Belgian Neighborhood Tour

[skyl4rk]

Some friends would like to do a short tour of old Belgian neighborhoods later this month. We will be ending up at the Cadieux Cafe, but would like to drive around a bit before we go there.

Are there specific areas that were known as Belgian neighborhoods at one time?

Are there any landmarks or historical buildings that we should see?

Any links to stories related to historical Belgian neighborhoods?

Thanks

[kryptonite]

The Belgians largely lived in Detroit east of Cadieux. But there were Belgians in East English Village and Morningside also, plus north of I-94.

the Guilford Bar on Harper [[i think it has a new name now) was a Belgian hangout and had an
archery room. Most likely some of the Catholic churches in that area had large Belgian communities. Many of the bars on Harper and on East Warren were Belgian hangouts.

[EMG]

The Belgians largely lived in Detroit east of Cadieux. But there were Belgians in East English Village and Morningside also, plus north of I-94.

the Guilford Bar on Harper [[i think it has a new name now) was a Belgian hangout and had an
archery room. Most likely some of the Catholic churches in that area had large Belgian communities. Many of the bars on Harper and on East Warren were Belgian hangouts.

Yes, the general area bordered by approximately Harper/Cadieux/Mack/Radnor is the primary area that comes to my mind. Particularly the southeast corner of that area, around the Cadieux Cafe area.

[Hermod]

When my father lived on St Clair just south of Warren beginning in 1919 when he was six, he said that there were a lot of Belgian kids in his elementary school from 1st to 6th grade.

.

[Kathleen]

Perhaps the folks at the Belgian-American Association of Detroit, Michigan might be of help to you: http://www.thebaa.us/Default.aspx

[Lowell]

There is also a former Belgian ethnic hall that I have yet to photograph. MikeM could tell where that is. I remember him posting a picture of it on the old forum.

While not in the neighborhood, I think the ruins of the Dorais velodrome might qualify as a Belgian site too. Scroll down in this thread to see it: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1147780842

[MikeM]

It was the former Belgian American Business Men's Association, on Hurlburt south of Sterritt, which is just northeast of the Gratiot-Harper intersection.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...02763&t=h&z=19

[Maggy R]

There is also a former Belgian ethnic hall that I have yet to photograph. MikeM could tell where that is. I remember him posting a picture of it on the old forum.

While not in the neighborhood, I think the ruins of the Dorais velodrome might qualify as a Belgian site too. Scroll down in this thread to see it: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1147780842

Re Velodromes, does anyone know about the velodrome, possibly the very first one in Detroit, once located on the grounds of St John Berchman grade school Lakeview just east of Warren? I remember the remnants of the cement footings on the playgound. However, the earliest velodrome in my memory was on Harper a little north of Morang. It had very steep sides and I rmember going there for the six-day races which brought in riders from New York and many other places.

[EastsideAl]

The Belgains lived all across the southern east side for many decades. One of the earliest areas they were concentrated in was around St. Charles Borromeo church on Baldwin near Lafayette, which was built to serve the Flemish Belgian Catholic community. My grandfather, who was Irish-American, grew up in that area and was friends with a lot of Belgian kids. Even when I was a kid in the 60s there were still a few older Flemish Belgians in that area and at least one Belgian run store that I remember well.

In that era there were a lot of Belgians concentrated around the Chalmers-Kercheval and Chalmers-Mack areas where some of my cousins lived. I know there was a bar at the corner of Eastlawn and Charlevoix that was owned by some Flemish people, because I remember going in there several times with my great-uncle and aunt [[it was called something like the Jolly Dutchman if I remember correctly). There were a number of Belgian businesses in that neighborhood, and I believe that Verdonckt's Bakery is still operating near there on Mack and Wayburn.

Up around Harper and Cadieux was another Belgian concentration. I remember a Belgian grocery store that was operating up there well into the 80s, and I think that Vergote's Poultry is still a going concern on Harper. I knew a couple of families of Belgians up there, who were in the bar business on the east side and friends of my grandparents, who sent their kids to Austin Catholic High on Warren by Balduck Park. Of course, one of the most famous Detroit Belgians, basketball hall-of-famer Dave DeBusschere, went to high school there before moving on to stardom at U of D and in the NBA.

[Bobl]

EastsideAl's quote:

"...The Belgains lived all across the southern wast side for many decades. One of the earliest areas they were concentrated in was around St. Charles Borromeo church on Baldwin near Lafayette, which was built to serve the Flemish Belgian Catholic community. My grandfather, who was Irish-American, grew up in that area with a lot of Belgian kids, and even when I was a kid in the 60s there were still a few Flemish Belgians in that area..."

Reminds me of my aunt, one of three sisters who joined the convent, who chose Charles Borromeo as her nun name. Grandfather was Irish American, and his daughters taught in Detroit parochial schools for generations. Do any of the older forum members recall her as an elementary school teacher?

Detroit was a "checkerboard" of ethnic enclaves back then, defined by the neighborhood church and small neighborhood bars and markets.

