Detroit's east riverfront people and places of yesterday

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

DETROIT S EAST RIVERFRONT

People and Places

of Yesterday

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b yKathryn Kozora

Recreation Department Coleman A. Young, Mayor
Water Board Building City of Detroit
735 Randolph Street
Detroit, Michigan 48226
(31-3) 224-1100 September 1982

To the Reader:

The City of Detroit Recreation Department is deeply involved in rebuilding the East
Riverfront through the development of a series of parks and linkages connecting
downtown to Belle Isle and through the improvements to its extensive set of parklands
on the far east edge of the City. With the help of the Mayor's Office, other City
Departments, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management
Program, we are trying to increase the awareness and use of our most important regional
recreational resource: the Detroit Riverfront. This booklet is one element in that
long-range goal. It is designed to briefly introduce you to the past of the East
Riverfront in order to help understand the present and look to the changing future.

The study was researched and written by Kathryn Kozora, an Urban Planning Intern
sponsored by the Wayne State University/City of Detroit Consortium Project, and placed
in the Recreation Department in 1982. Ms. Kozora's research on the people and places
of the East Riverfront seemed worth sharing with the increasing number of Detroit
residents and visitors who are beginning to enjoy this area. Thus, the booklet has
been designed to give some background on the fascinating history of an area that has
been agricultural and industrial, residential, commercial, and recreational at
different times in its history. The plum trees are gone from the early farms, as are
most of the shipping related facilities, but many of the industrial buildings still
stand and the street names and river activities remind us of its important past.

History can be traced through architectural changes, street names, the examination of
archeological finds, books.and old newspapers. Particularly helpful to this study has
been the 1890 Silas Farmer History of Detroit and Michigan, an unmatched source of
early information and pictures, and maps in the Detroit Public Library Burton Historical
Collection. In order to make some information more accessible, the Recreation Depart-
ment has prepared a series of brochures, booklets and reports on the riverfront. These
include the East Riverfront Bicycle and Walking Tour, Detroit's Beautiful Belle Isle
Park, Detroit's Riverfront Parks, and Detroit's Fishing Sites. Future publications
include an Architectural History of-the area as well as further recreational planning
studies. Most are available on request by calling the Recreation Department during
regular business hours.

We hope you enjoy this publication and find it useful.
FEZ-

ljncerely yours

Daniel H. Krichbaum, Director Harriet Saperstein, Project Coordinator

DHK:HS:gl Daniel H. Krichbaurn. Director

The printing Of this booklet is through the courtesy of
Greater Detroit Chamber Of Commerce

US Department of Commerce
NOAA Coastal Services Center Library
2234 South Hobson Avenue
Charleston, SC 29405-2413

Cover Illustration - Detroit Riverfront 1826

Beginnings

.The land that was to become Detroit began emerging from under hundreds of feet

of glacial ice 15,000 years ago. Retreating ice started a process that caused

huge lakes to form and recede over vast periods of time. By 7500 B. C. the Great

Lakes water system was much as it is now, with the channels known as the St. Clair

and Detroit rivers discharging Lake Huron waters through Lake St. Clair into Lake

Erie. Except for higher water levels which brought the water's edge to approxi-

mately Lafayette and then Jefferson, what we see today echos the ancient shore-

line.

There is very little archeological evidence of Indian presence in the Detroit

area before 1640, at which time a group called "Aictaeronon," with unknown tribal

affiliations, formed a small village. Although several other tribes were known

to have settled in the area, none was present when Detroit's founder, Antoine

de la Mothe Cadillac, arrived from New France.with his own Indian followers. Early

French travelers to the region had called all the waters between Lakes Erie and

Huron "etroit," meaning strait, and when settling the land in 1701, 'Vetroit"

(of the strait) was commonly used. Initially, both sides of the river were known

simply as north and south 'Vetroit."

The Detroit River has always played an important role in the development of the

city and it was not by chance that the French.explorer Cadillac, well acquainted

with the territory, chose his site for Fort Pontchartrain. Located on the first

rise of ground from the river between what is now Griswold and Shelby Streets,

the fort coffrianded control of the waterway and was a sound military as well as

commercial choice. Detroit was, to become the center of an already vast fur

trading empire.

Early Years - Detroit and East Riverfront

Construction of the fort was begun immediately upon arrival while outside the

barricade, a small log church was built., Called St. Anne's, legend says it

was named in honor of the saint's feast-on the day of their arrival. Indians

settled around the fort and with a handful of people, a small center of civil-

ization was formed on the edge of the wilderness. Life centered around the fort

and initially all growth was within its barricades but by 1708 a number of farms

began to stretch east along the river. Cadillac granted long, narrow properties,

the boundries of which were ditches that separate d the "ribbon" farms. This

system provided each owner with access to the river while keeping the occupants

close together for convenience and safety.

(Clements - U of M)

Fort Established by Cadillac

Log houses with stone chimneys and ovens were built hear the river on a path that

would first be called Old River Road, then Water Street and finally Atwater. Beside

each home there was a garden, in back an orchard and, in the more distant fields,

crops of wheat and corn.. Some of the earlies't inhabitants of the east riverfront

were M. St. Aubin, Charles Chene, Jean Beaubien, Louis Campau and Charles Moran.

