Airport Drive 1935

[RaumVogel]

No, I think that would be the 253rd project funded by the county of Wayne.

[Whitehouse]

|I think it's 258th.

[nat]

It did say 258 on the plaque.

[nat]

Okay, I finally managed to get to the library again in Dearborn and found that the investigation by The Dearborn Independent was much more thorough than that performed by the Dearborn Press.

Recall that before we were aware that the Rotunda was under construction at the time and we assumed that the driver, as he approached the left curve [[with the Rotunda on the right), was distracted by the construction of the Rotunda. But according to this report in The Independent, the car was traveling west and it would appear that when it crossed the Schaefer Road bridge it was going way too fast and the driver could not successfully negotiate that left curve heading in the opposite direction. Even today that curve is still a menace.

An odd side note to the report: two people from the same street were killed in two different accidents reported in this story. In the instant case, Claude Ratchford lived at 6530 Calhoun and, in another unrelated accident, Anna Panchick lived at 6644 Calhoun.

[Meddle]

Can't read it though.

[ptero]

Wow! What a thread. Fascinating.

Plus, I can't help but notice the nearby article, 2 Drunk Drivers Draw Jail Terms.

This could be an insight to the tenor of the times regarding this. Now, we often wonder [[ok. I often wonder) if someone is 'getting away w/murder' having killed while driving drunk. What did it take to get these jail terms in 1935? Compared to today's norm?

Just wondering out loud...
[[couldn't quite read the detail)

[nat]

I noticed in going through both The Dearborn Press and The Independent that car crashes were extremely common and were almost always front page news, even though back then they were published every week and not every day.

Good thinking about the drunk driving penalties. I have no idea but maybe someone who is a legal scholar can enlighten us.

[gnome]

nat, so glad you were able to find that information. sorry, but your newspaper pix are far too small to read,... so there's not much I can add other than it sounds like grandpa was putting a new ride through its paces and lost control on a dangerous curve.

Are you at all disapointed by what you've found? That has been my experience a few times in doing family research... sometimes mysteries are better than reality.

[Detroitnerd]

Interesting is the Job # 253, likely a WPA project ?

No, the year is 1932. Hoover was still president.

[nat]

gnome, thanks for all of your input and guidance. That goes for everyone. I will try to blow the news stories up a little so they are readable.

Yes, grandpa was sadly sitting in the backseat I believe when Mr. Thatcher took to that bend in the road a little too speedily. I am not at all disappointed, but rather I am very thrilled to have solved almost the entire mystery, thanks to all of you guys. My mother lived her entire life and unfortunately died not knowing any of these details. She would be fascinated by what we have learned here. There are a few details about his movements prior to the accident that I am checking out and once I have it all I will put it together in narrative I think for my sisters, family and whatever progeny comes down the pike [[pardon the pun).

But the fact that he was killed at an intersection diagonally across from the River Rouge Plant where my other grandfather [[who would not become my grandfather for another 20+ years) was busy working away is arguably the most amazing coincidence revealed from this inquiry. Great experience.

nat, so glad you were able to find that information. sorry, but your newspaper pix are far too small to read,... so there's not much I can add other than it sounds like grandpa was putting a new ride through its paces and lost control on a dangerous curve.

Are you at all disapointed by what you've found? That has been my experience a few times in doing family research... sometimes mysteries are better than reality.

[nat]

We had spoken previously about what a menace this curve in the road at Rotunda and Schaefer remains to be even today, so I took some photos to show you and to sort of close out unfinished business on this thread. Only other piece of business might be another clipping that had a photo which I think I have seen before.

[gnome]

Nat, thanks for keeping everyone informed as too the entire story. Many times folks register here and ask for help in finding person X or location Y and we never hear back. You really followed through on this entire Sam Spade story.

[jlnascar]

This had to be one of the more interesting threads I have read
Thanks to all for the great research and story

[Whitehouse]

That bend must be a bitch at high speed. It's a blind curve to the left. You cross a bridge, or bump, and suddenly the road dips down. And gone is the grip of your tyres..... and awaaaay you go.




...or this pictures make it look worse than it really is...

[nat]

Gnome, thank you for acknowledging. It is the very least one could do for those who became interested over the past several months. All stories have loose ends I guess and some we cannot tie up, others we can. So I am trying to be polite and give a little snippet back to you guys who were so helpful and generous. This is the most amazing web site. I know other cities have sites like it dedicated to them but there is something special about Detroit and the devotion its denizens [[and former denizens) continue to maintain toward its history that distinguishes you above the lot.

[nat]

Whitehouse, that bend IS a serious bitch, even at moderate speeds. It's easier now to understand how the accident happened. Various relatives have related to me their understanding, likely passed down from their mothers and fathers, that it was a rainy day on June 18, 1935. So when you throw in the menace that is this curve in the road, you get a tragic accident.

Funny how it has not prompted a reroute. To the right of the curve as it continues west on Rotunda is Rotunda Fields, what I suspect is a public park. If it is public and the appropriation of a few yards of public land to improve the safety of the road would not be too complicated then it is a project probably worth exploring. It appears pretty dangerous from my perspective but maybe there are not enough accidents to justify a project like that. Taking those few yards of land from the park would not affect anyone's baseball game or tennis match as far as I can see. If it were private property and required condemnation proceedings then I could understand the complication of it all. Does anyone know more about this?

[lalynch]

so when did Airport Drive become Rotunda Drive?

[gazhekwe]

The Rotunda opened there in May, 1936, so somewhere around that time.

[Downrivergal]

Yes, Rotunda Fields is a picnic area with a few ball fields. It is popular for area corporate picnics

[nat]

Downrivergal, it sounds like you are familiar with it and, if so, do you think taking a few feet from the front of the entrance to straighten out the curve in the road would create a problem?

[jackie5275]

Yes, Rotunda Fields is a picnic area with a few ball fields. It is popular for area corporate picnics

Actually, Rotunda Fields is not a public park. It's privately owned by a baseball/softball club. They have a small picnic area & about a dozen diamonds. It's used heavily in the spring & summer for all kinds of baseball & softball leagues. Use of Rotunda Fields has been pretty entrenched in Dearborn. I don't see them getting moved to change the road.

[nat]

Ah, so it is private. I don't think anyone is suggesting that they move the park but even if not, it would cost a fortune for them to condemn a few feet of earth to "kill the curve" in the road. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Stosh]

I suppose some decent barriers along the edge of that road would be an idiot - proof way of reducing the risk . Kind of saving speeders from themselves.