Detroit Neighborhoods--Back in the Day

[Sarah (Dawn) Barnes]

Boundary of Woodward/John R - 7 Mile/State Fair

My father lived at 492 Fernhill as a boy in the 1920s; I lived with him and my mom at 456 Fernhill as a child in the 1940s.

When I googled the neighborhood and rode the cyberspace arrow up and down the streets, I could not believe the destruction and neglect. At least half the houses on Fernhill are gone.

When I saw the empty lot where my house used to be, it broke my heart. How crazy is that! It was more than 60 years ago! My dad's house still standing was a wonderful surprise. In my mind's eye, I can see the street and the people as they were so long ago. I don't know why I care. Maybe it has something to do with being a writer.

On the North side of the street, it appears the house once owned by the Maynards, the Etheringtons, and the Hopps family [[492) remain.

On the South side, across from where 456 used to be, the house owned by the Luscitch family in the 1940s is also still standing.

Time has not been kind to this little community but it was a wonderful and safe place to grow up in the 1940s.

From Fernhill we walked to the corner of Havannah, turned right one block, and there was our beautiful school, Grayling Elementary. What has happened to this school? The building remains but it is not listed as a Detroit elementary school.

From 456, my friends and I would walk two blocks to Beauman, turn left and pass a little convenience store on the right filled with penny candy or continue a few more short side blocks up to 7 Mile to Brown's Creamery, where my Grandma Hopps, the store manager, would give us delicious double-dip chocolate cones for TWELVE CENTS!

In the summer, my friends and I would walk the 2-1/2 blocks over to State Fair and spend the entire day at the Fairgrounds!

I remember the fire there in 1942. I was four and sat on my dad's shoulders as he and half the neighbors walked over to watch the horror and listen to the screaming horses.

We did not have a car then and my dad rode the bus to and from work. Sometimes I would walk to the other end of Fernhill, to Charleston, [[remember when they built that manufacturing plant there?), turn left two short blocks and meet him at the top of the stone steps he walked up when he got off the bus by the viaduct at State Fair.

Or we could walk up Charleston to 7 Mile and turn left a block or two and be at Trinity Reformed Church, where my dad went to church as a boy and my grandma still attended in the 1940s.

Our next door neighbors, the Hoffmans, attended Epiphany Lutheran Church located across the street a little ways from the creamery. It was such a beautiful church, I wished I was Lutheran so I could go there. It is now known as Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

If you have memories or pictures you are willing to share of those "grand old days", please contact LibralLady@aol.com

Thanks!

[Whitehouse]

Another fresh member of this board! More and more people are discovering this forum. Welcome!

I'm sure this thread will run into the 30 replies with that kind of information.

[kathy2trips]

Welcome, and thank you for sharing your memories with us. It used to be so much fun growing in Detroit, kids today just have no idea. You can't even sit on the porch and have a Boston Cooler anymore, much less walk to the State Fair! My mom remembers the scent of peonies in the air, blanketing the east side in the 1920s and 30s. Rows and rows in pink and white along the chain-link fences. They are still her favorite flower.

[Ray1936]

Welcome, Sarah -- excellent post.

I have been 'googling' my old family homesteads for some time, and almost all of them are gone. There is a difference == the old family homes from 1880 to 1920 in Wichita, Kansas, have yielded to 'downtown sprawl', whie the homes from 1920 to date in Detroit have yielded to urban neglect.

[Buy American]

Remember the tunnel of trees on the side streets, the huge elms on either side of the street, meeting at the top to form the tunnel. I lived on the Eastside of Detroit, between Vernor and Kercheval, Harding and Lemay. It was the greatest neighborhood growing up in, back in the early 50's. We played in the alleys, most of the neighbors kept them clean, we stayed outside until the street lights came on, everyone sat on their front porch and I loved just about every one of our neighbors. Back then, people respected each other and each others property. Detroit is my hometown and it saddens me to see the decay today.

[mwilbert]

You can't even sit on the porch and have a Boston Cooler anymore

I don't imagine this is critical to the discussion, but why not?

[mikefmich]

I don't imagine this is critical to the discussion, but why not?

And I don't imagine this is very critical either.

[mikefmich]

Boundary of Woodward/John R - 7 Mile/State Fair


Or we could walk up Charleston to 7 Mile and turn left a block or two and be at Trinity Reformed Church, where my dad went to church as a boy and my grandma still attended in the 1940s.

Our next door neighbors, the Hoffmans, attended Epiphany Lutheran Church located across the street a little ways from the creamery. It was such a beautiful church, I wished I was Lutheran so I could go there. It is now known as Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

Thanks!

Hmmmm, I went to summer camp with a Boy Scout troop at a church in that neighborhood....it was either 7 Mi or State Fair not very far east of Woodward. Trinity is ringing a bell.

Anyone know if that was where Troop #198 was at? In 1962, the troop had been there at least 20-25 yrs.