The Moran house, built in 1734, was still standing in 1883 on Woodbridge Street

between St. Antoine and Hastings (Chrysler freeway). A replica of this building

is now in the Detroit Historical Museum.

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The Old Moran House

Since the land had been granted by Cadillac, a number of requirements had to be

fulfilled. Owners had to begin improvemeint of the land within a certain period of

time and pay annual dues, with an extra fee charged for the right to trade. They

had to have their grain ground at the public mill and annua Ily they would plant a

maypole at the door of Cadillac, theirsigneur. If an owner wished to sell his
property, he had-first to offer it to Cadillac.

When Cadillac was appointed governor of Louisiana in 1710, the confusion'over

land grants prevented new settlement in the town. From 1728, land grants were

handled from France with Louis XIV leasing land and directing settlement. In

1734, the Governor General and Intendent of New France began granting what are

now known as the Private Claims.

Throughout this early period of growth, the center of activity was focused on

the fort and commons -- life flowed around the seasons with the bells of St.

.Anne's sounding the angelus, calling all to prayer each day. The French Roman

Catholic influence was very strong in Detroit's early history and religious

practices were woven into the normal functions of the city. By 1754 there were

settlers on both sides of the river and on either side of the fort. To make
it more convenient for all to attend church services, Jacques Campau built a

small church near his farm on the river near Dubois Street. It came to be known

as the Red Chapel and until 1824 played an important role in the various re-

ligious ceremonies and many processions which took place in the city.

St. Anne's Church - 1818

Detroit became involved in the French and Indian War by 1758 and when the British

took Montreal, Detroit was surrendered. By 1763, an increasing dissatisfaction

with British rule led to an Indian uprising.where Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas,

tried to lure the French into a conspiracy to retake British settlements, includ-

ing Detroit. This was the beginning of a battle that raged for five months and

involved Detroit in a massacre now referred to as the Battle of Bloody Run. In

an encounter filled with treachery, betrayal and intrigue Pontiac ambushed the
British-near a narrow wooden bridge over'Parent's Creek (Jefferson and Adair).

Legend says that an old white-wood tree near the creek was a silent witness to

the s1aughter and for many years was called the "Pontiac Tree." During the

sieqe, the British retreated to the farm of James Campau (located between Dubois

and Chene Streets)* and it was his young son who brought the mutilated body of

the British Captain,back to the fort. A peace treaty with Pontiac was even-

tually signed, though Indian unrest continued.

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*An ar-cheological investigation was
conducted at this location during
the summer of 1982. Uncovered were
ol'd arti.facts dating from the
househ
1700s as well as evidence of prehis-
toric occupation.

The Pontiac Tree

Despite the change in power, there were few alterations in the established

patterns at the isolated outpost. The onset of the Revolutionary War drew atten-

tion once again to the importance of the Great Lakes water system and the British

built Fort' Lernoult (renamed Fort Shelby at the close of the war) to protect

their interests. While Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the United

States in 1783, it was not until 1796 that they actually left the Detroit area.

Political turmoil was so extreme that Detroit sent two representatives to the

Canadian Legislature after being 'incorporated' into Upper Canada in 1791.

PLAN of the TOWN & FORTIFICATIONS at DETROIT
As they stood before the year 1796
from T. Smiths Map made May 30th 1818, With additions from Noles
obtained from the War Department, showing its
relation to the present plan of the City
Scale 400 feet to 1 inch.

Map of the City in 1796

After Fort Shelby was established and integrated with the existing structures,

a street pattern began to emerge within the barricades. Circling the town was a

roadway called the Chemin de Ronde, while St. Louis, St. Anne (Jefferson), St.

James and St. Joseph were the main streets running east and west. The inhabi-

tants of the fort-city were served by two wharves -- Public or King's Wharf and

Merchant's Wharf. King's Wharf was still in use in 1823. Three streams drained

into the Detroit River from near the town: Campau's River (later called May Creek)

on the west, Parent's Creek on the east and the Savoyard, which ran parallel to

the river behind the fort. With currents strong enough to keep a grist mill

turning most of the year, the Savoyard was a favorite for fishing and was busy

with canoes heading towards the river.

Early Detroit was described as having vast prairies bordered by orchards of wild

plum, mission pear, apple and cherry trees. An abundance of wild grapes flour-

ished and wild flowers were everywhere. All manner of animal life was represented

including otter, elk, deer and buffalo while wolves, bison and bear roamed the

surrounding woods and forests. The Detroit Mver was said to be remarkable in its

beauty with clear, calm waters and sandy beaches where canoes were pulled to a

shoreline that contained dozens of inlets and finger bays. The river was a

St. Anne's Street 1800

busy thoroughfare in the warm months and in the winter a frozen bed on which sleds

and teams could cross. It has.been noted that a small shanty built in the middle

of the river dispensed warmth and good cheer to the weary traveler. To the city

dweller within the fort, or "inside the pickets," the farms scattered along the

river were considered to be country.

It was to the country that all fled during the fire of 1805. Everyone not fight-

ing the fire rushed with belongings to the river's edge. Fire had always been

a fearful but familiar presence to the early settlers, and continued to be so

for many years. Besides those caused by accident, fire was also used as a major

weapon during hostilities between Indians, French and British and Detroit's

earliest history records conflagrations too numerous to mention. The city that

burned to the ground was not rebuilt; a new city was planned.

