Grand River & Greenfield (Detroit, Southfield: houses, neighborhoods, movie theaters)

[paulmcall]

Anyone here used to live (or currently live) in this once fine area of the city of Detroit. I hope to include a few photos.

[Fossum21]

I don't live there, but I visit quite often. There is a bridge that goes over that street now.

[Bridgett]

Oh thank you for the trip down memory lane. Seeing Wards and Federals really brings back fond memories of shopping there with my Mom and Grandma. As a teenager I hung out at the Big Boys there and spent many a night driving up and down Grand River. I hope someone else has pictures of Detroit back when it was the greatest place to grow up in. I am a product of Detroit Public Schools and remember when they were excellent schools.

[paulmcall]

Here's Hughes and Hatcher from there.

[shirtasmith]

I use to live in that area about 3 yrs ago but closer to Southfield Fwy off Grand River in Rosedale Pk on Lancashire. It was and as far as i know still is a beautiful family orientated area. Unfortunately, and sad to say it is in the Detroit School District which we all know (if you're from Detroit) it's not ****!!

[maja]

Thanks for the memories! I grew up in that neighborhood many years ago and have many fond memories of the Grand River/Greenfield shopping area. I wonder if anyone else remembers the J.S. Penny Back-to-School Movies, where all the kids lined up in the parking lot behind the store and marched down to the Great Lakes Movie Theater to see a free matinee compliments of Penny's? How about the walk-through between Monkey Wards and Kresge's 5 & 10 cent store - I remember they had some kind of wax mold making machine where you paid a quarter and watched a wax toy being made. Or how about the donut making machine at the back of Kresge's or the soda fountain counter where you could throw a dart to pop a balloon and hope to win a free coke or banana split? And how about Robert Hall, "where the savings go up, up, up and the prices go down, down, down!" BTW, anyone interested in seeing more old time photos, should try checking out classmates.com site. I have found some amazing photos of my old schools as well as the movie theaters and shopping areas of old stomping grounds under "albums" section of my alma matars.

[HeleenieWeenie]

Originally Posted by maja

Thanks for the memories! I grew up in that neighborhood many years ago and have many fond memories of the Grand River/Greenfield shopping area. I wonder if anyone else remembers the J.S. Penny Back-to-School Movies, where all the kids lined up in the parking lot behind the store and marched down to the Great Lakes Movie Theater to see a free matinee compliments of Penny's? How about the walk-through between Monkey Wards and Kresge's 5 & 10 cent store - I remember they had some kind of wax mold making machine where you paid a quarter and watched a wax toy being made. Or how about the donut making machine at the back of Kresge's or the soda fountain counter where you could throw a dart to pop a balloon and hope to win a free coke or banana split? And how about Robert Hall, "where the savings go up, up, up and the prices go down, down, down!" BTW, anyone interested in seeing more old time photos, should try checking out classmates.com site. I have found some amazing photos of my old schools as well as the movie theaters and shopping areas of old stomping grounds under "albums" section of my alma matars.

Also some old times in the detroit area is in the Detroit News/Times, called Rearview Mirror. I will find the link. It shows some amazing blk/whte photos. of landmarks; i.e. Vernors factory on Woodward ave. other classic antiquated buildings and businesses.

[HeleenieWeenie]

Originally Posted by paulmcall

Anyone here used to live (or currently live) in this once fine area of the city of Detroit. I hope to include a few photos.

Rearview Mirror

Here is a link to the Detroit News History Photo Gallery called "Rearview Mirror" you can google those words if the censor the link above. GREAT PICS of the old times in and around Detroit, the giant stove on Jefferson Ave. by Belle Isle. The history of the Detroit Zoo (famous elephant) when they built the "cageless" animal exhibits, lots of stuff you did NOT know.
Enjoy!

[HeleenieWeenie]

Originally Posted by paulmcall

Anyone here used to live (or currently live) in this once fine area of the city of Detroit. I hope to include a few photos.

Not there. But my family bought property on East Grand Blvd in the 50s when it was NOT allowed to drive a truck on "the Blvd." or motorcycles, lots of things that kept the shady tree-lined Blvd. very elegant like Boston Blvd was and Chicago st. was too.
The dutch-elm disease starting spreading thru like wildfire in the mid-70s which killed the trees, then it became the Warehouses for the Mental patients that were released onto the streets from the Lafayette Clinic Institution; the huge homes were good for housing the mentally ill, and they didn't have to go far to begging for wine and cigarets; bothering us (the neighbors) walk up to my door and ring the bell asking for coffee, a smoke, spare change...all this started happening in the mid-80s. It, along with other aspects of the hard times, Gov.Engler stopping the G.A. checks of the male welfare recipeints, they turned to bothering us for these handouts, which killed the once lovely Blvd. and other neighborhoods. owners just didn't care to fight anymore and ran for the borders. I stuck it out for 26yrs. and finally moved in 2001.

[Tricia819]

Originally Posted by shirtasmith

I use to live in that area about 3 yrs ago but closer to Southfield Fwy off Grand River in Rosedale Pk on Lancashire. It was and as far as i know still is a beautiful family orientated area. Unfortunately, and sad to say it is in the Detroit School District which we all know (if you're from Detroit) it's not ****!!

Why are Detroit schools so bad? Is it the antiquated buildings? No resources? Unmotivatable students? Inadequate teachers? As a new teacher, I haven't met anyone willing to take a job there, even though they seem to be the only district that is hiring. I've heard horror stories of inner city schools that are impossible to teach in because the students are so unruly. Is that what's going on?