Brighton Beach – Part 2

Today we head back to Brighton Beach for a return visit to what once was.

As each year has passed, the number of homes has shrunk, and the condition of the roads worsened. The end between Sandwich St. and the River has really become worse since the residences along Water St. have gone. Now unless it is summer time and dry, or unless you drive a large SUV/Pick-up many of the roads have become pools of standing water and mud, and largely impassible.

Here is another home along Broadway that was demolished in the last few years.

Urban Prairie at its finest. A fire hydrant protects the trees and weeds.

The Dainty Rice Factory. A long time Brighton Beach industry.

Healy, Page & Chappus. The names of the original developers of the Brighton Beach Sub-division.

A driveway leads into a vacant lot. Now home to great volumes of illegal dumping.

Yes, there is actually a beach. Brighton Beach is the only remaining section of natural shoreline along the Detroit River on the Canadian Side. It is actually quite a tranquil setting…

…except for the belching behemoth across the river.

More urban prairie. Street signs mark roads with no structures.

On my last visit this overgrown house was still standing and occupied.

This one, one of the newest houses in the sub-division, was hit by the Brighton Beach Arsonist late in the Summer of 2006.

Gone.

Gone.

Still standing.

For an area that is rapidly disappearing, there was an odd amount of roadwork being done a few summers ago. New crossing? That’s my guess.