Detroit myths and urban legends

**Detroitnerd** · March-25-11, 04:27 PM

Vast networks of rail tunnels underground are most certainly a joke, although there were likely a few in the old days. I heard that Busy Bee used to be connected to its warehouse across Gratiot via a tunnel under that thoroughfare.

The urban spelunkers who went in the tunnels under the old Eloise Madhouse were supposedly pursued by police ... who never returned. [[hahaha bs)

That Dow and other Michigan industrialists planned a coup d'etat against Roosevelt during the Depression, only to be found out and never punished. [[That one, actually, might be true.)

**gazhekwe** · March-25-11, 06:14 PM

There was a little girl who was run over and killed by a car on a street somewhere near Mackenzie High. I can't remember which street. If you drive over that spot she will knock on the bottom of your car.

**Magnatomicflux** · March-25-11, 07:30 PM

I heard Jimmy Hoffa is in the cornerstone of the Ren Cen

**SaintMe** · March-25-11, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

There was a little girl who was run over and killed by a car on a street somewhere near Mackenzie High. I can't remember which street. If you drive over that spot she will knock on the bottom of your car.

That is an urban legend in every city in America. Where I grew up, "Knock Knock Street" was 15th St.

**reddog289** · March-26-11, 12:21 AM

The "knock knock street" deal hs been around since my Mom was a teen back in the 50's. She grew up in the Mackenzie neighborhood and She said it was on the East Side. Heard about it on Night Call back in the early 80's. Think it was Strasburg St.
As for Eloise, I can see the place if I stand on my roof. Still kinda creepy when I think about it. I have always heard that Biker Gangs used to live in underground cellers south of Michigan Avenue across from Eloise.

**jackie5275** · March-26-11, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by reddog289

As for Eloise, I can see the place if I stand on my roof. Still kinda creepy when I think about it. I have always heard that Biker Gangs used to live in underground cellers south of Michigan Avenue across from Eloise.

The only things creepy about the old Eloise buildings, what's left of them, are the physical dangers in them. They've had minimal maintenance since the 1980s which has left them, IMO, in bad shape. I remember the steps leading up to the Kay Beard Bldg almost being all crumbled before they got replaced. I know the basement has flooded in the past. Once while I was in a meeting in there, the elevator got stuck with an employee in it. It took several hours to get her out. Last time I was there, there were cockroaches all over the place. I don't think it's ever been asbestos abated either. I will double check on that.

**canuck** · March-26-11, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

I'd say The Purple Gang qualifies as legendary.

Yes, and I think in Cadillac's day, there may have been a gang called «La bande des nains pourpres» or the "Purple midgets Gang"...

**Lowell** · March-26-11, 11:33 AM

Some more...

"The true number of deaths in the 1967 riots was deliberately suppressed in spite of the 'fact' that the morgue was actually overflowing with bodies." Widely held.

"Coleman Young was a crook". Also widely held in spite of the fact he was never indicted let alone convicted of anything.

"Mark Fidrych made love with his girlfriend on the mound of Tiger Stadium."

**eno** · March-26-11, 12:05 PM

There is a story that hippies once lived in the building at the base of the Uniroyal tire along I-94.

**Rochelle St.** · March-26-11, 01:35 PM

Dont forget the legend of the Red Dwarf, wich supposedly appears before calamitys like the 67 Riots.

And I believe the Mark Fidrych story takes place at joker Marchant Stadium in Florida.

**48202** · March-26-11, 05:31 PM

Ever hear of the 1930’s Great Stork Derby in Canada and its connection to the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel?
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/babyrace.asp

**Jimaz** · March-26-11, 07:13 PM

http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/babyrace.asp

Thanks for that. Great story.

**Barbara_10** · March-26-11, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

There was a little girl who was run over and killed by a car on a street somewhere near Mackenzie High. I can't remember which street. If you drive over that spot she will knock on the bottom of your car.

Could it have been Shaftsbury Street? Not near Mackenzie, though, but NE of Grand River/Schaefer. We refered to it as "Knocker Street"
I took some friends there at night, as soon as I got might driver's license. We didn't hear anything.

