Your Detroit Memories! (Redford, St. Johns: movies, schools, swimming)

[Skatergirl]

We uised to live less than a mile from there and couldn't wait for the winter when they'd fill in the basketball court area with water to freeze for skating. Dad would have a thermos of hot chocolate and we'd skate till we couldn't stand anymore. Thanks for bringin up PP.

Originally Posted by zakian

Sure. Patton Park swimming lessons.
Fishing on the Detoilet river and catching weird worms.
Fishing around the nuke plant in Monroe b/c the water was warmer.
Going to my aunts house by Tiger Stadium and seeing all these Cadillacs in front of houses that should have been condemmed and the kids dressed in rags but they had a Caddy. My friend catching Hep from swimming in the Detoilet River.
Being pulled over by a cop and being told with a gun in my face "we don't want white people here."
Loose women.
PUKE.

[azsundevil99]

Some of my favorite Detroit memories: going to Belle Isle (wasn't there an aquarium there?), the old Tiger Stadium, DIA, Historical Museum, Science Center, going on car rides as a kid when our dad would take us around to the neighborhoods where he used to live, Detroit Zoo (even though it's not actually in Detroit), the Boblo boat. I'm sure there are more but these are what just came off the top of my head.

[jhwest]

Did anyone go to the Redford Theatre? My parents used to take me in the 70's and 80's to see the old classics. The first time I ever saw "It's A Wonderful Life", "Singing in the Rain", "King and I" was on that huge screen with the organ music prelude. Not many 30-somethings had that opportunity.
Also loved to go to Eastern Market. Shopping in "Fashionable Ferndale". The big Christmas display at Hudson's downtown. The super fun Oak Park Park. The 4th of July fireworks downtown. (Everyone would bring fried chicken. Yum!) All the places where you could get fresh baklava. The childrens museum had a big cool metal horse out front and an amazing dollhouse inside.
I haven't been back there since 93. I'm just barely starting to miss it.

[Maxine3]

I lived near the Redford theater and went to Redford High in the eary '50's. I saw all of those movies their first time around
Are you talking about the neat horse made out of car bumpers? Last time I saw it, it was outside the Center for Creative Studies Art and Design (it had a name change, since). I don't remember, off hand, what it is named now.

[maja]

Oh, I had forgotten all about the Redford Theater and the organ music - what a great memory. You just don't see anything like that anymore, thats for sure. I, myself went to Cooley High in the late 60's but I remember taking a night class in shorthand at Redford High because my boss at my part-time travel agency job at McGraw Travel on Grand River said he would pay me $2.00/hour instead of the standard $1.65/hour if I could take dictation!!! Does Redford High or Cooley High still exist???

[Maxine3]

The building does, but Redford closed last school year along with Mackenzie (I graduated from there in 1954) and two other high schools in Detroit, also several elementary schools (including mine-Parker).
All of my schools are now closed in Detroit and the memories are going with them. All that is left is the house that I was born in.....maybe...maybe not.
Will Detroit ever come back to its glory? I think not.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Always sad to see a school close. I'm guessing the buildings will be torn down as well.

[and the]

Went to St. Hedwig's yesterday. Still a beautiful church with very few people left. If it weren't for the Mexicans moving into the area, Detroit's second or third Polish parish would probably already be closed. The basement of that church used to be a whole other church. They had so many people attending they needed and "upper" church and a "lower" church. They used to get 2,000 people in each church at the same time. Nope, you'll never see another Detroit with a Catholic church that gets 4,000 people to show up for one mass.





Went to Holy Redeemer the week before. They had maybe 75 people there for mass. It's amazing to think that there was once a Detroit that had Churches like Holy Redeemer, St. Casimir, St. Hedwig, Our Lady Queen of Angels, St. Stephens, St. Andrews and more, all within walking distance of each other and all with schools with one church alone drawing 4000 people for one mass. And all the schools were packed and all the PUBLIC schools in the area were packed too. I can't see Detroit making a comeback anywhere near that in my lifetime or the lifetimes of my kids or even grandkids. No way, no how. Even with the number of Mexican immigrants who seem to be making a pretty good go of it in that area.

[simlifgal]

I remember being very little, maybe 6 or 7 and going downtown to greektown with my whole family (back in the old parthenon days) and getting the most amazin lemon rice soup. and then we'd all walk around, and dad would buy me and mom a rose from a street vendor.

and as a teenager I recall spending an obnoxious amount of time at st. andrews. was anyone else there the night part of the floor caved in?

[maja]

Originally Posted by Maxine3

The building does, but Redford closed last school year along with Mackenzie (I graduated from there in 1954) and two other high schools in Detroit, also several elementary schools (including mine-Parker).
All of my schools are now closed in Detroit and the memories are going with them. All that is left is the house that I was born in.....maybe...maybe not.
Will Detroit ever come back to its glory? I think not.

Very sad, isn't it. Have they built any new schools to replace them or are there just not enough students left? I haven't been back in a number of years. I remember Cooley was like an old castle. And how about Rosedale Park on the outskirts of the city - are those beautiful homes on the tree lined streets still standing? I use to envy the kids who lived there...