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Old 02-19-2009, 09:01 PM   #1
nthfinity
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Default Detroit; her crubling past





The Highland Park PD - A couple miles down the road. Always an adventure as I pass through.



















Continental Motors








Highland park Adult Education Facility







More Michigan Central Rail











Some visual perspective on what the loss of industry can do for you too! Urban exploration is a pretty popular past time here now, so there's always good pics of what once was.

The Model T plant in Highland Park, Michigan. I drive past this almost every day, but there is now a new development in front of it.





Ford World Headquarters from the early century



The Ford Piquette Plant



(this facility is now used, or is attempting to be used as an automotive heritage center)

The Studebaker Piquette Plant





It's unfortunate end:





Fisher Body Plant 21







Packard Motors



















Russell Industrial Center



Michigan Central Rail









Detroit Boat Club





Belle Isle Stables



Rivertown



8th Precinct Police Station





Detroit Northeastern High



Highland Ave Apartments



Brush Park (this is the neighborhood behind Camilo Pardo's downtown studio. Attempts are being made to restore some of these buildings, but it is slow going)
















these images bring me to the verge of tears. I really wish I could've seen Detroit in all her glory. These relics and architecture were a result of the men who changed the world.




These guys would throw celebrations equal, or larger in size to the World's Fair...
http://tbn0.google.com/hosted/images...06dd7c6f_large
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Old 02-19-2009, 09:24 PM   #2
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Some of those pictures are pretty sad. Those buildings would have looked great in their glory. The Highland Park Police Station is very intriguing though. It's as if they just left and forgot to take their stuff with them.
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Old 02-19-2009, 09:25 PM   #3
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This has been the most depressing week for the American automotive history.
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Old 02-19-2009, 10:33 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by HeilSvenska View Post
This has been the most depressing week for the American automotive history.
Ahem. the last 53 years of Automotive history.
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Old 02-20-2009, 03:17 AM   #5
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Well. Yes. But as of this week, the chance of Detroit's revival seems impossible.
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Old 02-20-2009, 04:42 AM   #6
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These are just so sad to see. What's the story on the police station that still has writing on a white board?

I also miss the old Willy's plant, even if that wasn't in Detroit.

and I take it you had to have a connection or two to get into some of these places.
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Old 02-20-2009, 08:24 AM   #7
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^I did a quick Google search. The whiteboard relates to the investigation of a string of rape/murders of prostitutes by Benjamin Thomas Atkins. He killed 11 prostitutes.
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Old 02-20-2009, 12:22 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by 79TA View Post
These are just so sad to see. What's the story on the police station that still has writing on a white board?

I also miss the old Willy's plant, even if that wasn't in Detroit.

and I take it you had to have a connection or two to get into some of these places.
Directly to the Packard plants; and indirectly to a few other buildings. One I ~think~ I posted earlier that my great-great grandfather built lettoss from Belle Isle, right next to what would later be Uniroyal's first production location. That building is in surprisingly "good" condition, and has been converted to Lofts. It used to be Iron and Brass fittings originally primarily for indoor plumbing pieces. As the Auto Industry boomed, he converted to becoming a parts supplier for the OEM's... I have letters personally signed by Henry Ford and the like celebrating my great great grandfather's birthday, and time in the industry...

(different side of the family than the Packards)









Uniroyal Tire

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Old 02-20-2009, 02:26 PM   #9
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Beautiful yet sad pics.
And yes about the RE comment, those places look like the perfect setting for 28 days later. Which only reinforces my belief that americans should keep on moving towards the entertainment industry.
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Old 02-20-2009, 09:07 PM   #10
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That's pretty unbelievable, I am guessing organizations like the UAW are intricately linked to these outcomes?
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Old 02-27-2009, 09:04 AM   #11
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amazing places they make for great motives!

also someone should lern2hold his camera straight...
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Old 03-12-2009, 03:13 PM   #12
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really amazing.
leaving the sad aspects for the city beside, these buildings offer a very impressive scenery.
over here in Germany you only find st like this very rarely.

Is it legal to enter these buildings for taking some privat shots or are there people whith an eye on that? Since there is so much stuff left in some buildings, not many people seem to be interested in them?!
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Old 08-07-2009, 07:26 AM   #13
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How do you go from zero to glory and back to zero inside 100 years, just how disposable can a culture be?
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Old 08-07-2009, 09:55 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by pitfield View Post
How do you go from zero to glory and back to zero inside 100 years, just how disposable can a culture be?
Endless land, virtually endless opportunities. Detroit was a powerhouse of manufacturing prior to the auto industry; but that really defined "boom" times... People don't stay when they can go elsewhere.

Once the highways were created; the great White Flight happened which created a massive urban sprawl. People crave land, and land is what they got by leaving the city. Over a period of 5 years, the city's population dropped from 2.2 million (in the city limits) to 1 million without the state losing people. These days, we are losing people by the tens of thousands each month. The expertise found here is both aging, dwindling, and departing our universities in unbelievable numbers. As a state, we are looking at over 20% unemployment right now.

There is a lot of rich heritage here; but its almost forgotten.
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Old 08-07-2009, 10:36 AM   #15
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^^ Jesus christ, that's terrible.
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