Seeking Photo of Wayne County Comfort Station #6 - Harper/Morang

[gpsutter]

Hello everybody.

I'm looking for a photograph of the Comfort Station at the terminus of the Cadillac-Harper bus line which according to Username:Mikem was at. 17400 Harper. Milkem called it Wayne County Comfort Station #6, There have been threads in the past about the Comfort Station, but no photos.

The attached photo shows what appears to be the triangular shaped parcel where it was located. I have searched Detroit Transit History and the Virtual Motor City Archive with no results.

Any leads or ideas of how to track a photo down would be greatly appreciated.

[Gistok]

Here's an old historic thread on the area....

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...oross-amp-More

[MikeM]

Link to that photo at WSU:

https://digital.library.wayne.edu/item/wayne:vmc48464

You can barely make out the building if you zoom in on it. Looking at it again, I see some details I never noticed before. Something like a food truck on rail wheels. Maybe construction supplies? Another to the right, both parked on the lawn:



What looks like either antennas, a flag pole, or maybe an arc light tower behind it:



A large building in the distance on Harper, probably at Casino. It appears in aerial photos in 1952 and 1956, but not before or after:

[Gistok]

Here is a view of the original image today....

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mo...!4d-82.9328139

Originally [[before the 1950s) Harper Ave went to the right and followed Chester Ave. just past Moross, where it ended... only to restart under the Harper name at Vernier [[or old 8 Mile) into St. Clair Shores.

The left fork [[known today as Harper) had a different name from Morang to Moross... and on thru Harper Woods.... but its' name escapes me... McClellan or some name like that that starts with an "M". Eventually they realigned Harper Ave. to take the left branch on thru Harper Woods and into St. Clair Shores, and the right branch was renamed Chester Ave.

The OPs image is before the Edsel Ford Freeway went thru to the left, and all buildings east of Morang were torn down for the freeway and its' service drive, which happened in the late 1950s. I have vague recollections [[circa 1961) of the end of the Ford Fwy. just past Vernier... where as you were forced to exit at 8 Mile, you could see the sandy wall of freeway dirt. Just east of Vernier there was a private park... called Schwaben Park [[ethnic German park for fests), which had to be removed in order to have the freeway make the bend into St. Clair Shores.

Today, if you are driving eastbound I-94 into St. Clair Shores, you can still see a stand of trees on the right embankment that was the last remnants of Schwaben Park.

[MikeM]

The left fork [[known today as Harper) had a different name from Morang to Moross... and on thru Harper Woods.... but its' name escapes me... McClellan or some name like that that starts with an "M". Eventually they realigned Harper Ave. to take the left branch on thru Harper Woods and into St. Clair Shores, and the right branch was renamed Chester Ave.

Mt Clemens Drive, which was a continuation of Evanston where it diverged from Harper at Morang.

[Honky Tonk]

Good thread. Great photos and Interesting information. Gistok, are the remaining trees from Schwaben Park on the 94 embankment or South of the service drive? Can they be seen driving East from 94?

[Gistok]

Good thread. Great photos and Interesting information. Gistok, are the remaining trees from Schwaben Park on the 94 embankment or South of the service drive? Can they be seen driving East from 94?

Duh!! I live in St. Clair Shores, and didn't realize that part of Schwaben Park lives on today as Brys Park... a city park. The remainder of Schwaben Park is taken up by the freeway footprint.

https://www.scsmi.net/311/Brys-Park

[[In my defense, I never take the side streets in that area of the city!)

Thanks for jarring my memory Mikem... yes Mt. Clemens Ave... that name no longer exists for this street.

Also, here's an old 2007 DYES discussion that relates to all parts of this thread...

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mess...tml?1170452402

And that 2007 thread has a link to this 2006 DYES thread on the exact same topics [[including Mt. Clemens Ave. in maps)...

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mess...684/71497.html

[mikefmich]

Grew up mere minutes from there, & passed a zillion times in my youth. I recall the comfort station being there, but a lot of my memories of 60+ yrs. ago are joining Lincoln in the ages. I can't visualize it anymore.

Looking along Chester & Harper there yesterday via Goggle street view, I don't recall what 95% of the bldgs. were back when. The old grocery store closer to Cadiuex & Harper Sport are about the only two that come to mind. Oh yeah, Ebb Tide Lounge too.

