funeral home (Detroit, Burton, Burt: house, live, floor)

[Beth Mann]

I am looking for the name of the funeral home my grandparents owned in the 30's and 40's. The building was around Gratiot and East Outer Drive. The business was on the ground floor and the family lived above. My grandfathers name was Rock (Roscoe) Lynd. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[adams_aj]

I'm assuming you've done an online search. Possibly their obituaries might list it. Also, do a Google search for Sanborn Maps. They're extremely helpful in researching buildings in the past. Can you find it on Google earth and get an address? Is the building still standing or ones near it that you recognize?

[Retroit]

The building was at 11063 Gratiot. Current buildings at site: Maps

source: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/g/genpub/a...image&size=150

I don't have time to find the name. If you type in "funeral home" in the search, you'll get 18 matches, but you have to read through each page to find it.

Let us know if you find it. Otherwise, I'll do more research when I have time.

[craig11152]

Nice work Retroit. I make Internet searching a bit of a hobby and always appreciate a good find.

[Beth Mann]

Thanks Retroit. I looked on Bing maps at the address you gave me and that little 2-story, red brick bldg. may be it.
My grandparents retired before I was born but some of the cousins may have a picture of it. I know the bldg. is on Gratiot between East Outer Drive and Rosemary which coincides with my info.
I also looked at Polk's Detroit City Directory. Holy cow, would I like to get my hands on that! Fascinating stuff. Only got 50 pages so far but as my eyes will allow, I will keep looking. Thanks so much for your help.
BTW, my grandmother was the first licensed FEMALE mortician in the state of Michigan. She did the hair and makeup and granddad did the embalming. She was also a teacher in Detroit for over 50 years and raised 6 kids. Whatta woman!

[ekman243]

I asked my Grandmother who knows the area very well and she said there were three funeral homes in the area at the time.
One was at 12057 Gratiot at Rosemary which is now a baptist church. That funeral home was A. H Peters original location .The one at Flanders and Gratiot was called Buehler. Down at Outer Drive that funeral home was named Gordon C Crabb, I believe that is what you are looking for.Granted she was speaking of the fifties and sixties. If these don't ring a bell you should call Detroit Public Library Burton Historical Collection they can answer your question.

[Retroit]

Did you find it yet?

[Beth Mann]

No, sorry. Have been busy with other things at the moment. I am interested in contacting the Detroit Public Library Burton Historical Collection though. Thanks for your help and your interest.

[Retroit]

Based on Ekman's clue, I found this picture of A.H.Peters funeral home at the Gratiot address.





http://www.ahpeters.com/why-choose-u...amily-history/


Seeing as this building doesn't match the current structures, I'm guessing maybe it was one block north where the BP station is now?
According to this aerial photo: http://claslinux.clas.wayne.edu/phot...49/ha-3-50.pdf, it appears the funeral home was on the southwest corner of Gratiot and Gunston.


However, this doesn't seem to jive with your grandparents being the owners. Could it be that they were employees and not the owners?


Maybe you could call the place and ask?

[Retroit]

I drove by the site today. The large yellow building to the right of the red brick building has an address of 11077. It was the only address number I could see. So we could rule that building out as 11063 (home of the Lynds). Still possible the red brick building could be 11063. Bing Maps locates that address right there.

I'm guessing maybe they lived there and worked the next block over? I'm doubtful the red brick building would be a funeral home since 1. it is small and 2. most funeral homes actually had a house within the structure, not an actual store front.