A short time before the tragedy, the Michigan Territory had been established with

Detroit as the seat of a government which included an appointed Governor and

three judges as the governing body. To aid in the rebuilding of the city, a

federal land grant was awarded Detroit and it was at this time that Judge

Augustus Woodward submitted a plan for the new city which included the division

and granting of land. Much of what transpired over this disposition of property

had a significant impact on the physical and political development of Detroit.

This was particularly true of the riverfront where most of the privately owned
property south of St. Anne Street was land excluded from the Woodward plan.

Recovery from the fire and turmoil created by continuing Indian hostilities which
led to the War of 1812, left Detroit and its people at their lowest ebb. With
population down to 1440, a painful if temporary, period was experienced that was
gradually altered as great advances in transportation, communication and tech-
nolo gy brought about major changes affecting the way of life in the United States.

1800 - 1850

With the opening of the Erie Canal, the early 1800s brought steam navigation and

the beginning of the settlement of the west. The Detroit River, now a water path-

way connecting Detroit to the eastern seaboard and the Atlantic Ocean, put the city

on the migratory route. The completion of-a canal at Sault Ste. Marie connecting

Lake Superior and Lake Huron joined Detroit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

where accessibility to its lumber and mineral resources lured business and labor-

ers to the north as well as industry to locations along the Detroit River. The

changing land use patterns on the east riverfront reflected these new business

interests as the heirs of the original French Farm owners sold their land to

those implementing the new economy.

In addition to the abundance of raw materials for industry -- copper, iron ore

and coal -- building materials were also plentiful. These included sand, plaster,

and a large supply of-bri,ck clay and limestone. At this time, Michigan also pro-

duced more lumber than any other state. All of-these resources can be traced to

activities on the east riverfront. The Hart Map of Detroit in 1853 shows a dozen

The First Steamer, Walk-in-the-Water
Detroit Riverfront r 1818

saw mills with accompanying lumber yards, a shipyard and drydock on the river

between Riopelle and Dequindre, a large lime kiln located at the foot of Dequindre

and the city's Hydraulic works and reservoir at the foot of Orleans.,

From the early 1880s, various railroad companies had huge land holdings on both

the east and west riverfront which provided lines for the movement of raw mater-

ials, finished products and people. The first of these companies on the east

riverfront was the Pontiac and Detroit Railroad which occupied the land from

Randolph to Beaubien and later to Riopelle. The Detroit and Milwaukee, the Great

Western and the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee were some of the numerous

companies that were associated with this section of the riverfront, often two or

three companies at a time. A vast railroad complex was formed that became the

center of much freight and passenger activity.

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The Detroit and Milwaukee Depot

Detroit Docks and Repair Yard Detroit Dry Dock Company, foot of Orleans

Shipbuilding became a successful early industry on the east riverfront which re-

tained its importance until the early 1900s. At this time, new technology began

to make wooden ships obsolete and the shortage of space on the riverfront property

made it impossible to expand the facilities. In 1852, the first large vessel, a

wooden propeller steamer designed to carry passengers and freight, was launched

from what was to become the Detroit Dry Dock Company located at the foot of Orleans.

As the center of wooden shipbuilding in Detroit, the-Detroit Dry Dock Company

supported numerous related industry. Among these were the Frontier Iron Works at

210 Chene which produced marine engines, the East End Boiler Works at 255 St., Aubin,

the Taylor Water Tube Boiler Company at 1440 Franklin and the Murphy Iron Works

at 3198 Guoin, manufacturers of marine and stationary engines. Under the leader-

ship of Frank E. Kirby, one of the owners of the Detroit Dry Dock Company and a

naval architect, many innovative vessels were developed including the "Lansdowne,"

a Detroit River railroad car ferry that was the largest ship on the lakes when

launched in 1881. It is still in existence and there are plans to restore it

as a floating restaurant. The Detroit Dry Dock Company was to become known for

its major advances in wooden shipbuilding and enjoyed a nationwide reputation.

Other early industry on the east riverfront included the Schulte Brothers Soap

Factory at Franklin and Rivard, one of the oldest establishments in Detroit.

"German," "German Laundry" and "Indian Chief" were some of the.soap varieties

produced. The American Eagle Tobacco Company at 45-53 Woodbridge was started

in 1848 and was one of a growing number of firms that created a viable industry

around tobacco in Detroit. The Berry Brothers Varnish Manufactury opened in 1858

on the corner of Leib and Wight. Scattered around the area were a number of

foundries and tanneries. These smaller industrial firms usually employed just

one or two people and had apprentices training.

MERICA EAGLE TOBACCO COMPANY
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American Eagle Tobacco Company Schulte Brothers

Next to the Detroit Dry Dock Company was the reservoir of the City of Detroit.

With increasing numbers of people in the city, supplying water became a problem.

In the days of the French farms, planks had been extended into the river and water

was drawn with buckets. Later, several wells were dug near the river and in 1824

a wharf was erected at the foot of Randolph Street where the Peter Berthelet family

was in charge of the operation that supplied free water. This method was unsatis-

factory but was in use until-1835. In 1836 the City of Detroit purchased land from

the Dequindre Farm three water lots with a frontage of 350 feet on the river at

the foot of Orleans just east of the shipyard. Work began immediately on the wharf,

reservoirs and the round house. The plan for the hydraulic works was copied from

the Old Manhattan Works of New York City and had a 50-foot tower topped by a wooden

tank that was 20 feet high. A narrow, winding stairway led to the top of the tower

where "in olden times, a visit was one of the things to be enjoyed by a7l visitors."

