way level,with the old staircases up to Woodward?

**48202** · August-22-09, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

Does anyone remember the DSR bus drop offs on I 94 at Woodward and Davidson and Woodward, express way level,with the old staircases up to Woodward?

detroitbob,

Iâ€™m not old enough to remember the bus drop offs, but for years, I had wondered about the abandoned road alignment on I-94 at John R, until I found this website:
http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...yBusStops.html

Interesting history about the bus drop-off on I-94 at Woodward. Stairs were built in 1955, never used, and then removed in 1960.

**Ray1936** · August-22-09, 07:16 PM

There was one at I-94 and Grand River, also. Motorcycle officer was killed there in 1958 when he cut through it with the morning sun in his eyes. He never saw the 12 x 12 across the roadway. His name was John French.

**Linda from Detroit** · August-22-09, 07:48 PM

I was little when we used that tunnel...and every time I think of it I remember the smell of popcorn at the one end...and tried to talk my parents into letting me have some every time!

**Meddle** · August-23-09, 01:33 AM

Did they tear that Sears store down? I'm looking at some aerial photos and I don't see anything familiar. I don't see any signs of a railroad either, even one that has been removed.

**catch22** · August-23-09, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Did they tear that Sears store down? I'm looking at some aerial photos and I don't see anything familiar. I don't see any signs of a railroad either, even one that has been removed.

The store is long gone. It was on the north side of Grand River just a tad east of Oakman. Here's a bird's eye view from MS Maps.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.asp...9207&encType=1

Sears and its parking lots took up most of this area. The rail line was where the barely-visible row of trees are in the center of the block running N-S.. If you switch back to aerial mode and scroll northward you can see more evidence of where the rail line was [[including the bridges where it crossed I-96 at the Davison interchange).

I had the rather sad task of removing the phone system from this store after it had closed. I recall zipping around the store with a shopping cart loading up all the departmental extensions.

**Meddle** · August-23-09, 10:28 PM

Ok, well now that I know it's gone, the image makes more sense. You can see the outline of where the building was with the parking lot behind it and the old rail line to the east.

Now, what is that to the north [[top right center of the pic) near the three bus stop symbols. Apartment building with open center court?

**catch22** · August-24-09, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Ok, well now that I know it's gone, the image makes more sense. You can see the outline of where the building was with the parking lot behind it and the old rail line to the east.

Now, what is that to the north [[top right center of the pic) near the three bus stop symbols. Apartment building with open center court?

My memory is a little weak on this one, but I think that was a supermarket. I don't remember which chain.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-24-09, 09:32 AM

If Jabba was here he could tell us everything!

**detroitbob** · August-24-09, 11:56 PM

The building in question is at Oakman Blvd. at Elmhurst...it [[is?) a grocery store...back in the 60's Ithink it was a Chatham, then became one of the first Farmer Jack. There was a larger, nicer market behind Federal's opposite Sear's that was a Wrigleys.

**reddog289** · August-25-09, 12:10 AM

Whereis Jjaba?. If my Mom were not still in recovery from her surgery and were here now she might know.

Bearinabox · August-25-09, 12:23 AM

I always wondered about that empty lot along Grand River. It's really weird to look at, because there is a sort of awning over the sidewalk along that stretch of Grand River, and for a while there is nothing behind it except a barbed-wire fence and some weeds.

Is the rail line also the reason for that big empty area that runs between Davison and Schoolcraft west of Turner? I've always wondered about that too.

**Wingnatic** · January-30-12, 11:08 AM

Attachment 11904
This used to be Stone Container / Lambeer Packaging on Harper near Mt. Elliot . This is only about 1/5 of the whole building . At the very tip of the photo just behind it is R.R. tracks . I worked for Stone a few years and inside the building at the tip there is slight decline [[like a driveway) heading towards the R.R.tracks . The decline ends with steel double doors . I saw the doors opened only once [[don't know why they opened them) but it is indeed a tunnel that took a right turn heading towards the bottom of the photo [[west) Someone in here once said it used to be an old Packard plant / aircraft engine plant maybe ? The address I believe was 6400 Harper

Buy American · January-30-12, 11:17 AM

...and of course, the old Belle Isle tunnel.

**MikeM** · January-30-12, 11:22 AM

The Packard plant used to extend farther west, across Harper, before the expressway was built.

**Lowell** · January-31-12, 02:34 AM

Just reading through this fabulous tunnel thread I see no mention of the school crossing tunnels of Highland Park. These ran under John R by St. Benedicts, under 2nd by Ferris School and Ford school. Maybe others? These were built prior to expressways when these one way avenues along with Brush and 3rd carried huge rush hour traffic loads.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-31-12, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Just reading through this fabulous tunnel thread I see no mention of the school crossing tunnels of Highland Park. These ran under John R by St. Benedicts, under 2nd by Ferris School and Ford school. Maybe others? These were built prior to expressways when these one way avenues along with Brush and 3rd carried huge rush hour traffic loads.

I was just about to post that. Didn't they have signs that read 'subway'?

**Lowell** · January-31-12, 12:03 PM

Let's also not forget the mother of all tunnel systems, the international salt mine tunnels, that dwarf everything discussed here. Of course, like the Highland Park school tunnels, they have been covered in previous threads.

**Bluenote132003** · January-31-12, 12:10 PM

Does anyone know where there are pictures of the steam tunnels running underneath Downtown? Used to explore those back in the '80's, you could go just about anywhere under the city and pop up into all kinds of buildings...

GUSHI · February-01-12, 09:49 PM

St florian has a tunnel connecting the school with the gym.

**Rochelle St.** · February-04-12, 12:44 PM

Guardian Angels Catholic school [[now Bueller) has a tunnel running under Mayfield from the school to the covenant.
Both bulidings are still there, so the tunnel must be too.