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

@sarah[[dawn)barnes

My Mom is a Lucich, from Fernhill. She and brother John are last ones left alive. I took her there 2 years ago to see the homestead. Sad. At 94, her memory is pretty much gone. We should talk. Little grocery around the corner = Oppo's.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Hey Buy American
My old man also grew up on Harding south of Jeff though and my mom grew up on Kerchival and Belvidere back in the 40's 50's they both attended Annuncation class of '60. The city really must have been a great place to grow up back then.

[Buy American]

I grew up 3 houses off of Vernor, went to Howe Elementary, Foch Jr. High and Southeastern. During the late 40's, and 50's, Detroit was such a wonderful City. We rode our bikes to Belle Isle from home, we could walk to the Booth Show, the Plaza, and a couple of others in the neighborhood. The friends I made back then are still my friends today. I've always said that I wouldn't trade my childhood in Detroit for anything. My kids grew up in Detroit in the 7 and Hayes area, but they couldn't attend public schools because they were dangerous places to be, so they went to private schools.

[Sarah (Dawn) Barnes]

" we stayed outside until the street lights came on, everyone sat on their front porch and I loved just about every one of our neighbors. "

Next to our neighbors, the Hoffmans, was a vacant lot. Then came the Etheringtons, then the Maynards, then a small house with a boy I only knew as "Junior". He was constrained by crutches -- a victim of Polio before Salk.

Our vacant lot was a haven for collecting bugs for science projects, playing baseball or "kick the can", or just laying in the grass looking up at he sky at the "pictures" formed by the clouds. One street light stood right there at the vacant lot so we never had an excuse for missing curfew.

The Hoffmans had six children and eventually moved to a bigger house -- right across from Nolan Intermediate. One daughter, Mary, and I kept in touch for a few years. The people who bought their house had a little girl named Sandra and I babysat her a few times before we moved to Oak Park in 1952. Now I can't remember their last name.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

My folks did the same thing so I ended up graduating from Bishop Gallagher having to ride a few buses from Chalmers and Scripps up to Harper woods, there were a few of us from the Jeff/Chalmers area that went to school up there. Growing up down by the canals was a great experience.

[Sarah (Dawn) Barnes]

My Mom is a Lucich, from Fernhill. She and brother John are last ones left alive. I took her there 2 years ago to see the homestead. Sad. At 94, her memory is pretty much gone. We should talk. Little grocery around the corner = Oppo's.

Thanks for providing correct spelling of this name. I hate phones but you can email me at LibralLady@aol.com if you wish.

Re Oppos -- The steps were so big, I could hardly get up them when I was four. How great was that . . . to have a little grocery store right at the end of your street! That sold candy too!

Back in the 1920s when my dad lived at 492, families would buy their groceries on "credit" and pay Mr. Oppo at the end of the month.

My Grandpa Leo Hopps, the Lathams, the Etheringtons -- all neighbors -- helped each other dig basements under the existing houses back then. At that time, this "corridor" was surrounded by countryside; it was the "suburbs" of the times. I've been told there was an article published 1918-1925 ??? featuring the diverse and cooperative nature of this community; which it was in the 1904s also. Am hoping to find a copy of the article.

[Buy American]

I can tell by the postings on this thread that we all feel the same way about Detroit back then. I still love Detroit and the wonderful memories I have of the City and my early years working for the City.

[English]

What was the ethnic composition of the neighborhood back then? I can't tell from the last names. Were there anchoring cultural institutions [[e.g., churches, synagogues, clubs) that everyone supported?

[Sarah (Dawn) Barnes]

What was the ethnic composition of the neighborhood back then? I can't tell from the last names. Were there anchoring cultural institutions [[e.g., churches, synagogues, clubs) that everyone supported?


If you're still referring to 7 Mile/State Fair bounded by Woodward/John R -- the area now known as "Chaldean Town" -- these are the names/ethnicity from Fernhill neighbors [[I think):


Hoffman -- German
Lucich -- Polish
Faust -- German??
Maynard -- Don't know
Griffith -- Don't know
Etherington -- Don't Know
Hopps -- English/Scotch
Oppo -- Polish??


I would say this was a "blue collar" community in the 40s. I believe many families had parents living with them who were immigrants from "the old country" who still spoke their native language. Why did we lose this reverence for speaking a second language . . .


I only know of the two churches [[still standing) I mentioned; both on 7 Mile, a few blocks east of Woodward [[but the addresses all say WEST 7 Mile ??? Maybe because they are WEST of I-75?) Trinity Reformed Church now called Goodwill Community Chapel and Epiphany Lutheran now called Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

Every summer my girlfriends and I would walk up to the 7 Mile Public Library and take out a week's worth of books to read. Back then, milk was delivered in horse-drawn trucks. One time we passed some horse droppings in the road. I turned to my friend and said, "Oh, look at that pile of S---". I was probably 9 or 10. It was the first time I ever dared to speak such strong language; it made my heart race from guilt accompanied by a feeling of "whooosh"-like relief. I went around saying it repeatedly for several more days until it lost its effect and I lost the need.

