Shorpy - City Hall again

[jackie5275]

Attachment 5142
wsu/vmc

This is a photo of that building at Michigan and W Lafayette and Griswold, from 1900.

Attachment 5143
wsu/vmc

Looking at the 2nd photo, I wonder where there actually that many cars in Detroit in 1900.

[DC48080]

Looking at the 2nd photo, I wonder where there actually that many cars in Detroit in 1900.

That photo could not possibly have been taken in 1900. The People's Outfitting Company building is clearly visible on the right hand side of Michigan Ave just east of the old Cadillac Hotel. People's Outfitting's building was built in 1916.

Also, if you look closely, all of the cars are enclosed. There were very few, if any, enclosed cars in 1900.

[jackie5275]

That photo could not possibly have been taken in 1900. The People's Outfitting Company building is clearly visible on the right hand side of Michigan Ave just east of the old Cadillac Hotel. People's Outfitting's building was built in 1916.

Also, if you look closely, all of the cars are enclosed. There were very few, if any, enclosed cars in 1900.

That's what I was thinking, but not living back then.....

[EastsideAl]

That bottom photo in Hornwrecker's post was obviously taken sometime between 1916 when the People's Outfitting Building was built and 1923 when the old Cadillac Hotel was torn down. I believe that "This is a photo of that building at Michigan and W Lafayette and Griswold, from 1900." refers to the picture above it, with a notable lack of automobiles. The Detroit of 1900 looked a lot more like the Shorpy photo that is the subject of this thread, where not a single car can be seen.

The greatest impression one takes away from the contrast between those photos is just how quickly and profoundly the automobile became ubiquitous. In about 20 years you go from a few horse wagons and a couple of little streetcars to streets literally lined with cars.