Chene street ran through the center of detroits poletown, the home of many polish immigrants. Amusement parks 36 drag racing 15 drivein theatres 161. This unique waterfront venue is the epicenter of live entertainment in the summer for metropolitan detroit. The chene family in detroit 11 the walls of the tunnel to cave in. Chene ferry was home to the citys first recycling program, which remained in the area until 2007. Descendants track their french connections back to detroit. The chene ferry municipal public market was the last of detroit s municipal markets to open, in the 1920s, according to the book detroit s historic eastern market, by randall fogelman and lisa rush. Chene street on detroits east side was once one of the main streets for the citys large polish population. Chene street ran through the center of detroits poletown, the home of many. The cheneferry market was one of several openair markets established in the 1850s, along with the eastern market. Initially he spoke of it being at the bentley library. Founded as a new france fur trading post, it began to expand during the 19th century with british and american settlement around the great lakes. For those who arent familiar with the chene street project let me briefly explain.
I go through stages, between sad and resigned, foulkes said. Do not click add to cart this book is being sold directly through. One of these days, marian krzyzowski will publish his history of chene street. A standalone public library in detroit dates back to 1865. It began on a saturday night in the early morning hours of july 23, 1967. Uncover property values, resident history, neighborhood safety score, and more. Zosia legowska chene street history project, marian krzyzowski, director a social history of the detroit chene street neighborhood 18901990 as seen through the eyes of everyday people in their everyday lives. This area was home to the citys concentration of poles, and included the chene street neighborhood. Storesklep polish genealogical society of michigan. Jul 29, 2015 chene street on detroits east side was once one of the main streets for the citys large polish population. Reading this was a gift, and yes, brought back memories of my first big city experiences.
I have heard rumors that this old openair farm market dates back to the 1800s, but unfortunately i dont think that is the case. Poletown historic district, chene street commercial district. Chene street, for those of you not familiar with its significance, was the heart of the east side polish community in detroit from the late 1800s through the first half of the 1900s. Woodward avenue, detroit waterfront, campus martius, jefferson. The detroit chene street history project website, developed in collaboration with the college of. The bloodsoaked history of the detroit mafia is about to seep into ferndale. He launched the detroit chene street history project in early 2002. The chene street project is developing a comprehensive social and commercial history of the neighborhood that conveys what it felt like to live and work there. She also interviewed many residents and retold their dramatic stories. Michigan history stories and photos about people, places and events from michigans past. Polish settlement along the street began in the 1860s and was greatly accelerated with the construction of streetcar lines along chene street in the 1890s. Following world war ii, the blues scene spread from hastings to chene street in east detroit. All proceeds from this book are being donated directly to the pgsm by the.
It is the first european settlement above tidewater in north america. The 1967 detroit riot, also known as the 12th street riot, was a violent public disorder that turned into a civil disturbance in detroit, michigan. I am writing a history book that touches on this story. Growing up on the east side of detroit bork, rodney f on. Chene park is a city of detroit recreation department facility, managed and operated by the right productions, inc chene park amphitheatre is the most exciting concert space in the heart of downtown detroit. In a nutshell, chene ferry market was polinias version of eastern market, a polish oasis in detroit. An 1842 state law requiring the detroit board of education to open a library resulted in a public reading room opening on march 25, 1865 in the old capitol high school at state and griswold street.
The aretha franklin amphitheater, formerly known as chene park, is located on the near east side of detroit, at the foot of chene street, along the banks of the detroit river. Wonderful, rare history of detroits usually ignored, but important, black neighborhood. Rodney bork belongs to a relatively small circle of polish americans who have written a book about their polonian childhood. Detroit, the largest city in the state of michigan, was settled in 1701 by french colonists. Polish became the common language of conversation on the factory floor. Together with the neighboring suburb of hamtramck, this reporters home town, it once constituted michigans largest single, contiguous polish community. To date, the project team at the institute for research on labor, employment, and the economy irlee and the. Poletown historic district, chene street commercial district, chene. Author to bring story of detroit mafia history to ferndale. The chene street history project is developing a comprehensive social and commercial history of the neighborhoods along detroits chene. The chene ferry market was one of several openair markets established in the 1850s, along with the eastern market.