Maybe that guilt wasn't such a bad thing . . .

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

Actually, Sam and Lena Lucich were from a small island off the coast of Yugoslavia. Their cousins [[Cey) lived around the corner and the Brackanovich's lived around the corner on Adeline [[Old Tony had a great garden, as did my Grandpa). The basement of 457 Fernhill was dug out in the '20s so my grandpa could expand his booleg wine and white lightning operation. All were from the same area in the Adriatic. The Catholics went to St. Rita.

[dtowncitylover]

Hoffman -- German
Lucich -- Polish
Faust -- German??
Maynard -- Don't know
Griffith -- Don't know
Etherington -- Don't Know
Hopps -- English/Scotch
Oppo -- Polish??

Hmmmm....I would guess Etherington and Griffith are English and Irish or Scottish, respectively. Maynard as English or maybe a French corruption.

My grandpa's block of Parker Ave. in the 1930s was really cool. In the 1930 Census there were Italians, his family was from Tennessee, French-Canadians, Germans, Austrians, Irish, alot of East Coasters, and English. What a mix!

[Mikeg]

Portions of Fernhill Ave. from the 1930 US Census:

400-456 Fernhill
462-540 Fernhill
477-545 Fernhill

[Buy American]

Portions of Fernhill Ave. from the 1930 US Census:

400-456 Fernhill
462-540 Fernhill
477-545 Fernhill

Mikeg...where did you get that information? I would love to check out my family in Detroit, is there a link and could you post it?
Thanks in advance.

[Mikeg]

where did you get that information?

I have subscriptions to both Ancestry.com and Footnote.com. I found and downloaded the Fernhill Ave. images from Ancestry and then uploaded them to my web server.

Footnote allows anyone to browse/search their documents but you must have a subscription to download their images.

Here is the link to Footnote's 1930 US Census records for Wayne County:

http://www.footnote.com/browse.php#-1|139512737

Enter the surname in the "Search within" box and click "Go" to see how many results you get. The results give you plenty of information to determine which census record page in the results contains the person[[s) you are looking for. If you get too many results, you can narrow them down by adding keywords in the box at the upper left side of the results page.

Note that from that link you can also navigate back [[to the left) to browse/search other Michigan counties and other states.

[Left_For_Texas]

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street View.

[Sarah (Dawn) Barnes]

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street.

I am writing a book of Memoirs, "Yesterday, Once Upon a Time in Detroit" about my dad growing up there in the 1920s. My Grandpa Leo Hopps helped dig some of the basements -- wonder if he helped with the Lucich house. There were not alot of houses back then, lots of constructing new houses. The men and women of the neighborhood helped each other with whatever was needed. Friendly, caring community.

In the 1940s, when I lived at 456, there was a little girl, grand-daughter, I presume, that sometimes came to visit the Luciches. We played together.
Interesting story you have there, Lt. Dan, re the bootleg liquor. Our family story is that Grandpa Leo's brother, James Clare -- who drove trucks from "here" to "there" as extra money on the side -- was killed by Mafia. They laced his drink with formeldehyde when he told them he wanted to "quit".

My son and I drove thru the neighborhood in 1998. I have a few pics of how it looked then -- not as bad as now but not good. Have pics of 456, and several others. Also of Lucich house. If anyone wants copies, please email me direct at LibralLady@aol.com

If anyone has a picture of Grayling in 1920s, I am looking for one to include in the book. I have one from 1998, I presume it hasn't changed much.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street.

I am writing a book of Memoirs, "Yesterday, Once Upon a Time in Detroit" about my dad growing up there in the 1920s. My Grandpa Leo Hopps helped dig some of the basements -- wonder if he helped with the Lucich house. There were not alot of houses back then, lots of constructing new houses. The men and women of the neighborhood helped each other with whatever was needed. Friendly, caring community.

In the 1940s, when I lived at 456, there was a little girl, grand-daughter, I presume, that sometimes came to visit the Luciches. We played together.
Interesting story you have there, Lt. Dan, re the bootleg liquor. Our family story is that Grandpa Leo's brother, James Clare -- who drove trucks from "here" to "there" as extra money on the side -- was killed by Mafia. They laced his drink with formeldehyde when he told them he wanted to "quit".

My son and I drove thru the neighborhood in 1998. I have a few pics of how it looked then -- not as bad as now but not good. Have pics of 456, and several others. Also of Lucich house. If anyone wants copies, please email me direct at LibralLady@aol.com

If anyone has a picture of Grayling in 1920s, I am looking for one to include in the book. I have one from 1998, I presume it hasn't changed much.

Couldn't you just upload the pictures on this site, if that's not asking too much?