The Whittier Hotel on Burns at Jefferson

[REL]

Preservation Wayne announced their Annual Membership Meeting at the Whitter on Oct. 22 [[you can make reservations at preservationwayne.org).

Does anyone have any personal stories to share about the Whittier on Jefferson? A family wedding, swimming in the indoor pool [[which is now filled in), living there?

[Detroitej72]

How's the renovations going? I haven't checked the place out in awhile, but it sure was a beauty back in the day when The Beatles stayed there.

[REL]

The first phase is complete [[senior apartments). The project has been so successful that it's sold out with a waiting list. The second phase is due to open in Fall of 2010, with a restaurant.

I also learned there used to be a movie theater in the building?

[Bobl]

When Eric Burdon & The Animals played Olympia with Herman's Hermits [[opened by Rosevilles' finest: The Tidal Waves), we heard that there was a party at the Whittier, thrown by Eric.
We were disappointed to find it was the Hermits. I guess all those "long hairs" looked the same to our tipster!
Did meet a nice girl from Osborn High School, though. Talked on the phone, exchanged letters for a year or so. Never dated.
Peace, Jan!

[ziggyselbin]

Glad to see the building reinvented. Years ago Betty Deramus wrote a bittersweet article about Detroit in 1968; one year after the riots. I wish I could find it. It was in the Detroit news.

The theme was how active Detroit was even after the riots. She wrote about all the great entertainment happening around the city.

One of the area's was the riverfront. There was the playboy club and the Roostertail, the River house[[maybe in the Whittier) and the top of the flame. I'm sure I am missing others.

She went on to write how she never would have thought things would change. It was a nostalgia piece in the truest sense of the word.

[Mackinaw]

It would be nice to see the site rehabilitated between the buildings and Jefferson [[if only with nicer trees/lawn). Then again, it's great to see the re-use of the building and the continued redevelopment-- it's imperative that population density along Jefferson Ave. be fostered as a matter of good planning for the city's future.

[Neilr]

Here's the plan for a typical floor in the apartment tower closest to the river.

[REL]

A friend told me that he remembers the swimming pool, and he thought it had Pewabic tile. I had never seen it, and now it's filled in and covered over.

Anyone remember the pool?

[Maxine1958]

When I was very young, back in the early 60's, my godmother would take 3-5 of us down to the Whitney for Easter brunch. Oh, how important we felt in all our Easter finery, hats and gloves too!

I also had my First Communion Brunch celebration there. That would have been 1966 I think.

I remember the grand foyer and the beautiful pool. We took pictures there often.

I'd love to go back and see it all spiffed up again.

[Rocko]

Large earth movers have been working for the past month regrading the area between the Whittier and the River. They've also installed a new drop off circle along Burns at the entrance to the River Building. Anyone know what kind of work is actively going on inside? I personally think they should compliment the couple old historic 1910s era "Bishop" streetlights still left along that last block of Burns with a few of the new Bishops they have installed on Woodward, Broadway, Michigan and others, and get rid of the 1970s style streetlights... this would help complete the historic exterior view of the Whittier along Burns...

[jimh]

My father was bellman in that hotel from 1952/53 to 1957 when he went into management in the hotel. He worked his way to General Manger there and written up in Life Magazine Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=_ko...ittier&f=false

We did not live in the hotel at the time we lived in Indian Village a short distance away I actually walked by the hotel on my way to/from school. Hotel managers were married to their jobs so he spent a lot of time there -- intern we also spent a lot of time there.

We left there in 1960 and he worked as hotel manager in Gary and Chicago. We came back to the hotel in early 1963 and lived in the hotel to 1966. During this time we [[my brother, sister and step mother) did live on property. As maanger my father oversaw many changes, including turning two never used courtyards in the ballroom and indoor swimming pool area. I have almost enought memories to write a book on that peroid of my life.

btw: A couple of things to note from the statments below as of the day we left there was no movie theater, the club there was called the Gold Cup Room [[named after the boat races which were always HQ there. There was River House accross the park [[I think at the Captians Table) but not in Whitter. The pool did have a fountain in shallow end but but only had one row of tile at the water level and anoter a the pool's edge it could have been Pewabic tile but I'm not sure but it was decorative? I did meet many celeberties including Beatles I have some stories about that too. It seemed that most of the acts that were performing at the Roostertail did stay at our hotel.