Everything, 2666, stitches, deeper than midnight, broken monsters, we need. Kraft compiled a comprehensive list of establishments that made chene street one of the most prosperous retail business districts in the country. Hearths and geological features from the holcombe beach site near lake saint clair show that paleoindian people settled in the area of detroit as early as 11,000 years ago. Aretha franklins niece, cristal, was amazed by the detroit city councils order to officially change the name of chene park amphitheatre to honor her aunt. Chene park commons apartments, 2001 chene street, detroit. She has also engaged in a number of major editorial projects, including the threevolume award winning city of promises 2012 nyu press and serving as editorinchief of the tenvolume posen library of jewish culture. Composed mainly of confrontations between black residents and the detroit police department, it began in the early morning hours of sunday july 23, 1967, in detroit, michigan. Mary bailey, of the detroit news, writes, abbott street was opened in 1835 and was named for james abbott jr. Chene park is a city of detroit recreation department facility, managed and operated by the right productions, inc. As a white child i spent 1950s summers in detroit on the southwest side, and, of course, never heard of that nabe.
Dec 27, 2014 video i took december 2014 driving on chene starting from i94 going towards gratiot. A big thanks to mister blue of detroit 300 for setting me straight on annabelle street. Chene park features 5,000 covered pavilion seats and 1,000 lawn spaces and probably hundreds more free spectators with free seats on boats that routinely drop anchor along the detroit river behind the stage during performances. Cheneferry was not yet standing by 1921 according to the sanborn. After location, 1864, in lafayette street and in west forth street, 1868, modern detroit knows it as situated in highland avenue, where it carries on a work for the aged, sick, and poor, under support of the episcopalian church parishes. Once one of the citys most vibrant commercial corridors and home to hundreds of small and mediumsized businesses, many of them run by immigrant families and african americans. Just what chenes activities were during this period is not clear. As this tie continued strengthening, workers would encourage relatives and friends to begin work in the cigar industry. The precipitating event was a police raid of an unlicensed, afterhours bar then known as a blind pig, on the corner of 12th today rosa parks boulevard and clairmount. Detroit chene street history project economic growth. Poletown historic district, chene street commercial. Annes is a history of the french settlers of detroit.
In 1872, the centre park library opened across the street from the current location of the skillman branch in downtown detroit at. Odells lounge chene street, detroit detroit history, bird house. Discouraged, the savages, never fond of manual labor, gave up in disgust, and on september 15 began a leisurely retreat northward without having taken boons boro. Aug 07, 2015 detroits blues scene eventually mimicked the migration patterns of the jazz scene, but on a much smaller scale. A history of wageearning women in the united states, alice. Chene park commons apartments, 2001 chene street, detroit, mi. Chene street ran through the center of detroits poletown, the home of. By bill loomis the detroit news the names are still familiar on street signs in detroit. Chene street cuts through the east side of detroit from the detroit river to the general motors detroithamtramck assembly plant at the hamtramck border. My 1926 detroit street guide lists an annabelle avenue, but it appears as though the only annabelle avenue in michigan now is the one in hazel park.
Reading the last chapter at detroits oldest bookstore. Abandoned mom and pop grocer chene st detroit by robert monaghan 4 5 photo removed refresh. C r e a t i v e g e n e update on the chene street project. The book s subtitle growing up on the east side of detroit in the 1930s, 40s and 50s tends to conceal its ethnic content, but the book s focus is metropolitan detroits chene street area. Unfortunately, its fate was sealed once the powers of industry decided to force local government to demolish the north end of poltown and, conversely, ignore the southern end in the interest of public good. Black bottom was a predominantly black neighborhood in detroit, michigan demolished for redevelopment in the early 1960s and replaced with the lafayette park. Life and times growing up in detroits little poland. Emigrating from poland, agnes and zygmund kowalski began their careers as owners of a small grocery store on chene street in detroit, michigan. Moundbuilders lived in the area and mounds were noted at several locations in presentday detroit, including at fort wayne and springwells in the 17th century, the region was inhabited by the. It is a terra cotta gothic cathedral that sits in a quiet, shady spot near the ambassador bridge at ste.