This system was in use until 1860 when another larger complex was built farther

east on the river.

Old Round House Foot of Orleans

People

By 1850 the population of Detroit was 21,000. From 1825, steamship service from

the east had brought a steady trickle of immigrants, primarily German and Irish

along with Easterners moving west. Famine brought massive numbers of Irish to

the United States between 1840 and 1855. While the majority remained on the

eastern coast because of strong religious ties that held them to established

parishes, Detroit's early Roman Catholic heritage proved to be a force in draw-

ing the Irish to the Detroit area. They were to become themost important

foreign born group until the heavy German migration starting in the mid-1800s.

Within the German community there existed two large congregations, one Catholic

and the other Protestant. It was the Roman Catholic contingent that settled with

the Irish and French-Canadian Roman Catholics on the east side of Detroit. These

three groups made up the east riverfront neighborhoods and created a pattern of

residential population that was sustained well into the 1900s. There was a German

Catholic Church located north of the area on St. Antoine and Sts. Peter and Paul

Church on Jefferson and St. Antoine, built in 1884, also served the Catholic

residents.

Church of Sts. Peter and Paul

Away from the main stream of commercial and financial activities which took place

west of Woodward, the east riverfropt took on an identity of its own. From a

hodge-podge of mixed use starting with the mansions on Jefferson to the variety

of industry found on the water's edge, neighborhoods emerged producing a kaliede-

scope of activity.

The resident population lived in small one and two story frame houses built along

Linpaved stneets.. Homes were clustered on Franklin, Woodbridge, Wight Streets or

scattered throughout the area and interspersed with stores, shops and the build-

ings of craft and industry. A myriad. of small business and other services emerged

blacksmiths, barbers, bakers and butchers;, shoemakers, saloon keepers along with

a seamstress or two. Grocery, drygoods, notion and drug stores provided for

resident needs. Meat markets, machine shops and warehouses were side by side.

Boarding houses and a number of small hotels provided the housing for the transient

population -- sailors, travelers and the countless hangers-on of an immense new

indus try based.on the world-wide movement of people and goods.

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Woodworth's Steamboat Hotel 1819
Corner of Woodbridge and Randolph Streets

Detroit's. economic organization provided a large..number of jobs for laborers that

were primarily filled by the Irish.and German immigrants., Employment was available

on the east riverfront in the numerous sawmills and railroad related jobs. A

higher than ayeragewage of $1.36, for,a ten-hour day also attracted large numbers

of pe ople to the various shipbuilding and related firms. Many skilled Irish

laborers worked in iron and steel industries while self-employed Irish included

large numbers of draymen, those who pulled the 2-wheeled carts used for shuttling

coal and freight between warehouses, railroad terminals, docks and stores. Some

owned teams and wagons that were used for hauling freight on the docks and through-

out the city. Watchmen and guards seemed to command a high salary and in a letter

home an Irish watchman reported earning $70 per month.

There were fifty taverns and saloons listed in the 1855 Detroit.Directory and a

large number of them were located on the east riverfront, evenly divided between

German and Irish ownership. A large percentage of the German.population were shop-

keepers while traditional employment of the Irish included, besides draymen and

those in the iron and stee.1 industry, custom shoemakers, woodworkers and black-

smiths.

The emerging industrial cities were also providing jobs for women. The tobacco
industry, where most of the work was done by hand, had over 200 female workers at

72-cents per day in 1880. Women also Worked in the shoe-factories and on the

east riverfront the Mumford, Foster Last Company located at 401 Atwater, was a
major employer. East riverfront als.o.provided its share of the 1128 Irish and
German domestics employed throughout the city. *Clerking was.another i,mportant source
of employment for women where as much as $9 per week could be earned in-the retail

stores opening on Woodward and Jefferson.

East Riverfront Environment

An editorial written in the 1885 Detroit Directory deplores the condition of the

three mile Detroit riverfront. The writer observes that the various owners are

protecting, improving or neglecting their property at will "and in some instances

have wholly barred the passage of the public from the water's edge." He states

that the docks, with few exceptions, were in disrepair with "accidents and loss

of life not uncommon." Also reported are a new line of docks being constructed

from Orleans to the west side. Historically, there had been a continuous filling-

in and expansion of the river's edge. As early as 1804, city officials approved

the building of wooden cribs at the edge of the riv er that were to be filled with

rubbish and other materials to create more land. In 1819, while giving permission

for the building of a wharf at the foot of Randolph Street, it was noted that "as

the city grew, an increasing amount of rubbish and refuse was deposited on the low

grounds at the river's edge. This created an almost constant nuisance." In 1826,

permanent improvement of the riverfront was begun by depositing earth from the

enbankment of Ft. Shelby along the edge of the riverfront. This work continued

until 1834. By 1889 an international agreement was made ending all further expan-

sion of the river's edge.

Streets had been introduced into the east riverfront area as they were needed. The

earliest were Woodbridge, Hastings and Franklin in 1826, Rivard in 1833 and Guoin

in 1835. Wight, Dubois, Riopelle and Chene followed in the 1850s. Walker, Mt.

