Growing up in Detroit

[Buddy Bates]

Caldwell near Charles st. Went to KB White school until '67

[Mackenzie68]

Born at Wyandotte General, just downriver from the big chemical plant, which may explain several things about me. Family moved INTO Detroit from Ecorse Toiwnshp [[now Southland) so I could get a good education. Parker Elementary [[closing) then Mackenzie [[torn down).
My folks ran to Redford Toiwnshp in 1969, I moved out to Ann Arbor area, came back to west side, rented and tried to buy a house. Standard Federal was big into redlining at the time, couldn't get a mortgage while homes stood empty and neighborhoods teetered [[End of '70's). I left for CA in 1981, came back to far western Wayne county in 2005.

[sheryl]

I graduated from cody in '76. Actually I was walking distance to mckenzie, but my neighborhood was pretty rough for a white girl! So I transferred to Cody for high school. I lived on Ohio between Grand River and Plymouth, just a couple blocks from Oakman.

[turkeycall]

Consider this:

1950s. Far east-side Detroit - around the Mack and E. Warren intersect. A week day or Saturday in the summertime.

Six or seven - sometimes more - neighbor kids - all within two or three years in age of each other - gather together around 8 AM. All have a brown-bag lunch. As a group, they head for Balduck Park [[not the wooded side, the sledding hill side).

There are no adults with them to oversee the day's activities because adults are just not necessary. Neighbor kids become brothers and sisters for the day. The older kids watch out for the younger ones.

A scrub softball game materializes. "I'm Al Kaline" is shouted out by one and another shouts, "And I'm Rocky Collavito." The tennis court fence functions as back-stop. A ball hit over the archery range fence is a home run. Funny thing about it, the score isn't kept nor is it remembered. The game is played for the fun of it.

The game comes to a conclusion - who knows why? The gang heads for the picnic tables near the tennis courts. The little swarm of friends sits and eats their brown-bag lunches.

Now the swings, the slide, and the monkey bars beckon.

The sheets of waxed paper that wrapped the sandwiches now serve another purpose. They are used to sit on while descending the slide. The waxed paper makes the slide more slippery.

Now, understand, not one of those kids is wearing a wrist watch. They really don't know what time it is. They just know that it's time to head for home.

All that day, mothers have had no special concern for their children. It was a reasonable assumption that all was well; their children were safe in the company of friends. And, that's the way it was growing up in Detroit in the 50s.

[Ben]

Those were the days. I grew up in Morningside and have many a memory of playing for hours all over the neighborhood without my mom worrying at all.

[Hastings]

Born Trumbull general hospital. Folks lived at 122 W. Willis. They had a restaurant at Wabash and Grand River. I don't know the name. A lot of cops came in there in the late 50's [[ hey Ray?). Then we moved on Omira between state fair and 7 mile. Lived there till my 20's Grandma stayed until 1999.

[Expat]

This thread is too good not to respond to. So:

Born at Mt . Carmel, 1954.

Grew up on Abington, south of Schoolcraft, east of Southfield.

Went to elementary school at Our Lady Queen of Hope.

Grandmother lived on Stahelin in Rosedale Park.

Went to high school at U of D High. Discovered the city; changed my life.

Left Detroit to go to college in the East. But it is still part of my identity.

An extraordinary, rich place, culture, and community that doesn't exist anymore, and yet somehow lives on.

[SMRJim]

Hey Expat, you most likely know some people I know. Knew several families that lived right by you, several of them went to QOH, many ended up at St Marys with me. I was on Prevost near Eaton, right by St Marys. The Greenbelt, Devils Hills, Stans Market, Winter Wonderland, etc, etc....

[Fwrudedog]

Lived in the Cass Corridor [[Cass & Charlotte) then [[Cass & Peterboro) from the time i was 5 [[1956) until I was 23 [[1974). Went to Burton Elementry, Jefferson Jr High, then Murray-Wright.

[ginny sandler]

Born at Henry Ford Hospital, grew up in Greenacres next to Sherwood Forest, moved to Palmer Woods, and have the best childhood memories of all things Detroit!

