Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Dream Cruise Saturday in Tempe AZ


SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013
11 am to 2 pm
Sunshine's Motor City Cafe
7425 S. Harl Ave., Suite 2, Tempe AZ

http://www.facebook.com/SunshinesMotorCityCafe

In honor of the Woodward Dream Cruise being held in Detroit on that day, Sunshine's Motor City Cafe is opening the restaurant for us! They'll be serving Coney dogs, Better Made, Faygo, Vernors, Sanders and other items from their terrific menu.

Drivers of restored vintage cars (1979 or older) will receive a Coney Meal (two coney dogs, bag of Better Made and a Faygo (or other fountain drink).

Stop by and join us!

UPDATE: PHOTOS from the Event. Hot outside but we had a great time!

NEW from www.DetroitKidShow.com


JUNIOR JAMBOREE
AND THE DAWN OF CHILDREN'S TV IN DETROIT

and

FUNEWS
Cartoons for the kids, weather and news for Mom & Dad

VIDEO: 1976 TV2 Jimmy Hoffa Report


to watch the TV news video about his disappearance
o
n July 30, 1975.

VIDEO: Dearborn Now & Then: The Ford Rotunda


A terrific video about the history of our beloved Ford Rotunda.
http://vimeo.com/18567946

Thanks to Bud Lusk, Ken Ellegood and Larry Holland
for sending this link to me.

Great news about the Ste. Claire!

Photo from CardCow.com

By Kevin Mayer 
Facebook / Captain Boblo

The Ste. Claire is on her way to a grand comeback. Tremendous work has been done on the ship changing the question from “If she comes back” to “When she comes back!”


The plan for the Ste. Claire is to bring her out to Wyandotte in either September or October of 2014 as a permanently moored dockside attraction for a couple of years. All money generated from the attraction will be put back into the ship until she is ready to sail once again. 

Although there are many ideas being kicked around on how to power the old girl, the pistons will be made to work as we all remember. 

Some of the attractions offered include:

1. A two deck haunted house (adult haunt at night and a children’s haunt and other family activities during the day).
2. Guided tours of the ship.
3. Souvenir and concession sales.
4. Large movie screen on 4th deck for free movies in the park
5. Special events for seniors and families
6. Booking for private parties
7. Possible year-round use


____________
EILEEN'S NOTE: Dr. Ron Katoo, the owner of the Ste. Claire, has now brought in professional crews to expedite the restoration. I have asked Kevin to email me when they need volunteers, knowing that lot of folks who read this Newsletter would be willing to help out.

CHECK IT OUT!
FILM: Boblo Boats have a role in the new Transformers movie!

VIDEO: The "tunnel" under Jefferson Ave. to Belle Isle in 1968



Thanks to Lee Dixon for sending this link.

Safety Patrol Boys 1950s and 60s


From Leon "Lee" Dixon

A bizarre Detroit thing happened recently while I was at a Packard Meet. 

In the days of yore, young boys (myself included) in Detroit were trained to supervise kids crossing the street at each corner on the way to school. We wore a special white belt made of webbing similar to a seat belt in today's cars. This belt went around the waist and at a diagonal up and over one shoulder and across the chest and back. It was a real thing of pride to wear back in the 1950s and early 60s. (The belts were later changed to dayglo orange.)

At the Meet, I got talking with a fellow by the name of John Ambrogio. We discovered we'd both attended Hilger Elementary School on the east side— although he was there a few years before me—and that we were both on the Safety Patrol. When I mentioned that I was a lieutenant, so was he! We talked about the special white belt we wore and the fact that officers on the Patrol had special badges attached to the belt. At Hilger, there was a captain and two lieutenants. When I mentioned that I'd save my badges, he said... "Wait a minute, I think I saved a couple, too." Sure enough, he reached into his case and pulled out a captain's and a lieutenant's badge! 

I scanned the badges here along with my last original ID card. (I think I re-used the ID card after I left and penned older ages over what originally was "9-10" years old). I also believe that Hilger is misspelled on the card...think it had only one "L". The Safety Patrol was sponsored by AAA Automobile Club of Michigan, hence the "AAA" on the badges.

You could show your Safety Patrol ID and get into various things for free or greatly reduced price. The cards were honored at Tiger games at Briggs Stadium (before it became Tiger Stadium) and the donut shop would give you one free donut. Once a year AAA hosted a special day in the spring where all Detroit Safety Patrol Boys were taken to Briggs Stadium for a free baseball game that included hot dogs from a Detroit area company and Vernor's Ginger Ale. DSR busses would line up at key schools and pick up the boys for a full day of baseball bacchanalia.

BOOK: The Motor City and Me: Our Story


The Motor City and Me: Our Story

by Mary Anne McMahon

I recently published a book called The Motor City and Me: Our Story. It highlights the rich history of Detroit and how the Motor City has left a lasting impact on me. Paralleling the rise and fall of Detroit with the ups and downs of my own life, I demonstrate how Detroit values strengthened and reassured me throughout difficult times. I was born and raised in Detroit. I experienced a happy 1950s Detroit childhood, attending east side Catholic schools and enjoying the once flourishing city. I graduated from  the University of Detroit. I have 28 years of teaching experience, including time during the Detroit's period of racial unrest in the 1960s. I believe my book would interest those Detroiters who follow your website since I discuss the Detroit time period 1950s - 1970s.

The Motor City and Me is available on Amazon.

Summertime in Michigan and Five Old-Fashioned Drive-in Restaurants


to read the article in the
Detroit Free Press

New Retro Detroiter website


Check it out!

"Dawgs" Michigan Coney Island Hot Dogs, Fairfield CA



Coneys, Better Made, Faygo and more!



(800) 592-9890

(707) 207-4172
Email: MiConeyDawg@yahoo.com


Detroit's Population ~ 1840 to 2012

PBS series 'Genealogy Roadshow' filmed in Detroit


The taping of a new PBS series titled Genealogy Roadshow took place a few weeks ago in Indian VillageThe show will premiere nationally this fall.

Described as part detective story, part emotional journey, Genealogy Roadshow combines history and science to uncover Americans' family stories. The show's first season is to feature participants from Detroit; Nashville, Tenn.; Austin, Texas; and San Francisco.

One of the genealogists featured in the show is from DetroitKenyatta Berry graduated from Cass Tech, Michigan State University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She is president of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

From the Genealogy Roadshow website:

DETROIT
While Detroit is known mainly for two things — cars and Motown — there is much more to the city, which boasts one of the most diverse populations in the country. After its settlement by French-Canadians, Detroit attracted a large number of Europeans and immigrants of Middle Eastern descent, making it now home to the largest Arab-American community in the country. As well, hundreds of thousands of African-Americans moved to Detroit from the rural southern U.S. as part of The Great Migration of the 20th century. Detroit was the first place in the country to have a stretch of concrete highway and a four-way, three-color traffic light. It supplied 75 percent of the liquor during the Prohibition era and was the birthplace of the ice cream soda.

For more info, go to: