Growing up in Detroit

**Hermod** · January-27-10, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by EMG

That made us just about neighbors!!! I grew up on Nottingham a few houses north of Britain. I was there from 1961-1990.

1941 to 1954 then we moved to Rochester..

In 1961, I worked for the city and lived on Reno and Schoenherr. End of the year, I went in the army and never went back except to visit.

Anthony Wayne Elementary [[Lakepointe and Courville) 1944-1951
Andrew Jackson Intermediate [[Marlborough and Phillip) 1951-1953
Denby High School [[Seymour and Kelly) 1953-1954
Rochester High School 1954-1957

**Stinger4me** · February-01-10, 09:09 AM

Grew up in the vicinity of McNichols and Mound Rd., a middle class neighborhood with good folks who cared about the area. There were great stores who fresh baked goods, deli meats and such. There were no movie houses, the closest was the Nortown or the Six Mile. We bailed out of Detroit in '79 and no regrets. Living in out state Michigan beats the hell out of being in Detroit [[God forbid) or even crowded SE Michigan. Have not been back in many years and there are no plans to return to Coleman Youngstown or Kwameville.

Ron_saad · February-02-10, 06:37 PM

Jefferson and Chalmers area.
Graduated in 1970 from St. Martin of Tours[[on the lake).

**Hermod** · February-03-10, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by Stinger4me

There were no movie houses, the closest was the Nortown or the Six Mile.

We had the Vogue and the Civic theaters close by and the Alger, Ramona, and Woods a short drive away.

**EMG** · February-05-10, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

1941 to 1954 then we moved to Rochester..

In 1961, I worked for the city and lived on Reno and Schoenherr. End of the year, I went in the army and never went back except to visit.

Anthony Wayne Elementary [[Lakepointe and Courville) 1944-1951
Andrew Jackson Intermediate [[Marlborough and Phillip) 1951-1953
Denby High School [[Seymour and Kelly) 1953-1954
Rochester High School 1954-1957

My mother attended Jackson and graduated from Denby in '55. I attended Carleton elementary but then switched to University Liggett for 6th through 12th grade.

**EMG** · February-05-10, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

We had the Vogue and the Civic theaters close by and the Alger, Ramona, and Woods a short drive away.

Yep, I remember all of those. As of the time I left in '01, the Vogue had been replaced by a McDonald's since the early 80's, the Ramona, I don't know but I don't think it remained open as a theatre, the Woods had been replaced by a cigar shop [[I think), and the Alger was a temporary live theatre while the Civic was temporarily an upholstering shop owned by a former Carleton Elementary classmate of mine before both ultimately became typical abandoned Detroit eyesores.

**galv** · February-07-10, 06:38 PM

I was born at Jennings Hospital at the height of the Detroit riots in 43
vicki

**FranWork** · February-14-10, 01:03 AM

I grew up where now sits the infamous poletown plant,Iwent to Parke school and Gresuel Jr High,Was born in Providence Hospital on East Grand Blvd in 1953

**FranWork** · February-14-10, 01:19 AM

Hey Thomas I went to Gresuel Jr High from 66-68 Mrs Phelps was my Gym Teacher

**rodj44137** · February-14-10, 11:14 AM

Born at Detroit Osteopathic in Highland Park in 1949. [[Is the hospital still there?) Lived on Carmel St [[off Woodward between 7 and State Fair). Then moved to Buena Vista between LaSalle and Montville. Went to Indiandale Elementary. Then in '59 we moved to Wasmund Ave in Warren [[2 blocks N of 8 Mile between Warner and Ryan. Went to Schofield Elementary and then Fitzgerald High at 9 and Ryan. Graduated in '67.

**Hermod** · February-15-10, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by EMG

My mother attended Jackson and graduated from Denby in '55. I attended Carleton elementary but then switched to University Liggett for 6th through 12th grade.

Your mom would be two years older than I am. I was born in 1939.

**Hermod** · February-15-10, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by EMG

Yep, I remember all of those. As of the time I left in '01, the Vogue had been replaced by a McDonald's since the early 80's, the Ramona, I don't know but I don't think it remained open as a theatre, the Woods had been replaced by a cigar shop [[I think), and the Alger was a temporary live theatre while the Civic was temporarily an upholstering shop owned by a former Carleton Elementary classmate of mine before both ultimately became typical abandoned Detroit eyesores.

Ramona was on the NW corner of McNicholls and Gratiot.

**Thomcat52** · February-17-10, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by FranWork

Hey Thomas I went to Gresuel Jr High from 66-68 Mrs Phelps was my Gym Teacher

Hi Fran, just noticed your reply about Gruesel Jr. High. I'm sure we met several times during those three years. Where did you live? As I said, I lived straight down Medbury towards Chene, on the Grandy St. corner across from the playground [[park).
The only people I remember by name were the Deal bros. Larry, and Kenneth. Last visited the area in mid 80s, the school was gone.
To me Mrs Phelps used the paddle harder, and faster than any of the other teachers, Possible exception was the male gym teacher. He was constantly coming in our homeroom to flirt with Phelps. It was pretty funny actually, 'cause they didn't try to hide it. Take care.
I also worked for the Detroit Free Press then [[selling subscriptions). Actually won 2 trips to D.C. that they sponsored for the paper boys.

**EMG** · February-17-10, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Ramona was on the NW corner of McNicholls and Gratiot.

Right, I knew it was at or near that corner, but is it still there today? Or has it been abandoned or replaced by something?

**Hermod** · February-17-10, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by EMG

Right, I knew it was at or near that corner, but is it still there today? Or has it been abandoned or replaced by something?

I think that the only theaters to have survived were the multi-screen types..