[jwillie49]

Trumbel General, went to fifteen cent movies off Skid Row, news reel cartoons , three features

[jwillie49]

Franklin, Pelham, Westren, had evening freepress route, ran from Third and Howard [[ China Town ) to Cass and Peterbore

[Mkprn]

Jeff Chalmers area was home, down near the river on Lakewood. Went to Detroit Practical Nursing school in the 70's, a city of Detroit program. Best thing that ever happened to me. I ended up retiring from The University of Texas as a nursing instructor. Still go to Michigan and Detroit once or twice a year to visit family. Was just there last week and I still love it there!

[Mariefilms]

Hi there,
I'm making a movie about cass corridor in the late 70s early 80s. Around the time of the bigfoot killings in cass. Anyone interested in being interviewed or answering some questions via internet, Phone or in person. I'll buy you coffee! I'm looking for folks who grew up in cass, worked in cass or just hung around in general. It would really help me out and complete the authenticity of my little indie film.

[Mariefilms]

Would you be interested in being interviewed for a movie about Cass? Via telephone, on here, or in person. I'll buy coffee. Thanks!

[Mariefilms]

Got any stories you wanna share? I'm working on a film script. I'll buy you coffee!

[Wheels]

Got any stories you wanna share? I'm working on a film script. I'll buy you coffee!

You need to contact this gentleman.

http://peopleliveinthecasscorridor.com/contact/

[pjbear05]

Newbie, first post: Born 1950, St. Joseph hospital on East Grand Blvd. Lived on Rowe North of Manning. Educated at Pulaski Elementary, Von Steuben, and Osborn High.

[big c]

correction forgot to mention b4 we moved to lillibridge st we moved to parker & palmer st. right on the corner we stayed there bout 2 years b4 moving to lillibridge.

[byromania]

I was born in Los Angeles at Temple Hospital in 1964, but in August of 1970, my parents decided to move to Detroit for a business opportunity. We initially lived on Ellsworth, near Monica, until June of '71, when we then moved to Strathmoor, near Eaton. I attended Burns Elementary. We once again moved in April of '72 to Prevost, near Pembrooke, and I attended Bow Elementary and IHM. By April of '78, my parents decided that they missed LA, and moved back home with my two sisters in tow. I, however, decided to stay with our neighbors so that I could complete my eighth grade year. In June, my family flew back to Detroit to attend my graduation, yet the following afternoon, we were on a plane back to Los Angeles, this time for good. CA has been incredible to me and my family, yet, my heart will ALWAYS be in Detroit. I had the most amazing childhood in The Motor City, and I thank God I grew up there when I did.

[mtm49269]

born @ harper hospital. folks only had two homes in Det. first on Charles street across from Jayne Field until 1962. then moenart street which ended at Charles where KB White school is. Dad was DFD so always lived in the city. We were in zip code 48212 which is the Hamtramck post office so Dad referred to our area as Hamtramck Heights.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Born at Highland Park General Hospital in 1957 [[torn down, don't know what year) raised on Pinehurst and Pembroke on the Westside, went to MacDowell Elementary on Outer Drive, and Beaubien Jr High. then on to Mumford High School. Great times growing up, things were simple then.

[sperm whale]

Born in 1942 in Highland park Hotel room. Lived on East Side on Chene St. between Forest and Garfield. Went to St. Albertus grade school and St. Elizabeth's High School. Moved to Grandy St. between Warren and Theodore St. after 9th Grade. Times were Good then and I relish all my old friends at the Schools I attended, also the Good Nuns and Priests that instilled Goodness and Faith in me and all that were mentored by them!
Now my old neighborhood is no more....only empty spaces?

[mtm49269]

Born in 1942 in Highland park Hotel room. Lived on East Side on Chene St. between Forest and Garfield. Went to St. Albertus grade school and St. Elizabeth's High School. Moved to Grandy St. between Warren and Theodore St. after 9th Grade. Times were Good then and I relish all my old friends at the Schools I attended, also the Good Nuns and Priests that instilled Goodness and Faith in me and all that were mentored by them!
Now my old neighborhood is no more....only empty spaces?

please don't feel too bad, sperm. although my old neighborhood is still intact - almost as it was when i was growing up there [[AMAZING!) but both my former grade school [[queen of apostles on det./hamt. border) and high school [[dominican) are long gone.

didn't know about QofA until we were at the church just before my sister's funeral and a woman in a burka came up and asked if we were there for school registration. doubt there are any felician nuns there any more waiting to scare the doo-doo out of little kids.