Occasionally I receive emails I feel would be of interest
to our Detroit Memories Newsletter subscribers.
With permission from the authors, I'll publish them.
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Eileen --
My name is Janice Carter and I live in Roseville Mi. I recently submitted a Christmas photo of myself and my sister, Linda Ritzert, and our cat Taffy. It was taken on December 25th, 1955 in Detroit in the Quonset Huts where we lived. They were built for the soldiers coming home from the war. We moved in 1956 when everyone was forced out of the project. I am glad to have had the experience of living there.
I have been trying to locate others who lived there. I am also trying to find out what occupied that property before the huts were built since there are government cans buried in the ground that contained cookies, jam, coffee, etc.
My sister and I are also trying to locate photos of the project so we can possibly publish an Arcadia book on the Quonsets.
I think your photo album for the holiday is wonderful. You do a great job with this site.
Janice Carter
Roseville MI
carterjan48@comcast.net
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Elleen,
I am a 77 year old retired elementary teacher
and have written a book entitled "Life and Times:
Growing up on the East Side of Detroit
(Poletown) during the 1930's, 40's and 50's."
It's a 200-page compilation of articles I've written
over the past four years for Senior Living News,
a Macomb County monthly publication.
Readers love the nostalgic content of my articles
and often share them with family and friends living
beyond the borders of Macomb County.
The cost, including priority shipping, is $20. Send
a check or money order made payable to me.
Rodney Bork
8123 Virginia Park,
Centerline, MI 48015
Eileen's Note: I've been corresponding with Anthony, Rodney's son, and learned
that Mr. Bork's book was never intended to be a “professional” endeavor. It all began when his children surprised him and his wife at their 50th wedding anniversary with
75 printed copies. The event turned into his dad’s “surprise book signing.” It was the highlight of his life and a very memorable event for everyone. After the party, Rodney mentioned the book in one of his articles and he began getting requests for copies from people who'd enjoyed his articles and from those he lent the book. With a few more of the articles he'd written for the Senior Living News, it now in its second printing.
I had a chance to preview Mr. Bork's book and found it to be delightful. He presents
a warm, engaging historical perspective about those who came to Detroit/Hamtramck area to form the community known as Poletown. Although the deserving content could be enhanced by an editor's eye and pen, I highly recommend this book.
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Eileen,
Please accept these thoughts and best wishes for a safe and
blessed Christmas season. We hope you enjoy these sounds
with friends and family. Please forward to our military service
NOTE: Lee Alan was on the air in Detroit from 7-midnight, Monday through Saturday during the '60s and part of the '70s, including both radio and TV on WXYZ Channel 7(following Dick Clark on Saturday). His closing theme was "I Can't Get Stated With You" by Frank Sinatra and occasionally other Sinatra songs before the close. The song can be found on the Sinatra CD, "No One Cares."
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Eileen,
Hi! I’m Dale Young, former host of Detroit Bandstand.
I’m in Cleveland now. I moved here, after two years in
Chicago doing a kids’ show, to do Dale Young Time, in
competition with the Mike Douglas Show, which was still
here then. I then opened a Beltone office with a friend
of mine so I could freelance in commercials and film work.
I’m semi-retired now and still have the hearing aid business.
Dale Young
Cleveland OH
EILEEN'S NOTE: Coming soon! Detroit Bandstand photos & more from Dale Young!
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Hi Eileen,
It's been a while since I pled my case with the Detroit Memories group for vintage photos for my book, a 10x10 hardcover on the glory days of Woodward Ave. from the 1950s through the early 1970s.
I'm also in dire need of good vintage photos of cars from that era, as well as the drive-ins along Woodward.
If you or someone you know was a car hop at one of the Woodward drive-ins, I would love to interview you. Please contact me by email.
Thanks!
Robert Genat
Encinitas CA
robertgenat@yahoo.com
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Hi Eileen,
Regarding the Edgewater Park commercial, there is an earlier version by a female singer that ended with "Pay one price, ride all day, at fantabulous Edgewater Park." I would say it dates back to '62 or '63. The vocalist was Barbra Streisand who was in Detroit for an engagement at The Steering Wheel, a little club around the corner from the Fisher Building.