**Stinger4me** · February-17-10, 08:07 PM

Eastside:

Please tell me where Providence Hospital was on E. Grand Blvd.? I doubt there was ever a Providence hospital east of Woodward Avenue. I could be wrong.

**IrishSpartan** · February-18-10, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by Stinger4me

Eastside:

Please tell me where Providence Hospital was on E. Grand Blvd.? I doubt there was ever a Providence hospital east of Woodward Avenue. I could be wrong.

Providence Hospital was at W.Grand Blvd. & 14th St. However, the old St. Joseph Hospital was located around E.Grand Blvd and Chene.

**IrishSpartan** · February-18-10, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by EMG

Right, I knew it was at or near that corner, but is it still there today? Or has it been abandoned or replaced by something?

The Ramona Theater met the wrecking ball about 1978. They showed movies until 1974-75 and then tried concerts for a couple of years before closing for good. It looks pretty empty without the theater there especially considering how crowded it was in that general area bounded by Gratiot-6 Mile-Greiner-Schoenherr with the apartment buildings, library, Mt. Zion, and Michigan Bell.

**Hermod** · February-18-10, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by IrishSpartan

The Ramona Theater met the wrecking ball about 1978. They showed movies until 1974-75 and then tried concerts for a couple of years before closing for good. It looks pretty empty without the theater there especially considering how crowded it was in that general area bounded by Gratiot-6 Mile-Greiner-Schoenherr with the apartment buildings, library, Mt. Zion, and Michigan Bell.

That used to be a very busy intersection. All of the people from the far east end would transfer from the Six-mile bus to the Gratiot streetcar [[and later bus) to go downtown.

The old Rosebud potato chip factory used to be there on Six-mile by the library.

**sumas** · February-18-10, 10:00 AM

Waxing nostalgic. All the movie theaters we had that were close [[walking distance). Vogue, Woods, Alger, Punch and Judy, many more but forget the names. Had several drive ins too.

As an eastsider now have to drive too far for the big screen so just wait for the cd to get released and view at home. Maybe I should go to my son's house, he has one of those big screen tvs. On second thought ...not!

**Hermod** · February-18-10, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by sumas

Waxing nostalgic. All the movie theaters we had that were close [[walking distance). Vogue, Woods, Alger, Punch and Judy, many more but forget the names. Had several drive ins too.

Yes, the Detroit News had one full page each day with movie listings. Note that I said "listings" and not "ads". It was sort of like the classified ads. Each theater had its name in bold, then its address, phone number, and the name of the movie or double feature playing there and the starting times of the various shows. On the facing page, theaters with first-run hits could buy ads.

There used to be a rotation among the theaters. A theater would change movies twice a week. If you missed the movie at your closest theater, you could get it the next week at a theater further down in the rotation. As I remember, the Civic and Vogue competed with the same movie at the same time, but if you missed it, the Alger had the movie a week or so later. The downtown theaters would get the movies first, so if you were impatient, you would go downtown. We usually waited till the movie came around to the Civic or the Vogue. Forty cents for adults and fifteen cents for kids. Matinees were a quarter for everybody.

**SMRJim** · February-18-10, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by IrishSpartan

The Ramona Theater met the wrecking ball about 1978. They showed movies until 1974-75 and then tried concerts for a couple of years before closing for good. ...

I still have my ticket stub from the Leslie West concert at The Ramona - March 4th, 1977. From what I remember it was a pretty good place to see a concert. Being a west sider, I remember thinking how long of a drive it was going down 6 Mile.

**Hermod** · February-18-10, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by SMRJim

I still have my ticket stub from the Leslie West concert at The Ramona - March 4th, 1977. From what I remember it was a pretty good place to see a concert. Being a west sider, I remember thinking how long of a drive it was going down 6 Mile.

While not quite up to the downtown theaters, the Ramona was a monster compared to the other neighborhood theaters. Last time I was there was 1961 to see John Wayne in "The Alamo".

**McK** · February-20-10, 11:00 AM

I didn't actually grow up in Detroit, but I spent one weekend a month there visiting my father [[my parents were divorced) from 1956-1976 when he died. He lived on Covington in Palmer Park, and my grandmother lived around the corner on Manderson. It was a beautiful neighborhood and the actual Palmer Park was a lovely urban oasis. Wow, did I get a shock when I went back to check it out when I was in town on business last year.

As a child, I loved to go downtown and shop at Hudson's or Saks. I remember great plays at the Fischer Theater, including meals at Topinkas. My Dad was a regular at Larco's [[MacNichols?), and the Paradiso on Woodward.I remember The Top of the Flame and The Roostertail. My Dad would bring me souvenirs from the Playboy Club. I loved the Zoo and Henry Ford/Greenfield Village.The DIA with those great Rivera murals.Are they all gone except the Zoo and the museums? I have so many fond memories of Detroit. My Dad was born and raised in Detroit and proud of it. He refused to run to the suburbs. It really broke my heart when Kwame made Detroit the butt of so many jokes. Why Dave Bing wanted that job, I'll never understand! But, I surely do wish him luck!

**EMG** · February-21-10, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by IrishSpartan

The Ramona Theater met the wrecking ball about 1978. They showed movies until 1974-75 and then tried concerts for a couple of years before closing for good. It looks pretty empty without the theater there especially considering how crowded it was in that general area bounded by Gratiot-6 Mile-Greiner-Schoenherr with the apartment buildings, library, Mt. Zion, and Michigan Bell.

Boy, you were right about that 1978. I just did some Googling and came up with this interesting link about the Ramona.

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2623/

Also note that this is part of a general site about old movie theaters, and the page itself also contains additional links to other sites about the Ramona, some including pictures. So perhaps there will also be information available about some of the other theaters already mentioned in this thread.