Derby Hill

[eriedearie]

Was that the name of the sleding/toboggan hill over by Mound Road - 7 Mile or so where we used to go in the 50s and 60s?

Me and my sister-in-law were trying to recall the name of it yesterday and we couldn't come up with it. I told her it would come to me at 3:00 a.m. - I'm almost 2 hours late!

I just need confirmation on the name so I can call her - [[at a decent hour!)

[DetroitTeacher]

We had a Derby Hill in the 70s in the Warrendale area...not sure if there were two.

[gnome]

EarieDearie, not sure, but I'll bet ya you are thinking about Mound and Outer Drive. The park there is called Dorals and it is home to a [[now derlict) velidrome. For some reason I think the place was re-named Dorals back in the '80s so it might not match your memory.

[eriedearie]

Gnome, I believe you're right about the location now that I think about it. It must have been at Outer Drive and Mound. I do not remember it being called Dorals.

We used to have a ball there on the toboggan with our friends.

[Toolbox]

The Dorais Playground on Outer Drive does indeed have a Derby Hill. It still has the remains of the starting gates for the soap box racecars.

[eriedearie]

Thanks Toolbox! I knew I could count on you guys to confirm my recollection!

[rodj44137]

There is a Detroit News article at the below link that says in 1956 the Detroit Derby moved to a new track at Outer Drive, east of Mound.
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=96

[eriedearie]

Thank you rodj44137 for that nice piece of historical news. I thoroughly enjoyed reading that.

[Lowell]

Nice pics from the old forum here....http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1155817948 but I believe this is from another location than Dorais.

[Lowell]

Following on Toolbox's pics, another view of the launch site.


Zoom out.


Dorais Velodrome seen from top Derby Hill. Mound Road Engine Plant can be seen in the background.


Derby Hill as seen from the Dorais Velodrome.

[Hermod]

There was another soap box derby venue over in River Rouge Park.

[EastsideAl]

The park is Dorais Park, named for Charles "Gus" Dorais who, along with Knute Rockne, pioneered the forward passing offense as a player at Notre Dame [[Dorais was the passer, Rockne the receiver). He was head football coach at University of Detroit from 1925 to 1942, the heyday of the school's program as a football power, and head coach of the Lions from 1943-47.

I remember attending a Detroit area soapbox derby final there sometime in the mid-60s in which my cousin was participating. Soapbox derby was really a big deal at one time, and there were thousands of spectators there for the event. I also remember looking at that velodrome thinking how crazy someone would have to be to race bicycles there.

[eriedearie]

Great pics Lowell. But as a kid that hill sure seemed like it was higher! Maybe they dumped snow on it and packed it down for the toboggans and sleds?

[EMG]

I don't know for sure that it was the official name, but before even opening this thread, when I saw the title "Derby Hill" I automatically assumed it was about that Mound/Outer Drive park, so that association came from somewhere and so that likely was its name.

I never actually went to that park but rode by it many times as a kid and I agree that I remember it as looking bigger than that, though even as a kid I thought of it as more elongated, and not as high as, the hill at Balduck Park with which I was much more familiar.

[rodj44137]

Its funny how reading these posts brings back memories you haven't had for decades! I remember growing up a few blocks away, up in Warren, we used to call the mound Mt Trashmore because I believe [[but don't quote me) that the mound was originally built using landfill!

[stasu1213]

Balduck Park on Detroit's eastside has a large mound or hill. Had a Soap Bix Derby ever was held there?

[Stinger4me]

Rouge Park on the west side had toboggan slides. They were located north of the barns where the Mounted Police kept their horses.

[leland_palmer]

Looks like some members of the Rovers scooter club took on the Dorais Velodrome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq_5r7DKkM&hd=1

[CLAUDE G]

The hill was built around 7 mile and mound from all the excess dirt that was being excavated from the building of the freeways at that time.

The Soapbox durby was simply an after thought to justify dumping all that dirt there.

[13074Glenfield]

We lived nearby on St. Louis for a while and I remember seeing the Soap Box Derby there, but I always thought the best thing about Derby Hill was that it was a great sledding hill in the winter. It sure seems like a lot bigger hill back then than it looks now. Did someone flatten it somehow?

[1KielsonDrive]

Thanks for this post. I drove by the area last week attempting to find the old Derby Hill. I was unable to walk the area due to time constraints, and I left uncertain about which hill was which. You guys/gals are a great help.