Elliott, Joseph Campau and Adair in the 1860s. Streets began and ended where use

and need dictated. Where paving was used at all, wood, brick and stone were

various paving materials represented at different periods of time. In 1842, wooden
sidewalks were beginning to be popular within the city and in 1851 gas lamps were

introduced for street lighting.

1850 - 1890

Population figures show a jump from-21,000 in 1850 to 116,000 in 1880. The

total foreign population was 44,000. The late 1800s saw an expansion of iron

-and steel related industry as well as the introduction of new industries along

the riverfront which provided employment for the increasing population. Total

value of manufactured gooIds went from $5 million in 1860 to $33 million in 1890

with the east riverfront sharing in this growth. Some of the industries repre-

sented were:

1864 - Mumford, Foster and Company Last Factory - Located at 401 Atwater betweeen

Riopelle and Atwater, this company made up to 100,000 pairs of shoes per year.
.1867 - Detroit Flax Company - Located at 210 Chene Street, it became the Frontier

Iron Works in 1872 and the'Northern Engineering Works in 1885.

1870 - Globe Tobacco Factory - Located at 31-35 Atwater Street

1860 - Detroit Linseed Oil Company Located at Leib and Wight Streets

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Detroit Linseed Oil Globe Tobacco
Company Works Factory

1882 - Lauhoff Corporation - Located at 241 Chene, this is a family operated

business manufacturing milling and food machinery that is still in existence.

1884 - Parke Davis and Company, Manufacturing Chemists - Founded by Dr. Samuel
P. Duffield and Harvey C. Parke in 1862. the company moved to their riverfront

location at the foot of Joseph Campau where they were second only to New York' in

total Yalue of pharmaceutical products manufactured.

1887 - Vail and Cranes Cracker Factory - Located at 48-56 Woodbridge Street

1890 - Globe Foundry Company - Located at 2685 Atwater Street

1892 - Ireland and Matthews Manufacturing Company - Located on Iron Street this

company made stove trimmings and plumbing supplies. It was the employer of large

numbers of Irish immigrant workers.

1899 Eaton and Son Chemical and Dyewood Storehouse Located at 1490 Franklin

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Laboratory of Parke, Davis & Company, foot of McDougall Avenue 1884

Other industry represented on the east riverfront,included t@ejeninsular Car
Works producing ra.ilroad cars, the Detroit Stlove Company established in 1870 and
the Michigan Stove Company established in 1872._, The latter two companies involved
Detroit and the east riverfront in the world-wide distribution.of stoves.

14!

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Michigan Stove Company's Works and Wareroom
with Pontiac Tree

The railroad companies also grew and as time passed, more land was accumulated

for railroad tracks, warehouses for freight, round houses and expanded depot

faci-lities. Because the river was an impediment to the movement of railroad cars,

self-propelled steamers were,used to transport the cars from one side of the river

to the other. The first boat was commissioned from London, in 1867 and carried

14 freight cars from the docks at the foot of Beaubien to Windsor, Ontario. A

complex, system of lifts and tracks enabled the transport of materials,without

.. .......

'E17-7."

Railroad Ferry Dock

loading and unloading. Prior to the railroad ferry, all.goods had to be trans-

ferred to ferries by hand and then reloaded again. The new boats handled 15,000

passenger cars and 400,000 freight cars annually in the late 1800s.

As early as 1871 there was talk of a tunnel to Canada for railroad cars and a

site was chosen at the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad station at St. Antoine. After

digging for 135 feet, the work was abandoned. Michigan Centeral Railroad built a

tunnel on the west riverfront but not until 1910. As industrial activity increased

on the riverfront, other transportation methods were utilized. A private sidetrack
el for the factories and foundries provided daytime service by horse-drawn cars and a

freight tramway on the docks of the Moffat Etherly Lumber Company was also in use in

the late 1800s. Two ferry slips with dockage,facilities at the foot of Beaubien and

St. Antoine provided transportation service for passengers with carriages. After

the advent of the automobile, car ferry service was established. As passenger and

freight traffic increased, the depot at the foot of Brush was expanded to contain

two restaurants, a baggage room and a larger waiting room. Eventually a custom house

opened across from the depot and at the end of the 1800s, three trolley lines went

by the busy Brush Street Depot.

Another utility located on the east riverfront was the Detroit City Gas Com-

pany formed in 1893 through the reorganization of the Mutua-l Gas Light Company

which began operation in 1872. At that time, there were almost 60 miles of

street pipe laid to serve the population east of Woodward. The new headquarters

was- located at 6559 Wight Street and this-building was recently sold to Mich-

igan Consolidated Gas Company, the successor firm.

Electricity was introduced in Detroit in 1880. The main plant was located-on the

west side on Fort Street and in 1899 the City Electric Lighting Plant was built at

24 Atwater Strebt. In the early 1900s, Station F of the Edison Illuminating Com-

pany was constructed at 64 Woodbridge.

City Electric Lighting Plant

One of the most interesting ventures located on the river was housed in a frame

building 20 x 50 feet that was constructed in 1875 at 475 Atwater Street near

Dequindre. It was a hatchery built by the State Fish Commission and it produced

316,000 fish that were deposited in the Detroit River the first year and by 18S7

nearly one hundred million fish had been raised.. A new hatchery was built

on Lafayette Street and Joseph Campau in the late 1800s.