**Meddle** · March-26-11, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Some more...

"The true number of deaths in the 1967 riots was deliberately suppressed in spite of the 'fact' that the morgue was actually overflowing with bodies." Widely held.

"Coleman Young was a crook". Also widely held in spite of the fact he was never indicted let alone convicted of anything.

It's believed that many were essentially cremated in burning buildings and never found because the buildings were demolished and hauled away without being searched. Others were supposedly dumped in the river. "If there were 40, there were 400"

Well, all they got Capone on was taxes. Coleman was too crooked to get caught. And then there are those who believe Hart was sacrificed to get the Feds off Coleman's back.

**mikefmich** · March-27-11, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

looooooooooong ago -
I have heard, numerous times, that when Henry Ford II had gathered together all the proxies he needed to re-take the company from his grandpa's cronies, he walked into the boardroom, dropped them on the table, pulled out a pistol and put it on top of them and said "i'm in charge, any questions?"

Some basis in fact........actually I believe John Bugas went into Bennett's office armed and did the dirty work.

**Lowell** · March-27-11, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Well, all they got Capone on was taxes. Coleman was too crooked to get caught. And then there are those who believe Hart was sacrificed to get the Feds off Coleman's back.

And so you add another chapter to the myth. Coleman Young had little personal interest in money and never lived large and extravagantly with a diamond stud in is ear. Even the amount of corruption in those surrounding him during his 20 year reign pales in comparison to the KK, Chicago or other notorious graft regimes. Coleman's elixir was power, the ability to 'stick it to the man' for lack of better words, and the ability to speak his mind and have his ass kissed. Understand that and you understand him. He had been pursued by the FBI, HUAC and others all his adult life in an effort to bring him down, so even if he had been in it for the money he was smart enough not to fall for that weakness.

**Meddle** · March-27-11, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Coleman Young had little personal interest in money...

Except for the Cayman Islands accounts and the Kruggerands and who knows what else.

Never knew much about KK except what I've read here and in news accounts. He came along after I left. My impression though is that he tried to emulate Young's dynasty, but he was just too stupid.

**Magnatomicflux** · March-27-11, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

It's believed that many were essentially cremated in burning buildings and never found because the buildings were demolished and hauled away without being searched. Others were supposedly dumped in the river. "If there were 40, there were 400"
.

That's interesting to me. Over here at Windsor's Morterm [[Morton Terminal), alot of the rubble from the riots was shipped over and used to expand the yard and docking facilities along the river. I wonder how many poor souls could possibly be part of these works?

**stinkytofu** · March-27-11, 11:16 AM

There's been an urban legend that Henry Ford buried a Nazi tank under Greenfield Village.

**laphoque** · March-27-11, 02:08 PM

Legends of le Détroit from 1884: http://books.google.com/books?id=eFw...etroit&f=false

**Magnatomicflux** · March-27-11, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by laphoque

Legends of le Détroit from 1884: http://books.google.com/books?id=eFw...etroit&f=false

Thanks for that link

**Lowell** · March-27-11, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

There's been an urban legend that Henry Ford buried a Nazi tank under Greenfield Village.

ooo that's a good one. I have heard that Hitler had a photo of Henry Ford in his office. Myth, Legend or fact?

**DetroitTeacher** · March-27-11, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

There's been an urban legend that Henry Ford buried a Nazi tank under Greenfield Village.

I worked at GFV for many years. Considering that they just tore up and moved many buildings to revamp it and found nothing, tells me that this is a legend. The village was also finished in 1929, long before Nazi tanks were made. I think Ford would have displayed it proudly if he had one.

**stinkytofu** · March-27-11, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

I worked at GFV for many years. Considering that they just tore up and moved many buildings to revamp it and found nothing, tells me that this is a legend. The village was also finished in 1929, long before Nazi tanks were made. I think Ford would have displayed it proudly if he had one.

I used to work there as well and also agree that his is very unlikely. Nonetheless, places like Hawthorne Glade and Oxbow Island - the back end where nobody ever goes - is basically empty fields and forest.