[buildingsofdetroit]

A friend told me that he remembers the swimming pool, and he thought it had Pewabic tile. I had never seen it, and now it's filled in and covered over.

Anyone remember the pool?

Photo of the Whittier's pool:
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/c.../whittier2.jpg

[gnome]

Welcome to the Board JimH, sound like ou have some stories to tell. I checked out your link, nice story.

oh BoD, cool pic ... I checked out your album. Didn't know that story about old city hall.

[buildingsofdetroit]

Welcome to the Board JimH, sound like ou have some stories to tell. I checked out your link, nice story.

oh BoD, cool pic ... I checked out your album. Didn't know that story about old city hall.

There's more on Old City Hall where that came from: www.buildingsofdetroit.com/places/cityhall

[mjb3]

My grandmother lived in Whittier from 1974-1978. I used to stay there for weekends. As a 12-yr old boy surrounded by elderly, I can tell you I scoured every inch of the place. I was even on the roof, pool, underground garages.

While they have been rehabbing it these last 3-4 yrs, I tried to get in and walk around. But hard hat only. Anxious to see inside of bldg for PW dinner. Hope we can tour the bldg.

[REL]

Thanks for the pic of the pool! That's the room where PW is holding their event [[of course, it's filled in now).

mjb3- As of today, Preservation Wayne says there will be tours of the "unfinished" half of the Whittier at the event on the 22nd. I have seen these unfinished rooms, and they're incredible. Lots of amazing plaster details and wood work. I can't wait to see them when the project is complete.

[ziggyselbin]

My father was bellman in that hotel from 1952/53 to 1957 when he went into management in the hotel. He worked his way to General Manger there and written up in Life Magazine Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=_ko...ittier&f=false

We did not live in the hotel at the time we lived in Indian Village a short distance away I actually walked by the hotel on my way to/from school. Hotel managers were married to their jobs so he spent a lot of time there -- intern we also spent a lot of time there.

We left there in 1960 and he worked as hotel manager in Gary and Chicago. We came back to the hotel in early 1963 and lived in the hotel to 1966. During this time we [[my brother, sister and step mother) did live on property. As maanger my father oversaw many changes, including turning two never used courtyards in the ballroom and indoor swimming pool area. I have almost enought memories to write a book on that peroid of my life.

btw: A couple of things to note from the statments below as of the day we left there was no movie theater, the club there was called the Gold Cup Room [[named after the boat races which were always HQ there. There was River House accross the park [[I think at the Captians Table) but not in Whitter. The pool did have a fountain in shallow end but but only had one row of tile at the water level and anoter a the pool's edge it could have been Pewabic tile but I'm not sure but it was decorative? I did meet many celeberties including Beatles I have some stories about that too. It seemed that most of the acts that were performing at the Roostertail did stay at our hotel.

Wonderful please keep it coming

[iddude313]

Jeez! Everytime I see this thread I think it says "Whittier Hotel burns on Jefferson" Must be my dyslexia. carry on.

[jimh]

I know you have a Preservation Wayne function tomorrow [[Oct 22nd) at The Whittier and I believe you may have started this thread to share at this function. I'll try to share one of my many highlights living at the Whittier. Hotel.


On Sept 6, 1964, I woke-up from our 8th floor bedroom [[our apartment was on the top floor of the middle building) and hundreds of people were in the usually empty park across the street from the hotel. Every morning we walked our dog, so we went down see what the commotion was. Outside we realized that the crowds were almost all teens. Walking out into the park, some girl grabbed my arm [[really hard) and asked me if I saw them? Who? I asked “The Beatles� she yelled. We didn't know what she was talking about so my bother, sister and our dog tried to get back into ask my father [[the hotel manager) if they were staying in the hotel. Police were lined-up in front of the hotel stopping kids from entering the lobby and they wouldn't let us back into hotel. We had to get one the Doormen, Victor, to verify who we were and let us back into the hotel. When we walked into the main entrance about 10 girls tried to rush also and held-off by the police. There were lots of strange looking people out there too.


