Body
Like the human body depends on the collaboration of the skeletal, circulatory, and nervous systems, Detroit depended on the interactions between its structural, cultural, and industrial spheres during the 19th century. Below are a few examples of Detroit culture that defined the lives of generations of Detroiters. To learn about more individualized examples that created the spirit of the city, click "Soul" to the right.
Ethnic Neighborhoods and the Detroit Eastern Market
Thousands of immigrants sought opportunities for economic advancement in the thriving industries of Detroit in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The primary groups that immigrated to Detroit were the Irishmen, Poles, and Greeks. The Irishmen settled in Corktown, bounded by Porter Street, Trumbull Avenue, and Bagley Avenue. The Poles settled in Hamtramck, north of Detroit, and the Greeks settled in Greektown, bounded by Lafeyette, Brush Street, the alley between Monroe Avenue and Macomb Street, and St. Antoine Street.
This picture depicts a woman at the Detroit Eastern Market in 1910. The Detroit Eastern Market is a six-block public market that began in 1891 and still exists today. Throughout the years, the market has reflected the ethnic diversity of Detroit by the wide variety of goods available.E
http://experiencedetroit.com/ethnicneighborhoods.htmEast
Official Website: http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/
This picture depicts a woman at the Detroit Eastern Market in 1910. The Detroit Eastern Market is a six-block public market that began in 1891 and still exists today. Throughout the years, the market has reflected the ethnic diversity of Detroit by the wide variety of goods available.E
http://experiencedetroit.com/ethnicneighborhoods.htmEast
Official Website: http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/
J.L. Hudson Department Store
The J. L. Hudson Company department store is shown in this photo, taken shortly after its opening in 1911. Joseph Lowthian Hudson opened the store on Woodward Avenue, blocks away from what was then the city's commercial center on Jefferson Avenue. Only Hudson himself believed his new store would become the heart of Detroit.
With 2.2 million square feet, it was the second-biggest department store in the country -- a department or two smaller than Macy's in New York. The numbers were staggering: 76 elevators, 48 escalators, 705 fitting rooms, one women's restroom with 85 stalls.
With 2.2 million square feet, it was the second-biggest department store in the country -- a department or two smaller than Macy's in New York. The numbers were staggering: 76 elevators, 48 escalators, 705 fitting rooms, one women's restroom with 85 stalls.
Recreation
There are a number of islands around Detroit, two of them above, and twenty below the city. Belle Isle was an island designated as a City Park, Peach island is located at the head of the River,
The islands below the city are named Fighting, Mud, Grassy, Grass, Mama-Juda, Grosse, Turkey, Stoney, Slocum's, Humbug, Fox, Elba, Calf, Snake Hickory, Sugar, Bois Blane, Horse, Cherry, and Tawa or Celeron.
Leisure class citizens traveled to Detroit's outlying islands to gamble, canoe, and bathe in the waters of Lake St. Claire.
The islands below the city are named Fighting, Mud, Grassy, Grass, Mama-Juda, Grosse, Turkey, Stoney, Slocum's, Humbug, Fox, Elba, Calf, Snake Hickory, Sugar, Bois Blane, Horse, Cherry, and Tawa or Celeron.
Leisure class citizens traveled to Detroit's outlying islands to gamble, canoe, and bathe in the waters of Lake St. Claire.
Belle Isle
The island is about one-third of a mile from the United States shoreline and one-quarter mile from Canada's. Although irregular in shape, it is approximately two and one-half miles long and one-half mile wide. Originally, Belle Isle included 768 acres, but land was added with the building of the James Scott Fountain, so the park attained 985 acres.
The development of Belle Isle into a state park and leisure destination was prompted by Detroit's City Beautiful movement.
After the Civil War, Detroit was growing rapidly. Rum, gambling, drugs and commercial sex were readily available; politicians often seemed corrupt and a system of "machine" politics was emerging. Instead of breathing the clean air of farms and living in serenity, Detroiters breathed coal smoke and lived next to filthy factories and rail lines. Through the establishment of urban parks, city leaders believed that residents would return to the virtues of rural environments if there were large areas devoted to green space.
Belle Isle, circa 1901
The development of Belle Isle into a state park and leisure destination was prompted by Detroit's City Beautiful movement.
After the Civil War, Detroit was growing rapidly. Rum, gambling, drugs and commercial sex were readily available; politicians often seemed corrupt and a system of "machine" politics was emerging. Instead of breathing the clean air of farms and living in serenity, Detroiters breathed coal smoke and lived next to filthy factories and rail lines. Through the establishment of urban parks, city leaders believed that residents would return to the virtues of rural environments if there were large areas devoted to green space.
Belle Isle, circa 1901
The Detroit Yacht Club
This picture dates from 1910, and depicts a sailboat sailing on the Detroit River.
The Detroit Yacht Club was founded in 1868, catering primarily to affluent families in the Detroit-Michigan Area.
