Woodward Avenue, 1942 - Detroit

LMich · #1 Posted **May 26, 2009, 11:43 AM**

Looking from the Macabees Building downtown Woodward in 1942. Very clear color shot:

Arthur Siegel

This was taken 6 years after Woodward was widened which caused many buildings to be 'moved back' from the street.

STLgasm · #2 Posted **May 26, 2009, 12:32 PM**

Unbelieveable! Does anyone have a shot of the same view today? (Do I really want to want to see it?)

ethereal_reality · #3 Posted **May 26, 2009, 1:59 PM**

That's such a cool pic.

ColDayMan · #4 Posted **May 26, 2009, 2:29 PM**

No Church's Chicken

.

Atlantan26 · #5 Posted **May 26, 2009, 6:57 PM**

very cool, but very sad.
any bustling city today could have the same fate.
you just never know.

PHX31 · #6 Posted **May 26, 2009, 7:52 PM**

Beautiful!!! I'd also be interested (probably saddend) to see the same shot today.

When my grandmother immigrated from Italy around 1920 she settled in Detroit for a few years with a couple family members that were already settled in Detroit before she moved out to Los Angeles. Even though this picture was taken about 15-20 years after she lived there as a child, I would imagine she saw a similar built environment.

holladay · #7 Posted **May 26, 2009, 10:11 PM**

Times were so much simpler back then.

jyax82 · #8 Posted **May 26, 2009, 11:05 PM**

Notice the streetcar, just imagine if they were still around. Maybe that is what the new light rail that is being proposed will look like.

ethereal_reality · #9 Posted **May 26, 2009, 11:55 PM**

A companion pic.

2nd Avenue, July 1942 (perhaps the same photographer?)

OhioGuy · #10 Posted **May 27, 2009, 12:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by holladay

Times were so much simpler back then.

World War II was happening at that time.

Fantastic photo though. The color and clarity is really quite nice, particularly for that time period.

Rizzo · #11 Posted **May 27, 2009, 2:48 AM**

I highlighted building status as best I could

GREEN: Exists in similar form
YELLOW: Exists, but modified beyond all recognition / Severly damaged
RED: Demolished

LMich · #12 Posted **May 27, 2009, 3:43 AM**

Not from the exact same angle, but the best I could find:

Sean DU

The southern part of Midtown has been absolutely decimated, but the area around the university, hospital, and cultural center has actually been built up, at least height-wise.

Here is a photo of the building from which the original photo was taken:

Sean DU

Busy Bee · #13 Posted **May 27, 2009, 3:50 AM**

Wow. What rich old photo. File>Save As.

palermodude · #14 Posted **Sep 22, 2009, 1:57 AM**

Great vintage photos of a very underrated city: Detroit/D'étroit

palermodude · #15 Posted **Sep 22, 2009, 2:02 AM**

Great pics... but they need more parking spaces for all of the cars, so we should demolish most of the buildings and put in parking spaces. Why do we need trolleys? We're the Motor City - we build private cars. Get rid of the trolleys. Now, everybody, let's move into modern subdivisions instead of the grimy old city that reminds me of my failures in life. I need a new start in the country, away from the poor people - it's a depressing place. Besides, my wife is scared to live off of Woodward and she promises to put out more if I buy her a suburban house. Since we barely do it once/month, I suppose I'll agree.

fishrose · #16 Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 1:48 AM**

I'm a student at Wayne State right now, I'll try to get up in Macabees and get an identical shot. Until then, I've got one to tide you over. My friend Nate took it while he was visiting Wednesday night, we were standing on top of Parking Structure #2, at the corner of Anthony Wayne Dr. and East Kirby.

jodelli · #17 Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 3:30 AM**

Fantastic pictures! That one from the Fisher down 2nd is also surprisingly rarely photographed.

Here's one from street level; the Macabees building is to the immediate right:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyax82

Notice the streetcar, just imagine if they were still around. Maybe that is what the new light rail that is being proposed will look like.

Yeah, there's no need for a study to see if the basic plan is doable.

Exodus · #18 Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 12:47 PM**

Some things have changed, but considering how much Detroit lost and that that was close to 70 years ago, Woodward through midtown still seems to be in tact pretty good. One plus is that it actually has a bit more height to it now.

fishrose · #19 Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 5:01 PM**

Looking at the 1942 picture, it seems crazy how tall the Book-Cadillac building looks when it's not bracketed by the Renaissance Center and the Comerica Tower.

Baronvonellis · #20 Posted **Oct 19, 2009, 7:20 PM**

Anyone else notice how they didn't have lane markers back then? Driving down a 6 lane road with out any lane markers would get my heart pounding for sure.