[eno]

My Dad was a member of the Belgian-American Floor Bowlers that usually played out of Bill & Madeline's Bar on the eastside but I don't recall on what street. They may have played out of other bars too. I grew up on the westside so we usually only went to the semi-annual or annual banquets. The annual banquet included a motor vehicle parade thru the Belgian neighborhood with that years' champion riding in an open car. This was in the early 60s.

[Maggy R]

My Dad was a member of the Belgian-American Floor Bowlers that usually played out of Bill & Madeline's Bar on the eastside but I don't recall on what street. They may have played out of other bars too. I grew up on the westside so we usually only went to the semi-annual or annual banquets. The annual banquet included a motor vehicle parade thru the Belgian neighborhood with that years' champion riding in an open car. This was in the early 60s.

That would be the bar owned by Bill and Madeline Brennan. She was Belgian but he was Irish, I believe. It was located on Mack Ave in the vicinity of Drexel or Lenox.

[SWMAP]

Reminds me of my aunt, one of three sisters who joined the convent, who chose Charles Borromeo as her nun name. Grandfather was Irish American, and his daughters taught in Detroit parochial schools for generations. Do any of the older forum members recall her as an elementary school teacher?"

Would that be one of the Hughes sisters? If so, you are vastly under-reporting their careers!They were all three tremendous women, educators, tireless leaders, classic liberals, magnificent religious women.

[Bobl]

Reminds me of my aunt, one of three sisters who joined the convent, who chose Charles Borromeo as her nun name. Grandfather was Irish American, and his daughters taught in Detroit parochial schools for generations. Do any of the older forum members recall her as an elementary school teacher?"

Would that be one of the Hughes sisters? If so, you are vastly under-reporting their careers!They were all three tremendous women, educators, tireless leaders, classic liberals, magnificent religious women.

Thank you. You are correct.
"Join the convent and see the world", and "There are no slow students, only ineffective teachers" are two quotes that I recall from my aunts.
Cat's out of the bag, now. I am proud to be a member of that family!

[oladub]

Our Lady of Sorrows on Meldrum and Benson was "the Belgian Church". It burned down and was replaced with a new building which has since closed. I assume that must have been where Belgian immigrants first settled. It was before my time. I remember the Mack Eastlawn area as having a high percentage of old timer Buffaloes. The first US born generation moved further east in Detroit - something like the Finney high school neighborhood and beyond Balduck Park and into adjacent east side suburbs. The second generation, by now mainstream Americans, tended to move to St. Clair Shores and further north.

Some business names I can remember; Verhoeven Chevrolet, Vanlaerberge[[sp?) and VerHeyden Funerals, DeLue andVanHull Butchers, VerDonkt Bakery, Brouke's Bar, Cornelie Fuel, Embo's Market, De Gazette van Detroit weekly newspaper, VerGote Poultry, DeFour Insurance.

In the 60's, the Soccer Club Belgica, played their home games at Balduck Park. There was bicycle club based out of the Cadieux Cafe. The Belgian parade came down the end of E. Warren and ended at Mack. The'Belgian Hour' played weekly on the radio.

I think there was a thread here about alley houses, a Belgian contribution to eastside architecture. That and some garages big enough to live in because that is what they did until they saved enough money to build a house in front of and near the garage.

[Hermod]

I remember the Mack Eastlawn area as having a high percentage of old timer Buffaloes.

It has been almost 50 years since I have heard someone refer to Belgians as Buffaloes.

[eno]

It has been almost 50 years since I have heard someone refer to Belgians as Buffaloes.

Imagine my disappointment as a young Belgian-American to learn in the first grade of elementary school that I wasn't part of the lineage of that stately and noble creature that roamed the West unabated, providing sustenance for it's native inhabitants.

[Gingersays]

Our Lady of Sorrows on Meldrum and Benson was "the Belgian Church". It burned down and was replaced with a new building which has since closed. I assume that must have been where Belgian immigrants first settled. It was before my time. I remember the Mack Eastlawn area as having a high percentage of old timer Buffaloes. The first US born generation moved further east in Detroit - something like the Finney high school neighborhood and beyond Balduck Park and into adjacent east side suburbs. The second generation, by now mainstream Americans, tended to move to St. Clair Shores and further north.

Some business names I can remember; Verhoeven Chevrolet, Vanlaerberge[[sp?) and VerHeyden Funerals, DeLue andVanHull Butchers, VerDonkt Bakery, Brouke's Bar, Cornelie Fuel, Embo's Market, De Gazette van Detroit weekly newspaper, VerGote Poultry, DeFour Insurance.

In the 60's, the Soccer Club Belgica, played their home games at Balduck Park. There was bicycle club based out of the Cadieux Cafe. The Belgian parade came down the end of E. Warren and ended at Mack. The'Belgian Hour' played weekly on the radio.

I think there was a thread here about alley houses, a Belgian contribution to eastside architecture. That and some garages big enough to live in because that is what they did until they saved enough money to build a house in front of and near the garage.

Fire at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, [[parish established 1884), was caused by an explosion at the
"Briggs - Chrysler Factory" North across Benson.