The Detroit Yacht Club is a different organization from the Detroit Boat Club, a group that also built an impressive clubhouse on Belle Isle for their boating activities. The Detroit Yacht Club (DYC) was founded in 1868 as prosperous Detroit residents sought to enjoy sailing on their river and in the two adjoining Great Lakes. The first clubhouse and boat facility was erected at the foot of McDougall Street in the 1870s. In the 1880s, the membership was riven, and one group decided to split and formed the Michigan Yacht Club. The DYC continued and, in 1891, built their first clubhouse on Belle Isle. Fires were very common in this era before the use of safer building materials and strong fire codes, so the DYC clubhouse on Belle Isle was destroyed by flames in 1904. They constructed a replacement. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle industry generated larger numbers of families who enjoyed sailing or using motorized boats and could afford the cost of club membership. In 1923, the new MacArthur bridge connecting the mainland to Belle Isle was completed as was the magnificent DYC building shown in the picture above. The club selected one of the city’s most productive and creative architects of that era—George Mason—who, in turn, selected a Mediterranean or Spanish-style for this very large building located at the northwest corner of Belle Isle.
The DYC is linked to the accomplishments of the nation’s most famous and accomplished power boat racers. Effective gasoline powered engines were developed for boats and cars at about the same time. Many of the early designers of car engines had some or extensive experience building or designing engines for vessels. David Buick, for example, designed engines for boats before he developed the highly successful and powerful small engine that contributed to the great success of the make that bears his name. Garfield Wood was a self-taught engineer who became the nation’s leading boat racer. About 1920, he began devoting his efforts to designing high speed boats for racing. He used airplane engines to power some of his boats and designed innovative hulls. As early as 1921, the Detroit Yacht Club sponsored hydroplane races and, thereby, they became one of the nation’s leading organizations in boat racing. Gar Wood, in 1931, became the first man to attain a speed in excess of one hundred miles per hour in a boat. The prosperity of Detroit in the 1920s greatly benefited the DYC and their membership reached 3,000 in that decade.
The Depression and demographic shifts after World War II had severe consequences for the DYC. However, the organization not only survived, but has retained its role as one of the nation’s leading boating clubs. Their ideal location—eleven acres on the Detroit River, but close to Lake St. Claire—helps a great deal. They also had the financial resources to expand, renovate and update their large clubhouse. The DYC very successfully promotes the use of their facility for weddings, meetings, parties and events.
The Detroit Yacht Club was founded in 1868, catering primarily to affluent families in the Detroit-Michigan Area.
The Detroit Yacht Club is a different organization from the Detroit Boat Club, a group that also built an impressive clubhouse on Belle Isle for their boating activities. The Detroit Yacht Club (DYC) was founded in 1868 as prosperous Detroit residents sought to enjoy sailing on their river and in the two adjoining Great Lakes. The first clubhouse and boat facility was erected at the foot of McDougall Street in the 1870s. In the 1880s, the membership was riven, and one group decided to split and formed the Michigan Yacht Club. The DYC continued and, in 1891, built their first clubhouse on Belle Isle. Fires were very common in this era before the use of safer building materials and strong fire codes, so the DYC clubhouse on Belle Isle was destroyed by flames in 1904. They constructed a replacement. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle industry generated larger numbers of families who enjoyed sailing or using motorized boats and could afford the cost of club membership. In 1923, the new MacArthur bridge connecting the mainland to Belle Isle was completed as was the magnificent DYC building shown in the picture above. The club selected one of the city’s most productive and creative architects of that era—George Mason—who, in turn, selected a Mediterranean or Spanish-style for this very large building located at the northwest corner of Belle Isle.
The DYC is linked to the accomplishments of the nation’s most famous and accomplished power boat racers. Effective gasoline powered engines were developed for boats and cars at about the same time. Many of the early designers of car engines had some or extensive experience building or designing engines for vessels. David Buick, for example, designed engines for boats before he developed the highly successful and powerful small engine that contributed to the great success of the make that bears his name. Garfield Wood was a self-taught engineer who became the nation’s leading boat racer. About 1920, he began devoting his efforts to designing high speed boats for racing. He used airplane engines to power some of his boats and designed innovative hulls. As early as 1921, the Detroit Yacht Club sponsored hydroplane races and, thereby, they became one of the nation’s leading organizations in boat racing. Gar Wood, in 1931, became the first man to attain a speed in excess of one hundred miles per hour in a boat. The prosperity of Detroit in the 1920s greatly benefited the DYC and their membership reached 3,000 in that decade.
The Depression and demographic shifts after World War II had severe consequences for the DYC. However, the organization not only survived, but has retained its role as one of the nation’s leading boating clubs. Their ideal location—eleven acres on the Detroit River, but close to Lake St. Claire—helps a great deal. They also had the financial resources to expand, renovate and update their large clubhouse. The DYC very successfully promotes the use of their facility for weddings, meetings, parties and events.