What emerged on the riverfront was a tangle of piers, docks, wharves and rail-@

road tracks. Piles of wood, lumber and coal were conveniently left where needed.

There were stables for wagons and horses and small wooden storing shacks littered

the docks. With the river a source of ice, dozens of low sheds held ice packed

in straw waiting to be delivered throughout the city. Swarms of draymen hauling

loads fought their way to destinations, then back again in an endless round of

deliveries. Horse drawn wagons, carrying freight added to the fray. It is easy-

to imagine a million transactions with bartering and bargaining played out as a

back-drop to business-as-usual. Filling the air around the activity was the

penetrating baritone of the ships signalling to one another, the foreman bellow-

ing orders to longshoreman, the shrill whistle of locomotives, the whine of the

sawmills and the rumble of industry. Combined, it must have reverberated through-

out the area, imbedding itsel-f into the lives of-all who lived, worked or visited

there. How far removed from the tranquility of the French farms, but what an

exciting spectacle of movement and sound it must have provided!

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The spectre of fire remained and the east riverfron.t sustained millions of dollars

worth of damages in the 1800s. Precautions were taken to lessen the possibility

of fire with the formation of wards to create fire districts, the placing of fire

alarm boxes throughout the area, the appointment of "Inspector of Chimneys" and

"Inspector of Firewood" as well as the stationing of three fire boats in the river.

At one time, a watchman was stationed in the steeple of the Presbyterian Church

on State Street to signal early warnings but nothing could really curtail the

damage because of the extent of the use of wood and the lack of technology in

fire-fighting.equipment.

In 1848, on the river between Bates and Randolph, a fire ravaged the area all the

way to Jefferson moving east destroying property to Beaubien. 300 buildings were

burned, 107 of them residences. After the fire, an ordinance was passed to further

limit the size of wooden structures in certain areas of the city. In 1866, the

offices, passenger and freight depots of three railroad companies located at the

foot of Brush were burned to the ground along with 80 railroad cars, the steam

ferry Windsor and large quantities of freight valued at over $1 million. It was

considered one of the worst fires in Detroit because of the loss of 18 lives.

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Steam Fire Engine

Transportation

Ferry service between Detroit and.Windsor provided a popular form of entertainment

during the wam months as well as supplying a much used form of trans portation.
Dating from 1802, boats left primarily'from the foot of Woodward and Randolph
Streets. These first ferries were saili@g vessels; later they were steam driven.

The Detroit and Windsor Ferry Company (later called the Detroit, Belle Isle and

Windsor Ferry Company) provided the major service between'Windsor and Detroit.

Initially, fare was 5-cents-per person in the summer and 10-cents in the winter.

"During the warm sUmmer days and evenings the boats are thronged with people who

ride back and forth to enjoy the delightful breeze and everchanging scenery." The

D & W had a fleet of ferry boats to serve the population and one of the finest ex-

amples was the Fortune measuring 120-feet by 42-feet with a capacity of over 1000

people. In the late 1800s, the Walkerville and Detroit Ferry Company, owned by

Walker and Sons, had regularly scheduled service from the foot of Joseph Campau

to Walkerville, Ontario. The ferry boats Ariel and Sapho left every 30 minutes

from 6:20 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily. The 1920 Detroit Directory estimated that

25,000 people crossed the river by ferry each day. There were also ferries trans-

porting horses, wagons, cattle and other freight which left from docks at the

foot of Beaubien and St. Aubin Streets. Carriages with passengers also left from

these docks and later these facilities were us.ed for ferrying automobiles.

Ferry Boat Argo
AL from the Detroit and
Windsor Ferry Company

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,The Chene Line One of the last horsecar lines in the city
(Schramm Collection)

Trolleys were another form of transportation used. Compared to other cities, Detroit

was lat e in establishing an adequate street system. A long and complicated history

began in 1843 with the first regularly scheduled, horse-drawn omnibus on Jefferson.

Service on the east riverfront included the Detroit City Railway Woodward line which

was extended to the Brush Street Railroad Depot on Atwater in 1880 and the Congress

and Baker line that was extended down Randolph bringing service to the depot. In

1889, the Chene Street line was initiated. It started at the city limits, East

Grand Boulevard, and ran to the river. In 1899 the portion of this line south of

Gratiot was called the South Chene line and ran to Atwater then east to Joseph Campau
making connections with the Walkerville Perry. In 180 the B'rush-Street line, an

electric, was also extended to serve the busy Brush Street Railroad Depot. While

the Brush line was abandoned in 1924, the Chene line served until 1931.

The Detroit City Railway Company constru cted its first large Car and Stable barn in

1879 on the east riverfront at 600 Woodbridge. The barn was a block long and three
stories high with a connecting track to Je"fferson Avenue.

Detroit River

The Detroit River added another dimension to city, state and federal procedures. In

1863 the city appointed a Harbormaster whose duties were to prevent interference be-

tween vessels, keep the way clear for the ferries, determine places for anchorage and

other marine related duties. He was also responsible for clearing the harbor of

obstructions and looking after the safety on the public docks while assuming the task

of the maintenance of the 26 life preservers owned by the city and placed along the

docks on the riverfront. From 1872 it was the custom that the Harbormaster be a

policeman and today the job is connected with the Detroit Police Department.

Federal involvement with marine activities was represented in various ways. The U. S.