[Gistok]

Grew up mere minutes from there, & passed a zillion times in my youth. I recall the comfort station being there, but a lot of my memories of 60+ yrs. ago are joining Lincoln in the ages. I can't visualize it anymore.

Looking along Chester & Harper there yesterday via Goggle street view, I don't recall what 95% of the bldgs. were back when. The old grocery store closer to Cadiuex & Harper Sport are about the only two that come to mind. Oh yeah, Ebb Tide Lounge too.

mikefmich... let me refresh your memory... starting at Woodhall [[on Chester)...
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Lancaster Engineering, Chester Clinic [[where my sadistic dentist Dr. Rochon had his practice), Ebb Tide Lounge, Embo's Grocery [[later Secy of State), a Barber Shop [[name escapes me), Milk Depot, Rexall Drug Store... and then a few blocks west towards Cadieux... Wrigley's Super Market [[later a furniture store), and Wrigley's Drug Store.

[Gistok]

Grew up mere minutes from there, &amp; passed a zillion times in my youth. I recall the comfort station being there, but a lot of my memories of 60+ yrs. ago are joining Lincoln in the ages. I can't visualize it anymore.<br>
<br>
Looking along Chester &amp; Harper there yesterday via Goggle street view, I don't recall what 95% of the bldgs. were back when. The old grocery store closer to Cadiuex &amp; Harper Sport are about the only two that come to mind. Oh yeah, Ebb Tide Lounge too.

mikefmich... let me refresh your memory... starting at Hereford [[on Chester)... Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Lancaster Engineering, Chester Clinic [[where my sadistic dentist Dr. Rochon had his practice), Elam's Bar, Embo's Grocery [[later Secy of State), a Barber Shop [[name escapes me), Milk Depot, Rexall Drug Store... and then a few blocks west towards Cadieux... Wrigley's Super Market [[later a furniture store), and Wrigley's Drug Store.

[mikefmich]

Bless you Gistok. When I posted I was trying to remember which grocery store was there....Food Fair was coming to mind, but I knew it wasn't it. Later in the afternoon I remembered it was Wrigley's, one of my cousins worked there circa 1961 while he was going to college.

I remember being about 25 & asking my dad about things in his younger years. He was in his 60's by then & said he couldn't remember. I remember being incredulous, "Dad whaddya mean you can't remember? I can remember being 10-15 yrs. old perfectly".

Now I know what he meant. :P

Further thought I probably went down Chester from Moross and further down Harper to Connors not a zillion times. I think it was a gazillion. Going to church on Cadiuex, relatives, and a large host of friends my parents had for 15 yrs. Then working the eastside with MichCon for another 10 yrs.

Wait...was that a Burger Chef just north of Cadiuex? A Travis Burger somewhere along there too?

[Kathleen]

Wait...was that a Burger Chef just north of Cadiuex? A Travis Burger somewhere along there too?

I remember the Daly’s Drive-In and Geneva’s Hamburgers between Cadieux and Morang.

[Gistok]

Thanks mikefmich! [[and Kathleen too!)

West of Cadieux and on the south side of Harper.... Bank of the Commonwealth... the Vogue Theatre [[I went there often), Dick Shalla Chevrolet, and the block past St. Matthews Church [[a block before the Golden Budda)... was Earl's Bike Shop... where I satisfied my LEGO addiction as a kid!

[gpsutter]

Thanks to all for all the great memories of my hood [[Grew up on Farmbrook three houses off Berden.)
Still hoping for a photo of the Comfort Station. The 1956 aerial shows the location and buildings, I think. The only additions, I would make: I think the barber shop was Phil's Barber Shop, the Rexall's was Dan Fleming's Rexall Drugs [[bought my comic books there) We knew the Milk Depot as Whitey's Dairy Bar, we bought candy there [[booze balls and lick-a-made.). At the counter sat the would be hoodlums listening to a juke box, I believe. The drug store across Cadieux was Hack's, I think. Of course, Wrigley's Drugs and Wrigley's Supermarket. You'd walk through the drug store to the market.

[bust]

That Vogue Theater sure was a looker.
Too bad we lost it.

[mikefmich]

I remember the Daly’s Drive-In and Geneva’s Hamburgers between Cadieux and Morang.

