Photo Du JourPostcardsWindsor

Old Sandwich Schools

January 18, 2008
Here are a pair of century old postcards (c. 1909) of two schools in Sandwich. The Sandwich Public School, and St. Francis. St. Francis School, built in 1901, was located on the corner of Peter & Detroit. The site today is a parking lot. The Sandwich Public School was on Bedford St. (today known as Sandwich St.), when amalgamation took place in 1935, the school must have been renamed, as my…
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Photo Du JourWindsor

Walker Road Underpass

January 17, 2008
As Windsor is crippled by the Walker Road closure, you don’t hear too much about the status of the project these days. With nearly no one around, and Walker Rd. silent, I decided to take a trip down there to see what’s going on. It looks like the tracks have…
Photo Du JourWindsor

McPherson Lounge - Electa Hall

January 16, 2008
Back before Christmas, there was a post on Cody Hall, and in the comment, the discussion turned to McPherson Lounge in Electa Hall. Today’s photos come from regular reader westerntragedy, who visited McPherson Lounge, and happened to have his camera. 🙂 As a side…
Photo Du JourPostcardsWindsor

Dougall Avenue School

January 15, 2008
This might bring back some memories for some of my readers. The original Dougall Ave. School was built in 1904, and stood until 1990, when in the name of progress, the School Board smacked her down, for a modern box. The replacement school was opened on the same site in 1992. While it seems pretty recent, it’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years already. The postcard above dates to…
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Photo Du JourWindsor

Chopp's Market

January 14, 2008
Today’s entry, comes by way of reader Steve, who submitted this flyer he found in his house. The flyer made its way behind the kitchen cabinets, against the wall where it sat since 1953. How about a pound of rice for 19 cents? A “peck” of potatoes? Yeah…
Essex CountyPhoto Du JourPostcardsWindsor

Sunnyside Hotel

January 11, 2008
The Sunnyside Hotel in Lasalle is featured in this postcard postmarked from 1934. During Prohibition the Sunnyside was one of the many popular places you could still get a drink. It was a regular hangout for Detroit’s infamous Purple Gang, Jean Harlow also paid a visit…
Old AdsOld PhotographsPhoto Du JourWindsor

Smith's Department Store - 1954

January 10, 2008
Today’s old ad comes from the same booklet that had yesterday’s ad for Routley’s Motel, published in 1954. Smith’s Department Store on Ouellette Ave. was a long time local fixture. Founded in 1914 as the C.H. Smith Co., the downtown store was expanded in 1925. The main store on Ouellette following the 1925 expansion. Photo from the collection of the Windsor Archives. The…
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Old AdsPhoto Du JourPostcardsWindsor

Routley's Motel - 1954

January 9, 2008
Think about how great it would be after a long day on the road to go kick back in the television lounge. 🙂 This place was located at Walker and Division, where the Applebee’s is located today. I seem to recall the restaurant building (the lower building pictured in…
DetroitPhoto Du JourWindsor

Dress Optional

January 8, 2008
One of my recent acquisitions was this ephemera from the first Freedom Festival in 1959. A thank you letter, and a ticket to the Consular Ball were included. Both mayors were the honorary chairs of the event. The backside of the letter has quite the list of the member of…