Awww c’mon… Another postcard post!
Sorry, for the lack of variety in the posts lately, I’ve found myself with less and less free time of late, so the post that require less work are the ones coming out lately… Soon enough though, spring is in the air, and the camera will soon be out on the prowl, and lots of new subject matter will come along with the spring (at least I hope so)…
Enough of that, on to the postcard! 😉
So yes, another postcard, but this is one I had never seen before… A view taken from the south west corner of Pitt & Ouellette looking north. In the top right is the former British-American Hotel, who’s foundation is still visible today, also on the east side of Ouellette, but on the south side of Riverside Drive is the Victor Daniel Horsburgh designed Bank of Commerce that was demolished in the 1970’s for the CIBC tower.
The Ferry is at the dock, waiting for the next run to Detroit and note the streetcar loading zone lines painted on the road.
Had to believe this is the same block, 90 years later…
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Thanks Stephen. I can read Laing now that you mentioned it.
thanks for the info Paula. Silly me thinking they actually spared a building! lol
I just noticed on the new TD building going up there's a sign that says "JUNK". Now, I realize it's the name of a buisness....but still, how fitting.
So the little 4 ledges at Villa Udine & Riverside was part of that hotel?
http://maps.google.ca/maps?source=ig&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF8&q=pitt+%26&fb=1&gl=ca&ei=9CWkS__oJsG0tgejk-SbCg&ved=0CBIQtgMwAA&sll=42.319839,-83.039973&sspn=0.000942,0.002411&split=1&rq=1&ev=zi&radius=0.06&hq=pitt+%26&hnear=&ll=42.319839,-83.039973&spn=0,359.997589&z=19&layer=c&cbll=42.319749,-83.039703&panoid=h0IKgpl5Sp56Q4u5v45D8g&cbp=12,307.99,,1,8.08
The foundation wall is visible here:
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Which part of the Google Streetview image might that be Andrew?
The small wall behind the two brown garbage barrels. There is a plaque on the square planter behind the orange barricade that explains what the wall is.
Ha, thanks Andrew. You're a little better than me at Google-Map-Fu...
The environment is certainly cleaner than it was but the Detroit River is no sparkling stream today and I wouldn't want to eat anything from it. Downtown was not always beautiful but it had charm and it had variety. This city centre collapse is as has been said, far from unique but in can be no coincidence that the two, 'motor cities' have gone the same way with wasteland city centres. Marks & Spencer robbed the city of Smiths and by default, Bartlett, McDonald and Gow. The one thing the downtown shopping experience gave was variety. At the malls all the stores are the same with the same companies trading. It's the same all over the western world, we have been homogenised and served up bland, uninspiring retailing. Despite the polution and all that, I'd rather live in Windsor circa 1970 than Windsor 2010. Oh what I'd give to be in Kresge's right now eating a cheeseburger!!!
Gretrude nice to read your post. You have a few years up on me. My Grandgather owned the British American Hotel from about 1912 to 1029. My mother worked there and married the owners son....my father Eddie Ingram. I used to love taking the ferry to Detroit and then before getting on the ferry again we always had to stop and have a big glass of Vernors gingerale. Smiths, Barlet McDonald and Gow and Adelman's were the stores to shop at but there were a lot on good stores also. Remember Wilkonsson's shoes? Thet wore like a pigs mose. That was their slogan. Well I coukd go on and on but it's time to get some supper so goodbye for now. Love this website Thanks Andrew.