The hotel agreed with the promoters not to tell the public that they were staying there and if anyone asked, employees were instructed say they were staying at the Book Cadillac downtown. The Whittier had a radio station located on the second floor and at 3 a.m. this independent station let Detroit know that the Beatles were staying at the Whittier. So the Gig was up.


By late morning the crowds had grown in the park across Burns Dr. and on the hotel's vacant property near the river. It was in the thousands and they had to stop traffic at Jefferson and the police would no longer let us leave the hotel. The Beatles and stayed in Suite 1566 and adjacent rooms in the large building. We were too young [[It was about two week to my 10th birthday) and we could not go up to the suite and meet them but my father spent most of the day there. When he took my step mother up to the suite to meet them she got their autographs and shook their hands until she got to Paul and he stuck his leg out and said “Here shake my foot�. She hit his leg with her fist and said “I don't shake feet�. That got a laugh from the others.


Another incident in suite my father who was managing the hotel from their suite had to make a call and the phones in the parlor were all being used busted through the bathroom door to answer one of the lines going to the suite and jarred Ringo while he was shaving his neck, Ended-up cutting his throat, not sure how bad it was but there were lots of frantic people up in the suite he had to do the Detroit concert with a band-aid.


We [[my siblings and me) were allowed see them as they walked by us through the back of the house going to their limos. My only point of reference were back and white TV and pictures, so we were surprised to see how light their hair color was and how much longer it was than the Beatles cuts that were on their albums.


Sometime that day a promoter asked the hotel if it could purchase the bed sheets and the door knob of the suite they stayed in. A promotion company wanted to cut them into one inch segments and sell it. My father agreed to sell it to them as long as it was on hotel stationary [[promoting the hotel). He also managed to get the hotel on the What's My Line, TV show for this promotion. Although he did not personally go on the show since he was rumored to once having a thing with Betty White, the host Alan Ludden's wife [[I think before they were married). He did write and sign the letter for panel's description.


Sometime in 1997 my wife came across the four promotional pieces with my Father's signature at a collectible festival in Fla. She had never meet my father who died in 1970 but she had heard me talk about the Whittier so she got them for me. I have attached a copy of one sorry for the poor quality.


This is one of many stories about the Whittier, which include other hotel owners, other celebs, the hotel strike and how JFK's death affected us in Detroit.

[Rocko]

Jimh, great story. Your personal memories are priceless.

We talk about the Beatles staying at the Whittier and the cutting up of the hotel sheets on every Diamond Jack River Tours cruise that passes there. Work is moving along slowly on the building toward the River. Hopefully some serious progress will begin next year.

[jimh]

He's something else Rocko, a few days after they checked-out my father caught two girls were in the hallway outside the suite. They admitted to coming up to 1566 to kiss the door handle. The crazy thing about it the hotel had already switched out the handles and sold them to a promotion company. I doubt if any of them even touched an exterior handle anyhow.

[ziggyselbin]

I know you have a Preservation Wayne function tomorrow [[Oct 22nd) at The Whittier and I believe you may have started this thread to share at this function. I'll try to share one of my many highlights living at the Whittier. Hotel.


On Sept 6, 1964, I woke-up from our 8th floor bedroom [[our apartment was on the top floor of the middle building) and hundreds of people were in the usually empty park across the street from the hotel. Every morning we walked our dog, so we went down see what the commotion was. Outside we realized that the crowds were almost all teens. Walking out into the park, some girl grabbed my arm [[really hard) and asked me if I saw them? Who? I asked “The Beatles� she yelled. We didn't know what she was talking about so my bother, sister and our dog tried to get back into ask my father [[the hotel manager) if they were staying in the hotel. Police were lined-up in front of the hotel stopping kids from entering the lobby and they wouldn't let us back into hotel. We had to get one the Doormen, Victor, to verify who we were and let us back into the hotel. When we walked into the main entrance about 10 girls tried to rush also and held-off by the police. There were lots of strange looking people out there too.