Army Corp of Engineers was put in charge of surveys and improvements of rivers and

harbors as well as construction of canals and lighthouses. In 1880, fifteen light-

house districts were formed in the U. S. with Detroit part of the 11th District. The

U. S. Navy was responsible for placing warning bouys in the rivers and lakes and in

1870 the government purchased land from the Leib Farm and built the U. S. Lighthouse

Supply and Storage Depot at 3766 Wight. The U. 5. Coas t Guard took over the duties of

the Navy in 1939 and a large Coast Guard station is now located at the foot of Mt.

Elliott.

U. S. Lighthouse and Storage
Depot

Detroit was made a point of entry in 1799 and custom house regulations were provided

for the district. Duties had to be paid by foreign ships and vessels leaving the

United States' would be issued clearances. All sailors had certificates of nation-

ality and these, too, had to be checked at the port of entry. The U. S. Government

had a revenue steamer and th e Navy a ship to patrol the river and aid in the enforce-

ment of the laws. In 1870 Congress authorized the organization of the Signal Corps

as part of the-U. S. Army. They were responsible for the collection of data relating

to weather, tides, temperature of the river, atmospheric conditions, etc. The

information was gathered and passed by telegraph all over the country. East river-

front played a part in this service by providing the city base or 'benchmark.' This

was designated on the water table of the old water works engine house at the foot

of Orleans where it was computed at.575.28 feet above sea level.

In 1854 the Congress of the United States provided for the establishment of a Marine

Hospital in Detroit. Located behind the Lighthouse Depot on eight acres of land on

south Jefferson at Mt. Elliott, the hospital was constructed for seamen only and was

supported by a monthly tax of 40-cents per month for each person employed on board

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Marine Hospital

every registered ship. "The captain of each vessel is authorized to deduct the

amount from the wages of all employed and this sum is then collected before the

ship's license is renewed."

Riverfront Recreation

Because of industry, there was very little private or public land used for recrea-

tion. What did emerge was a number of boat clubs up and down the riverfront. The

earliest of these was the Detroit Boat Club founded in 1839, the first of its kind

in the country. The club's first headquarters were in a shop shared with the

Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railroad Company on the east riverfront. From

there it moved to the foot of Hastings Street and in 1873 the Club House was re-

located on the river between Joseph Campau and McDougall in front of the Parke,

-A

Detroit Boat Club between Joseph Campau and McDougall
(Detroit Boat Club)

Davis Company. Oarsmen from the Detroit Boat Club enjoyed an international

reputation and competed in numerous state and national rowing regattas. In 1891

the Detroit Boat Club moved to a new structure on Belle Isle.

While rowing was always a popular sport with the annual Detroit River Navy Regatta

an important event, the late 1800s saw an increase in the sport as it became a

chief pastime. Rowing clubs mushroomed and on the east riverfront the Excelsior

Boat Club operated from the foot of Joseph Campau and the Centennial Boat Club

was located on the river between Chene and Joseph Campau. Rowing clubs came from

all over the state to compete in contests and people flocked to the river to watch.

A large 2-day regatta is reported in 1877 when large grandstands were built on a

dock east of Dubois Street to hold thousands of viewers. In 1882, the National

Rowing Regatta was held in Detroit drawing huge crowds to the riverfront.

Pair-oared Shell on the.Detroit River
(Detroit Boat Club)

Educational Facilities on the East Riverfront

East Riverfront had three educational institutions represented. Located on three

acres of land on south Jefferson near St. Antoine was the first home of the Convent

of the Sacred Heart. An all-girls Catholic boarding school, it was established in

the early 1800s by wealthy French families and later also served Irish and German

Roman Catholics. Adjacent to the boarding school was The Detroit College run by

the Order of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit's). An all-male institution, it served

the wealthy Roman Catholic families of Detroit wi th tuition at $4000 per year.

The University of Detroit Engineering College, established in 1878, was located

east of St. Antoine on Jefferson Avenue.

Academy of the Sacred Heart

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Detroit College

Religious Institutions on the East Riverfront

Besides Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Jefferson Avenue was also the home of Christ

Protestant Episcopal Church, originally constructed in 1845 between Hastings and

Rivard Streets. The rectory was located behind the church on Woodbridge. In 1862

the old frame church was torn down and construction on the new building began.

Christ Protestant Episcopal Church
Original Building

Another early religious institution located within the east riverfront area was the

Jefferson Avenue M. E. Church. Originally, the society had established the Methodist

Episcopal Sunday School in a machine shop on Atwater Street which was owned by a

member of the church. Subsequently the church was erected between Riopelle and St.

Aubin Streets where it remained until 1884.

Intl If

Jefferson Avenue. M.E. Church
Orioinal Building

Cultural Institutions on the East Riverfront

Public interest in the Detroit Fire Department led to the organization of the Fire

Department Society. This organization became very popular and the yearly fees paid

by members produced enough revenue for the construction of the Firemen's Exhibition

Hall. Functioning as an important public hall for the city, concerts, lectures,

and meetings were regularly scheduled and a library and reading room were provided

for members.

Firemen's Hall Corner of Jefferson and Randolph

A series of Art Exhibitions were held in Detroit, several taking place at Firemen's

Hall. The interest stirred by these events and the efforts of the Art Loan Association

eventually led to the construction of the D2troit Art Institute on Jefferson Avenue

at Hastings Street in 1888. Three additions were made to the building to house the

growing collection. In 1889 the Detroit Museum of Art School opened and was in

operation for ten years. The new Institute of Arts on Woodward Avenue was part of

a planned Cultural Center and was dedicated in 1927.

