Shorpy again: Woodward & Gratiot, 1908

**Ray1936** · July-02-10, 03:04 PM

Alas, nothing in this photo remains today.......

The elegance of the men and women in their clothing is very beautiful.....if most impractical......

http://www.shorpy.com/node/8425?size=_original

**EastsideAl** · July-02-10, 03:56 PM

What a great picture. The view is looking east/northeat on Gratiot from Woodward. I particularly like the big vertical Hudson's sign, the sign on the front of Kern's that seems to have lost its K, and the sight of the short-lived Pardridge & Blackwell in the building that would soon become Crowley's.

**Whitehouse** · July-02-10, 04:48 PM

I challenge you, spot the difference....

**Gsgeorge** · July-02-10, 05:16 PM

Unbelievable, once again -- nothing, absolutely nothing, in the original photograph is visible today.

**Mikeg** · July-02-10, 06:18 PM

nothing, absolutely nothing, in the original photograph is visible today.

Look a little closer:

Attachment 6651

**Ray1936** · July-02-10, 06:25 PM

Mike, get out of Photoshop and go directly to your room.

**Gsgeorge** · July-02-10, 06:55 PM

Funny Mike, you're right, they were just redoing the curbs there the other week. I guess some things never change...

**kathy2trips** · July-03-10, 01:17 AM

I was surprised to see how many women were wearing ankle length skirts. I didn't think that came about until WWI. Oh, and check those ladies hats!

**Whitehouse** · July-03-10, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

I was surprised to see how many women were wearing ankle length skirts. I didn't think that came about until WWI. Oh, and check those ladies hats!

Back then everyone was Muslim.

**bragaboutme** · July-03-10, 07:52 AM

I see 11 buildings in the 1908 picture.

**windsor_shane** · July-03-10, 08:10 AM

such a lively street scene.. makes me wonder why people do not want to build cities like that anymore

DC48080 · July-03-10, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

..... the sign on the front of Kern's that seems to have lost its K.....

The sign that you see on the far right hand part of the picture is correct. It is just that the picture is cropped and only shows the first three letters of the store's name "ERN"

The name of the store was Ernst Kern dry goods company.

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/d/dhhcc/retailers/kern.html

Buy American · July-03-10, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

I challenge you, spot the difference....

The street light?

**Zacha341** · July-03-10, 08:52 AM

Except the sky......

......

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Unbelievable, once again -- nothing, absolutely nothing, in the original photograph is visible today.

**Zacha341** · July-03-10, 08:54 AM

That length of skirt goes far back before WWI...

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Back then everyone was Muslim.

**Zacha341** · July-03-10, 08:56 AM

Naughty, naughty. BTW which version of Pshop CS3 or 4....? LOL!

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Look a little closer:

Attachment 6651

**Mikeg** · July-03-10, 09:16 AM

Naughty, naughty. BTW which version of Pshop CS3 or 4....? LOL!

I wish - just plain old IrfanView v.3.98 and MS Paint!

**Zacha341** · July-03-10, 10:01 AM

Well here's a secret: plain ole [[affordable) Adobe Photoshop Elements will do the some very basic photo edits too. Of course Adobe want's everyone to buy the fancy-snancy CS versions and they do have advantages.

Originally Posted by Mikeg

I wish - just plain old IrfanView v.3.98 and MS Paint!

**cman710** · July-03-10, 02:00 PM

I agree with Zacha regarding Photoshop Elements. For people who want to learn Photoshop basics, Elements provides most of the functionality of the full version of Photoshop. And for some features which are not present in Elements [[like Curves), you can get plug-ins that provide that feature.

**xD_Brklyn** · July-03-10, 11:09 PM

In the Shorpy photo, what was the last building left standing and when was it demolished?

My guess is the Crowley building, then Partridge & Blackwell, which was demolished in 1976?

I don't recall any of the details on the Hudson's building on the left side of Gratiot in the photo. Am guessing they must of demolished that one when they enlarged their store.

DetroitDad · July-03-10, 11:42 PM

I was curious what a jewel stove was.

I cam across this site; you can buy your own refurbished Detroit Stove Works's Jewel Stove [[advertised in photo).

Beautiful pieces! Why don't we build anything that looks that nice anymore?

**Whitehouse** · July-04-10, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Buy American

The street light?

Come to think of it, they do look a lot alike.

From the same south-east corner.

**Joseph C. Krause** · July-04-10, 08:35 AM

Sometimes I think that I'm "used" to how much stuff has been lost but sometimes when I see a photo like this it just instills almost comical despondency.

**mikefmich** · July-04-10, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Joseph C. Krause

Sometimes I think that I'm "used" to how much stuff has been lost but sometimes when I see a photo like this it just instills almost comical despondency.

I was about ready to write something to the effect everytime I see this stuff it just grinds at me in some indescribable way.

I like how you put this.....comical despondency. You just have to laugh like you're on the ward in Cuckoos Nest.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-04-10, 08:29 PM

Definitely a cool find. You can see all three department stores that were big at the time, Pardidge, Kerns and Hudsons. Only one missing was Mabley, but Mabley might have been gone by then. It was the demise of Mabley that got Hudson's growing. The store used to have several storefronts along Woodward, but built a collosul buillding at Michigan and Woodward to bring it all under one roof. Only problem was it cost a lot more to build the store than the company had so it went bust. The building that the store was in remained for several decades and took the name Majestic Building... Why? Beacuse Mr Mabley had all of these M's carved into it!