Yes that was it. Glad some folks have more brain cells left than I do.

[Gistok]

Between Harper Sports Shop and Geneva's Hamburgers there was a Barber Shop. I used to frequent it... but don't remember its' name. You're not alone mikefmich!

[13606Cedargrove]

Thank you Gistok for your reference to the "sandy wall of dirt" at 8 mile where I-94 ended in the early sixties. Now I know I actually saw it. My Aunt and Uncle lived on Littlestone off Harper near the Allard exit. I remember being shown that wall at some point during a visit. When I have mentioned this memory to others some years later, my recollection was met with disbelief, and even derision. Faded memories.......

[Gistok]

Thank you Gistok for your reference to the "sandy wall of dirt" at 8 mile where I-94 ended in the early sixties. Now I know I actually saw it. My Aunt and Uncle lived on Littlestone off Harper near the Allard exit. I remember being shown that wall at some point during a visit. When I have mentioned this memory to others some years later, my recollection was met with disbelief, and even derision. Faded memories.......

Glad I could restore your sanity 13606Cedargrove!!

There was one other early faded memory I had... that was my family driving down 11 Mile Rd. to visit family friends in Warren. 11 Mile was a 2 lane road... with a cleared swath of land about 300 ft. on either side of the road [[for the future I-696)... but this was about 6 years before the Macomb Co. stretch of the freeway was even started. What I found odd was that it looked like a tornado swept along 11 mile clearing all the buildings... but leaving all the trees and vegetation standing.

[Gistok]

Thank you Gistok for your reference to the "sandy wall of dirt" at 8 mile where I-94 ended in the early sixties. Now I know I actually saw it. My Aunt and Uncle lived on Littlestone off Harper near the Allard exit. I remember being shown that wall at some point during a visit. When I have mentioned this memory to others some years later, my recollection was met with disbelief, and even derision. Faded memories.......

Glad I could restore your sanity 13606Cedargrove!!

There was one other early faded memory I had... that was my family driving down 11 Mile Rd. to visit family friends in Warren. 11 Mile was a 2 lane road... with a cleared swath of land about 300 ft. on either side of the road [[for the future I-696)... but this was about 6 years before the Macomb Co. stretch of the freeway was even started. What I found odd was that it looked like a tornado swept along 11 mile clearing all the buildings... but leaving all the trees and vegetation standing.

[mikefmich]

Thank you Gistok for your reference to the "sandy wall of dirt" at 8 mile where I-94 ended in the early sixties. Now I know I actually saw it. My Aunt and Uncle lived on Littlestone off Harper near the Allard exit. I remember being shown that wall at some point during a visit. When I have mentioned this memory to others some years later, my recollection was met with disbelief, and even derision. Faded memories.......

I'll chime in Cedargrove, clearly remember the dirt wall. As to your Littlestone connection, used to sit on my front porch & watch the drive-in movie screen.

[mikefmich]

How could I forget Earl's Bike Shop, my first Schwinn came from there. Recall seeing The Geisha Boy at the Vogue with my ma, a couple others. My main movie hangout was the Woods.
There was a little suds place across the street I tipped a few at in later years. Forbidden Fruit?

[Gistok]

Thanks to all for all the great memories of my hood [[Grew up on Farmbrook three houses off Berden.)

I grew up on Marseilles east side, 5th house south of Berden. Went to Marquette School 1960-65... that had to be the best elementary school in the city to go to... surrounded by park land and the outdoor fenced in Nature Center, which no other school had. Plus we had Balduck Park to the south [[with skating, and Balduck Hill... for sledding and tobogganing in the winter).

[bust]

Surprised I could barely find a mention of Harper Sport on here. Thanks for the reminder mikefmich. That store was great!

[Maof]

How could I forget Earl's Bike Shop, my first Schwinn came from there. Recall seeing The Geisha Boy at the Vogue with my ma, a couple others. My main movie hangout was the Woods.
There was a little suds place across the street I tipped a few at in later years. Forbidden Fruit?

Yes, Forbidden Fruit. Myself and several high school friends heard they served underage. Well, we had to see if it was true and we skipped out of afternoon classes [[1976/77). I distinctly remember it being very dark in there and the velvet type pictures on the walls.