The hotel agreed with the promoters not to tell the public that they were staying there and if anyone asked, employees were instructed say they were staying at the Book Cadillac downtown. The Whittier had a radio station located on the second floor and at 3 a.m. this independent station let Detroit know that the Beatles were staying at the Whittier. So the Gig was up.


By late morning the crowds had grown in the park across Burns Dr. and on the hotel's vacant property near the river. It was in the thousands and they had to stop traffic at Jefferson and the police would no longer let us leave the hotel. The Beatles and stayed in Suite 1566 and adjacent rooms in the large building. We were too young [[It was about two week to my 10th birthday) and we could not go up to the suite and meet them but my father spent most of the day there. When he took my step mother up to the suite to meet them she got their autographs and shook their hands until she got to Paul and he stuck his leg out and said “Here shake my foot�. She hit his leg with her fist and said “I don't shake feet�. That got a laugh from the others.


Another incident in suite my father who was managing the hotel from their suite had to make a call and the phones in the parlor were all being used busted through the bathroom door to answer one of the lines going to the suite and jarred Ringo while he was shaving his neck, Ended-up cutting his throat, not sure how bad it was but there were lots of frantic people up in the suite he had to do the Detroit concert with a band-aid.


We [[my siblings and me) were allowed see them as they walked by us through the back of the house going to their limos. My only point of reference were back and white TV and pictures, so we were surprised to see how light their hair color was and how much longer it was than the Beatles cuts that were on their albums.


Sometime that day a promoter asked the hotel if it could purchase the bed sheets and the door knob of the suite they stayed in. A promotion company wanted to cut them into one inch segments and sell it. My father agreed to sell it to them as long as it was on hotel stationary [[promoting the hotel). He also managed to get the hotel on the What's My Line, TV show for this promotion. Although he did not personally go on the show since he was rumored to once having a thing with Betty White, the host Alan Ludden's wife [[I think before they were married). He did write and sign the letter for panel's description.


Sometime in 1997 my wife came across the four promotional pieces with my Father's signature at a collectible festival in Fla. She had never meet my father who died in 1970 but she had heard me talk about the Whittier so she got them for me. I have attached a copy of one sorry for the poor quality.


This is one of many stories about the Whittier, which include other hotel owners, other celebs, the hotel strike and how JFK's death affected us in Detroit.

Jim, I wish you would share your stories on this site


http://www.memoryarchive.org/en/Spec...ulltext=Search


it was started by an erstwhile acquaintance of mine.....anyone else can put stuff here too.

[heartstina]

I am looking for images maybe even photos from the Gold Cup Room at the whittier, I want ot send them to my dad who worked in the gold cup room pouring coffee in the early 60's.

My father was bellman in that hotel from 1952/53 to 1957 when he went into management in the hotel. He worked his way to General Manger there and written up in Life Magazine Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=_ko...ittier&f=false

We did not live in the hotel at the time we lived in Indian Village a short distance away I actually walked by the hotel on my way to/from school. Hotel managers were married to their jobs so he spent a lot of time there -- intern we also spent a lot of time there.

We left there in 1960 and he worked as hotel manager in Gary and Chicago. We came back to the hotel in early 1963 and lived in the hotel to 1966. During this time we [[my brother, sister and step mother) did live on property. As maanger my father oversaw many changes, including turning two never used courtyards in the ballroom and indoor swimming pool area. I have almost enought memories to write a book on that peroid of my life.

btw: A couple of things to note from the statments below as of the day we left there was no movie theater, the club there was called the Gold Cup Room [[named after the boat races which were always HQ there. There was River House accross the park [[I think at the Captians Table) but not in Whitter. The pool did have a fountain in shallow end but but only had one row of tile at the water level and anoter a the pool's edge it could have been Pewabic tile but I'm not sure but it was decorative? I did meet many celeberties including Beatles I have some stories about that too. It seemed that most of the acts that were performing at the Roostertail did stay at our hotel.