Resurrection of old Central Market building at Greenfield Village

**EastsideAl** · December-04-19, 06:28 PM

A fascinating piece of Detroit history that I never realized was sitting right in plain site. I never realized that the stables building on Belle Isle started its life before the Civil War as the vegetable building of Detroit's old Central Market in Cadillac Square. And I didn't know that the folks at Henry Ford/Greenfield Village had preserved the building after it was taken down on Belle Isle in 2003.

According to the article and video linked below there is now a campaign to resurrect this historic building, one of the oldest remaining Detroit structures, in its original form in the village.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/li...ay/2586601001/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdLJwkJLIGI

**Gistok** · December-05-19, 12:46 PM

Thanks for the links Eastside Al!! I had wondered when they were going to get around to restoring that shed?

There is one other building that I wish The Henry Ford would take over and move to Greenfield Village, but they won't... that is the U.S. Grant house at the former State Fair Grounds. Granted that is not his boyhood home, but he did spend several military years there, and it would make a nice "in-fill" somewhere in the Village. After all, he was an important part of American history.

**NSortzi** · December-05-19, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Thanks for the links Eastside Al!! I had wondered when they were going to get around to restoring that shed?

There is one other building that I wish The Henry Ford would take over and move to Greenfield Village, but they won't... that is the U.S. Grant house at the former State Fair Grounds. Granted that is not his boyhood home, but he did spend several military years there, and it would make a nice "in-fill" somewhere in the Village. After all, he was an important part of American history.

The Grant house is being moved to a location in Eastern Market and restored and reopened to the public. I’d personally rather see it kept as a Detroit attraction instead of being lost amongst everything else at Greenfield Village.

**Trumpeteer** · December-05-19, 04:57 PM

Sorry but nothing is LOST at Greenfield Village as it's an amazing collection of historic Americana.

**NSortzi** · December-05-19, 07:23 PM

I meant lost like overshadowed. There's much cooler things at Greenfield Village that get much more attention from the average American than a house a president lived in for a year.

**Gistok** · December-05-19, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

I meant lost like overshadowed. There's much cooler things at Greenfield Village that get much more attention from the average American than a house a president lived in for a year.

I had forgotten about them moving it to Eastern Market. Granted [[no pun intended) Greenfield Village could do a better restoration... however... there's virtually nothing left of the original furnishings.... I think...

**masterblaster** · December-06-19, 06:06 PM

Wouldn't it be better to re-assemble this back in Belle Isle and get the horses/carriage rides/pony rides back on Belle Isle? Hello, State of Michigan, where is your vision?

**NSortzi** · December-06-19, 06:21 PM

Agreed. I'd rather see it reassembled on Belle Isle and reused for horses or maybe a small market, or have it donated to those developers who want to resurrect Western Market.

**Detroit** · December-11-19, 11:29 AM

I was wondering when this was going to happen. Glad to see it is finally going to happen but I am not a fan of the idea of "scaling" it to better fit Greenfield village because that is nothing more than reinventing it to what they want it to be.

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

A fascinating piece of Detroit history that I never realized was sitting right in plain site. I never realized that the stables building on Belle Isle started its life before the Civil War as the vegetable building of Detroit's old Central Market in Cadillac Square. And I didn't know that the folks at Henry Ford/Greenfield Village had preserved the building after it was taken down on Belle Isle in 2003.

According to the article and video linked below there is now a campaign to resurrect this historic building, one of the oldest remaining Detroit structures, in its original form in the village.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/li...ay/2586601001/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdLJwkJLIGI

**Trumpeteer** · December-11-19, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Pontiac6000

It really is the truth. I wonder what kind of story they would tell about a suburban ranch house- 'Leave it to Beaver' WW2 narrative? I hated when the Mattox story [[Black) was considered 'slavery'. I dressed in my Sunday best trying to say they're free- think of 'gramma and down south'- to nobody under 40.

What?????

**kathy2trips** · December-11-19, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit

I was wondering when this was going to happen. Glad to see it is finally going to happen but I am not a fan of the idea of "scaling" it to better fit Greenfield village..............

Me neither. We should preserve historical architecture as the builders intended, the way it was viewed and enjoyed by our early citizens. I don't like "re-envisioning" or "re-making" historical structures to suit our modern sensibilities. It's a distorition, IMHO. I predict that this will be viewed as a giant mistake by future generations.

**Pontiac6000** · December-12-19, 01:31 AM

Nothing wrong with taking a 1860s bldg- better have a story, but todays history has to be written post MLK if you are talking race or 'i dont see race'