About 5 years ago marian who once livedvisited on chene street got an idea to collect information and memorabilia about the people and businesses that have inhabited chene street in detroit, michigan over a 100 year time span, 18901990. Cheneferry was home to the citys first recycling program, which remained in the area until 2007. Owner says used bookseller in midtown cant survive anymore. The mile and a half stretch of the street from the i94 expressway to mack avenue was one once lined with all types of shops, bakeries, ethnic restaurants, bars and other businesses that were supported by the strong polish community. Apr 14, 2017 the 10 best books about the motor city. Soul food chene st detroit 1008 by robert monaghan 2 4 photo. The mile and a half stretch of the street from the i94 expressway to mack avenue was one once lined with all types of shops, bakeries, ethnic. The chene street commercial district achieves its significance from its role as an early polish immigrant community in detroit. Polish genealogical society of michigan storesklep. Today, virtually no signs of those neighborhoods remain. His research interests include public history and in particular the history of detroits ethnic, racial and religious communities.
Author and historian david lee poremba, acting manager of the burton historical collection at the detroit public library, has written a concise and highly readable history that will appeal to many generations of readers, both old and young, resident and visitor. Aretha franklins name on chene park okd by city council. The books subtitle growing up on the east side of detroit in the 1930s, 40s and 50s tends to conceal its ethnic content, but the books focus is metropolitan detroits chene street area. Conot had a gift for exploring large themes through the lives of ordinary people, and then placing those lives. The chene street story by helen kraft polish genealogical society. Purportedly he has over 400 photographs and oral histories of the place. Update on the chene street project c r e a t i v e g. Detroits blues scene eventually mimicked the migration patterns of the jazz scene, but on a much smaller scale. Marian has a faculty appointment at the ums frankel center for judaic studies, where he lectures on 20th century detroit history. It was located on detroits near east side and was bounded by gratiot avenue, brush street, vernor highway, and the grand trunk railroad tracks. Video i took december 2014 driving on chene starting from i94 going towards gratiot. The market has been vacant since it closed in 1990. Located just east of tricentennial state park and harbor, it contains a 6,000seat amphitheater where concerts are regularly scheduled every summer. The cheneferry municipal public market was the last of detroits municipal markets to open, in the 1920s, according to the book detroits historic eastern market, by randall fogelman and lisa rush.
Over the course of its 300year history, detroit has been sculpted into a city unique in the american. Unlike neighborhoods of today, the homes varied significantly in architecture and many were two family structures. When my girls were little i would take them to stony creek every year to plant some pine trees. At this time detroit was a smaller farming community whose central hub was located along the detroit river. Descendants track their french connections back to detroits birth. This book is a fascinating document of history and change in one of the united states most important cities. Alexandrine avenue alfred street antietam street april 24 bagg street boulevard brandon avenue buchanan street campau street canfield avenue canfield street charlotte avenue chase street chene city limits date of change detroit easterly line eighteenth street elliott avenue feet northerly field avenue fourteenth street fremont street fulton.
Wonderful, rare history of detroit s usually ignored, but important, black neighborhood. She has also engaged in a number of major editorial projects, including the threevolume award winning city of promises 2012 nyu press and serving as editorinchief. The 1967 detroit riot, also known as the 12th street riot, was the bloodiest incident in the long, hot summer of 1967. Black bottom neighborhood detroit historical society. Its main commercial strips were on hastings and st. Chene park amphitheatre is the most exciting concert space in the heart of downtown detroit. After growing up in the prohibition era in povertyridden suburbs of the city, he went on to. Soul food chene st detroit 1008 by robert monaghan 2 4 photo removed refresh.
Chene street ran through the center of detroit s poletown, the home of many polish immigrants. This apartment community also offers amenities such as 24hour emergency maintenance, building laundry facilities and clubhouse and is located on 2001 chene street in the 48207 zip code. Deborah dash moore has been in recent years teaching and studying documentary photography and has been involved in the chene street project, a public history project in detroit. Chene street and its surrounding blocks are among the most devastated and depopulated in the city. Since 2002, the work of the detroit chene street history project has resulted in numerous conference and community presentations and the development of an upperlevel university course which uses chene street as a model for studying detroit history.