Old Detroit Convention Hall?

**buildingsofdetroit** · August-20-10, 04:07 PM

Anyone remember this?

http://173.12.230.43/tag499.jpg

**Ed Golick** · August-20-10, 05:06 PM

The first commercial broadcast of television in Detroit originated from Convention Hall on March 4, 1947. The station was WWDT, which became WWJ.

**gazhekwe** · August-20-10, 05:15 PM

Was that south of the old Vernor Plant?

**EastsideAl** · August-20-10, 08:45 PM

Convention Hall was in the middle of the large block between Canfield and Forest, just north of the Whitney Mansion [[the Whitney Restaurant today). It ran all the way through from Woodward to Cass.

The "new" Vernors plant was built on the site of the Woodward side of Convention Hall in 1954. The old Vernors plant, which was on Woodward south of Jefferson where Hart Plaza is today, was torn down by the city to make way for the Civic Center project. Cobo Hall, which was part of that Civic Center project, was going to replace Convention Hall as the city's convention and exhibit center, so Vernors got to have that site.

The Cass side of Convention Hall stood into the 1970s. It was used as artist studios for many years [[it had huge skylights) and was an important place in the burgeoning Cass Corridor art scene. But someone like Lowell would know a lot more about that than I do. A Wayne St. dorm stands there now.

**gnome** · August-20-10, 09:40 PM

wsu virtual library

**gnome** · August-20-10, 09:42 PM

IIRC, the Woodward Vortex was caused by the Convention Hall

**EastsideAl** · August-20-10, 09:47 PM

gnome's picture above is of the Cass Ave. side. Sometime in the '70s from the looks of that car [[Buick Electra?).

**gnome** · August-20-10, 09:51 PM

yep, 1972 ... but to me that looks like an oldsmobile rocket 88

**Gistok** · August-20-10, 10:14 PM

I'm curious to know when [[and if) the Detroit Auto Show was held there....

During the late 40s and possibly early 50s the Detroit Auto Show was held at a different venue... the drill hall [[above the Masonic Temple Auditorium) in the Shrine [[middle) Building of the 3 building Detroit Masonic Temple complex [[opened 1926).

I remember reading that a crane would take the cars up to a window [[or was it a utility opening?) in or near the very large drill hall. I do know that there are ramps at the drill hall that would take parading Masons/Shriners up a floor and into the drill hall. Wonder if perhaps the Auto Show cars followed that route??

**EastsideAl** · August-20-10, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I'm curious to know when [[and if) the Detroit Auto Show was held there....

According to this article, the auto show was held there from 1924 until WWII, and at least for one year before the hall was built was also held in a revival tent on the same site.

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=20

**EastsideAl** · August-21-10, 12:18 AM

That site was also the original home of the DAC, which had an athletic field there from 1883 to 1912 and built this clubhouse facing Woodward in 1887.

**56packman** · August-21-10, 01:27 AM

My Father just told me about the time my grandfather got him a temp job there making displays for a home and garden show, shoveling dirt into hills and valleys. He said it was back breaking work, then he had to take the bus back home at 6 mile/Curtis.

**gnome** · August-21-10, 05:21 AM

this pic is from the "Walker Billboard Collection" on the Distroit Historical Museum site. The site is a little clumsy to get around, but ...

Anyway, seems they used to give away a home every year at the Builders Home Show. Here is one on 7 mile between Wward and Livernois.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rl...ed=0CBQQ8gEwAA

**gnome** · August-21-10, 06:02 AM

went into the wsu virtual site and this seems to be the same house.

7 mile and Kingston looking east.

On the northwest corner of 7 and Kingston looking west-north-west

**Hermod** · August-21-10, 07:51 AM

I remember going to the convention hall for some show my father wanted to see.

I remember the auto show being at the state fair grounds pavilion. What years was it held there?

**Herman Krieger** · January-20-12, 12:04 PM

During the 1930s and early 1940s, Convention Hall was the venue for the Detroit Auto Show. A main attraction was the door prize of a new auto. During the Golden Jubilee in 1946, there was a large exhibition of cars at Convention Hall. I had the job of photographing every antique car that was on exhibit.
www.efn.org/~hkrieger/detroit.htm

**gnome** · January-20-12, 01:44 PM

Dang, H.K., that is one impressive site. Thank you.

**cramerro** · January-20-12, 03:09 PM

I think the Vernor Hwy/Woodward is the most depressing for me... what a great urban center along that strecth... plenty of mid- and higher-rise buildings, streetcar service, bustling activity everywhere. Wish I could have seen some of that in my time... thanks for sharing!

**xD_Brklyn** · January-22-12, 11:00 AM

Enjoyed your autobiographical site, HK.

**CountrySquire** · March-09-12, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

yep, 1972 ... but to me that looks like an oldsmobile rocket 88

Actually, the car in the picture is a '70 Riviera.

Great HOF thread guys! I picked up a 1926 Detroit Auto Show Program at an Estate Sale and it calls itself a 25th anniversary program and it looks back on a lot of the activities called out by the Detroit News article sourced above.