Pastor for many years was Fr. Van Hout who's family came as refugees from Belgium after WWII. Other priests, Fr. D'Cnut [[sp?) pastored St. Joan of Arc, St. Clair Shores, and Fr. Bonine [[sp?)
The school was next to the church, South on Meldrum, had two stories, 8 grades taught by Dominican nuns of Adrian. Sr. Joseph Cecila O.P., principal for many years.
Other Sisters: Anita Marie, Marie Michael, Seraphica, Mary Helen, Henrietta, etc.
The next building was the convent then the parking lot and then the house where the janitor/maintenance man lived. Across the street from the church, on the south west corner, was Steiner's Bar & restaurant. For many years the house on the north west corner was occupied by the Kranz family. The rectory was East of the church on Benson and connected to the church. The beautiful stained-glass windows in the church all had Belgian names mostly
Flemish. By the 1940's the area businesses, parishioners and students were primarily Italian, especially Sicilian.

Dave Debusschere [[Belgian-American) was a famous Basketball player [[Pistons) who also played baseball for Chicago White Sox. His Dad had been a beer distributor and owned the Lycaste Bar on E. Jefferson.

[Gingersays]

Fire at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, [[parish established 1884), was caused by an explosion at the
"Briggs - Chrysler Factory" North across Benson.




Pastor for many years was Fr. Van Hout who's family came as refugees from Belgium after WWII. Other priests, Fr. D'Cnut [[sp?) pastored St. Joan of Arc, St. Clair Shores, and Fr. Bonine [[sp?)
The school was next to the church, South on Meldrum, had two stories, 8 grades taught by Dominican nuns of Adrian. Sr. Joseph Cecila O.P., principal for many years.
Other Sisters: Anita Marie, Marie Michael, Seraphica, Mary Helen, Henrietta, etc.
The next building was the convent then the parking lot and then the house where the janitor/maintenance man lived. Across the street from the church, on the south west corner, was Steiner's Bar & restaurant. For many years the house on the north west corner was occupied by the Kranz family. The rectory was East of the church on Benson and connected to the church. The beautiful stained-glass windows in the church all had Belgian names mostly
Flemish. By the 1940's the area businesses, parishioners and students were primarily Italian, especially Sicilian.

Dave Debusschere [[Belgian-American) was a famous Basketball player [[Pistons) who also played baseball for Chicago White Sox. His Dad had been a beer distributor and owned the Lycaste Bar on E. Jefferson.

Joseph de Veuster was born to a farming couple in Tremeloo, Belgium. He attended college at Braine-le-Comte then entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, SS.CC. taking the name of Damien in his first vows. This is Father Damien that established a colony in Molokai to care for the lepers of Hawaii.

[Lowell]

Our Lady of Sorrows on Meldrum and Benson was "the Belgian Church". It burned down and was replaced with a new building which has since closed. ....

Wow^ [and slight threadjack]. For all the times I have seeen this image I never noticed that the firemen were carrying out what has to be the crucifix. It reminds me of those numerous deposition from the cross paintings.

I wonder what happened to that crucifix. Presumably it went to the new church mentioned above, but then where? There is an Our Lady of Sorrows, near enough to me to hear its bells, in Farmington village. I wonder if it ended up there. I will have to check. Sorrows is today the largest Catholic congregation in the metro but has no ethnic identity.

Addendum... since I should have done more research... This was asked, du-uh, but never answered on the old forum here... http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/6790/80774.html?1156854665.

Since Sorrows merged with Annunication at 1265 Parkview Avenue, Detroit, MI 48214-3009 who presumably had its crucifixes it seems that the question is open and that the Farmington Sorrows is another parish with the same name?

[kenp]

In the fall I saw a program on TV that spot lighted an elderly Detroit area Belgium couple. The program started with the couple and a host at a Belgium Club were the man demonstrated Feather Bowling. They went to the couples home and the wife made some Belgium dishes with the host, talking about Belgium traditions while cooking.
I wish I could remember the club they were at. The man was the ex-President of it.

[Hermod]

The last honest mayor of the City of Detroit came out of the Belgian community, Mayor Cobo.

[Buffalogirl]

The last honest mayor of the City of Detroit came out of the Belgian community, Mayor Cobo.

I did not immediately recognize Cobo as a Belgian name, but when I looked it up on the site www.familienaam.be [[and also at http://home.scarlet.be/marcel.vervloet/), it turned out to be one of the variants of Cobbaut, and there are still Cobo's living in Belgium. Can anyone tell me some more about mayor Cobo and his family?
There was also a mayor Van Antwerp, but his ancestors supposedly came from New York where they had arrived long ago, in the Dutch time!

[EMG]

My grandmother roasted fresh chicken from Vergotte's on most Sundays of the year while I was growing up [[not to mention that's where our Thanksgiving turkeys came from too - even after my grandmother had passed away and we moved to GPW!!!) - but I never realized Vergotte's was a Belgian name!

[Kathleen]

Besides so many of the familiar Belgian businesses already mentioned, I remember my dad going out for a beer to Hazebrouck's [[or Van Hazebrouck's) on Charlevoix. I'm thinking that it is or was near the site of today's Ye Old Tap Room. Does this ring a bell for anyone?

Oladub mentioned Brouck's Bar. Where was that?