Old timey Detroit photo by Shorpy

[Ray1936]

Another nice turn of the century Detroit photo from Shorpy: Monroe Avenue looking west. Old City Hall in background.

[iheartthed]

The National Theater is the only building in that photo still standing: https://goo.gl/maps/ZCd7yUECMmzZvFG68

[Gistok]

Are you sure? The National Theatre dates to 1910... and that photo may predate that. I don't see any twin Moorish towers on the left side of the street?

[Jimaz]

Another nice turn of the century Detroit photo from Shorpy: Monroe Avenue looking west. Old City Hall in background.

Click the image on this page for an enlarged version.

[Burnsie]

The highest resolution view [[157.5 MB) is at http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collecti...em/2016816684/
Shorpy manipulated the LOC scan to try to increase contrast in the light and dark areas, but this introduced digital noise, and the most detail overall is still in the LOC scan.

Anyway, this photo predates the National Theatre. Farmer Street intersects just beyond the "ROYALE" banner, and the National was built at 40 Monroe [[old numbering system), replacing the H.H. Stender Cigars-Tobacco-Pipes store, Moyer's Loan Office, and a jewelry/luggage store.

I'd bet that the photo was taken in late winter 1911. The Freep article about the National opening says that removal of the old buildings on the site started May 1 of that year, and in the photo the jewelry/luggage store has a sign stating "Removal Sale will move to 38 Monroe Ave about March 10."

[iheartthed]

Are you sure? The National Theatre dates to 1910... and that photo may predate that. I don't see any twin Moorish towers on the left side of the street?

Yeah, looks like I was maybe a couple years off. Some of the arches on those buildings look similar to the one on the National Theater, which is how I got confused. So the block further out is now a parking lot, and the only building left on the block where the National is soon to be built is the National itself.

https://goo.gl/maps/qUQkBYHTqX6DJsRJ8

[NSortzi]

The Ford Building is actually the only building in that photo still standing. You can see the top of it to the left of old city hall.

[Lowell]

Interesting is the cluster of pawn shops in the foreground advertising their presence with the tradition House of Lombard three hanging spheres.

[Burnsie]

Here's a closer view of some of the people and signage. Such an active street scene.

[401don]

Pawn shops, smokes, pool halls. People sure dressed nice to shop at some sleazy retail in those days.

[Honky Tonk]

Evening back then, Monroe Street had "Shooting, Continuous Show".

[JStone]

Pawn shops, smokes, pool halls. People sure dressed nice to shop at some sleazy retail in those days.

Hey, it wasn't all sleazy. There in the middle of the block was King's Store - King's Ladies Lunch Room of the John E. King of the John E. King Coffee Company.

[iheartthed]

Pawn shops, smokes, pool halls. People sure dressed nice to shop at some sleazy retail in those days.

Ha. Sleazy retail or not, that was the source of income for many people. I wonder how many households that single block supported back then, versus what it supports now as a parking lot.

[archfan]

Here's a photo from 1913 from Wikipedia. The Nederlander Loan Office [[pawn shop?) halfway down the block belonged to David T. Nederlander, the founder of the Nederlander Organization. At the time of this photo, he had just leased the Detroit Opera House and started building his company.

[Ray1936]

Love the angle parking at the curb!

[Uncledave54]

These are fantastic photos of yesteryear....

Perhaps somebody has a photo of the Hastings Street/Hendrie neighborhood circa 1925-1935.

My father was born in that neighborhood & I'm trying to get a feel for it.

Thanks

[Zacha341]

And a horse too. Yet still fairly 'walkable'......

Love the angle parking at the curb!