Ell

Art Museum Jefferson Avenue and Hastinos Street

There was also a private museum on Franklin Street east of St. Antoine run by a

Dr. Louis Cavalli from 1846 until 1853. Considered the best of the private museums,

it presented a collection of rare stones, minerals and insects as well as a gallery

of paintings of great men. It was open daily to all visitors free of charge.

Early 1900s on the East Riverfront

The introduction of the automotive industry in Detroit initially involved the east

riverfront area. The Studebaker Company operated a major plant there and the first

factory of the Oldsmobile Company was located on the river east of Meldrum Street.
This site w@s to become the headquarters for the U. S. Rubber Company and still later,

the home of Uniroyal. However, as the automotive industry expanded, large factories

were built by Ford, Packard and,Dodge in the suburbs or at the edge of the city. The

large tracts of land necessary for expansion were not available on the east river-

front and this lack of space was one of the primary reasons the area began a steady

decline. A number of industrial firms in operation were able to transfer skills

and materials to meet the new industry but the automotive surge moved outward leaving

the east riverfront behind.

The 1922 Sanborn map reflects the transition from old to new business ventures.

During this period, the General Ice Delivery Company and stables were still oper-

ating on the river between Dubois and Chene Streets while auto related industry

and business began emerging throughout the area. The Packard Motor Car Company

,Used Car Sales Office and Service Station occupied a site on Woodbridge between

Beaubien and St. Antoine. Property and buildings changed hands as new companies

moved into the area including the Goebel Brewing Company which operated a plant

on the river between St. Aubin and Dubois Street. At the same time a number of

buildings were being converted to warehouse facilities; the Cro wley, Milner Com-

pany operated a warehouse and garage on.Franklin Street. Auto related business also

invaded Jefferson Avenue where the mansions were being converted to apartments and

boarding houses in order to accommodate the rapidly increasing population.

People - Early_1900s

Between 1900 and 1910 the population of Detroit jumped from 185,000 to 466,000. "In

the next ten years population had almost doubled to 994,000 which included a heavy

influx of Eastern European immigrants. Gradually, a majority of the German, Irish

and French residents moved out of the east riverfront area and the Detroit Directory

of 1919 shows a representation of over 20 nationalities from every part of the world

now residing in the area.- These new groups included Hungarian, Russian, Slavi@c,

Roumanian, Polish,and Lithuanian as well as Belgium, Arab, Turkish, Dutch and,Greek.

While much of the industrial waterfront had often been regarded as disreputable,

Detroit's proximity to Canada during the Prohibition era made the east riverfront

notorious. Between 1920 and 1930 rum-running kept the Customs Border Patrol and the

Detroit Police Department's fleet busy trying to curtail the smuggling activities

taking place or, the Detroit River. The foot of Riopelle Street was reputed to

provide a safe haven for craft and cars could be seen rushing down to the pier where

they would be loaded with the illegal goods. The "get-away" was then made down

Atwater Street. This blatant disregard for the law was said to take place throughout

the day and night.

Despite the changes and obvious decline during the early 1900s, the east riverfront

still projected a unique image. There were a variety of residential areas and a

wide array of shops and services available to take care of the needs of the people

living there. While industry did not flourish, it existed and provided economic

activity and employment. This was a brief respite before the inevitable technolo-

gical and e'conomic changes that would significantly alter the east riverfront.

Intervening Years

All the elements that had come together to create the vital mixture of riverfront

activity were to be gradually changed or completely eliminated.. As the importance of

the railroad diminished, so too did to activity around the passenger and freight

terminals along the riverfront. The raw materials that had flowed from the north in

a steady streamlessened with the discovery of copper in the west and depletion of

the forests that had supplied lumber. Wooden shipbuilding ceased and the automotive

industry moved away. Crowds vanished with the eventual demise of ferry service

brought about by the completion of the tunnel and bridge to Windsor. The orienta-

tion of the city was no longer to the river but outward towards undeveloped land.

The new Interstate freeways would contribute heavily to the decline of central city

residential neighborhoods and aid the movement of industry no longer dependent on

water transportation. The riverfront seemed temporarily abondoned, waiting, until

a new set of circumstances would again draw attention to its potential.

Towards New Beginnings

Very little seemed to happen on the east riverfront until the 1970s when the com-

bined force of Federal , state and local interest in urban waterfronts spurred

activity. Following the public and private efforts that led to Hart Plaza and

Renaissance Center, the east riverfront became the focus of the City initiated

"Linked Riverfront Parks Project." These new plans call for a series of parks
with pedestrian/bicycle pathways linkina the area between Hart Plaza and Belle

Isle. Housing and shopping areas will be interwoven with the remaining i ndustrial

sites and the new park system to create neighborhoods vibrant with activity.

Movement towards this goal can be seen in the increasing numbers of Warehouse

District restaurants, ongoing construction of Chene Park, the new Stroh head-

quarters located in the Parke, Davis buildings and the bright blue and white

signage marking the bicycle and walking tours. As in its beginninas, Detroit's

focus will be on the river where the people are invited to reclaim their past

and participate in the future.

Bibliogr aphy

Angelo, