Memories, Anecdots, Pictures requested for New Book Planned on West Eight Mile Commun

[Jerry]

Hi Everyone!
I'm new to this site but not to Detroit where I was born, educated and lived most of my life. I am putting together a book for the History Press on the life and times of residents of West Eight Mile, including Royal Oak Township. I want to discuss how issues of housing [[and the infamous Birwood Wall), employment, transportation, recreation, healthcare, crime, digital redlining, and other issues impacted the community from about 1920 going forward. There's a lot there, and I am hoping I did not bite off more than i can chew. There are pics available at the Burton Historical wing at the main library, but they are still asking $50 a pop. And there's the Reuther at WSU and, of course, the Library of Congress. Anyone willing to share any anecdotes or pictures--well, I would be eternally in your debt, and would even be willing to buy you a pop!
Jerry

[Meddle]

The only two things of note I can recall that even might be interesting ....

A guy by the name of Bob Seger [[you may have heard of him) used to hang out in a strip club called Siloz. Saw him there a few times hiding in the shadows at the end of the bar near the waitress station. I also heard that the infamous Coleman hung out there a bit, but I never saw him. Good thing too. I don't think I would have liked jail.

There were numerous rumors [[but I've never seen formal confirmation or denial) of some sort of missile installation somewhere near the Armory at Greenfield.

Also, you might touch on the Arlan's store at Telegraph.

[Jerry]

Funny you mention missiles. i was talking to a member of the 8 Mile old-timers club who recalled that there were Nike missiles installed in at least five metro Detroit locations during WWII, including one in northwest Detroit. But of course, as you say, no one will confirm or deny the story.

[shovelhead]

Nike sites......

http://ed-thelen.org/loc-m.html#Michigan

[Zacha341]

Go to the 'Search Detroityes' area at bottom of this page to search old articles/ etc. There's a wealth of info from the archives here.

[EastsideAl]

Good luck with this project. The remaining part of Royal Oak Township is a historically fascinating community, about which there is too little information available. Along with the nearby Birwood wall on the Detroit side of 8 Mile, the township's continued existence is one of the remaining tangible markers of the history of our segregated past in the Detroit area.

[65memories]

Check out W8 Mile Family Reunion on FB. They have a big reunion every year, the 2nd weekend in August.

[Jerry]

Thank you for the encouragement. I really don't think one should write about the West Eight Mile community without devoting significant space to R. O. Township. I think both sides of the road are joined at the hip historically and culturally, and your comments only served to remind me that I need to fully address the issues of segregation that plagued both sides of Eight Mile.

[Meddle]

Might be interesting to explore why the Greenfield Bridge was built. I'm sure it had something to do with the Lodge, but there must have been other options.