Great Newsletter! Thanks so much for your dedication.
Gary Hess
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Something nostalgic for yourself or someone you know
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
WHERE YOU'LL FIND
DETROIT MEMORIES T-SHIRTS * DETROITER AT HEART APPAREL
BOOKS * DVDs * POSTERS * MUSIC * FAYGO * BETTER MADE
Last month I asked Subscribers to identify this photo.
Here are the emails I received:
Eileen --
Downtown Hamtramck, one time home of the largest assembly plant in the world, Dodge Main, also known as Hamtramck Assembly, now the site of GM's Poletown Plant. In the mid 1960s, they ran 120 cars an hour off two lines on two shifts. The building was nine stories tall. Notice all the Chrysler products in the photo.
Frank Darling
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Eileen:
I had to call my mother and describe the photo to her over the phone (she doesn't have a computer) for insight on this one. I'm 54 and live in Cleveland; she's in her early 80s and still lives in Eastpointe (it'll always be East Detroit to me), and she grew up, as well as having spent her early married years, in Hamtramck.
From what she recalls from my description, this is Joseph Campau, likely between Norwalk and Yemens, since she places the Federal's on the corner at Yemens.
She recalls shopping at Campau Meats for herself and my father, but NOT for sausage and luncheon meats, as Dad was retail sales manager for Kowalski Sausage Company for many years and retired from there in the late '70s. I don't think he would have taken too kindly if anything from Jaworski's appeared on the table.
I took special interest in the depiction of the Modern Men's shop, as that photo brought back some memories for me. You see, Dad shopped there for his suits, shirts, and accessories for work at Kowalski. When it came time for my younger brother and I to get out first 'real' suits, it was easy to figure where Dad took us to get them.
Look forward to your posting every month. Thanks for keeping the memories alive.
Bradley Burland
Cleveland, Ohio
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Eileen --
I can't be absolutely certain, but a picture that can be found on the Hamtramck Public Library site's Hamtramck Heritage Collection at: http://www.hamtramck.lib.mi.us/hhc/large-256.html (above) appears to be close to the location. Both pictures show a signs for Mary Jane, Baker's Shoes, and part of Federal's. One of the signs in the library collection has the address of 10200.
10200 Joseph Campau is two blocks south of Caniff at Belmont. I believe that the old Federal's (now Shopper's World) was on the corner of Yemans and Jos. Campau. Therefore, I think that the picture is taken from somewhere between Evaline and Yeman looking north.
Scott Everingham
Livonia, Michigan
EILEEN'S NOTE: The website Scott refers to contains a terrific gallery of photos.
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Eileen,
In the picture of downtown Hamtramck, Federal’s Department Store was on the corner of Yemans and Jos. Compau. My grandfather lived on Yemans up until around 1960.
Marcia Butler
Lapeer MI
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Hi Eileen,
If I'm not mistaken, the photo is a south-to-north shot along Jos. Campau, south of Yemans. You can see the Federal's store on the east side of the street as you head north.
One of my favorite restaurants, Midtown Cafe (not to be confused with the one in Birmingham), was a block away on the west side of Jos. Campau. On their menu was printed "Located in the heart of beautiful downtown Hamtramck."
Sharon Cox Robertson
Mesa AZ
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Jos. Campau at Caniff decorated for Christmas in the 1950s.
QUESTION: I was a student at Wayne State in communications and a part time cameraman at WXYZ-TV. I worked the Auntie Dee Show as well as the 11 pm show of Soupy Sales. What wonderful memories! I moved to the Los Angeles area in 1959 and often heard that Auntie Dee had moved here too, but I never was able to find her. Thank you for your reply.
Bill Bowdle
Los Angeles, CA
ED'S ANSWER: Dee Parker and her husband Phil Brestoff moved to L.A. in 1956. They tried to do an Auntie Dee show there, but were not successful. Dee Parker died in 2000.
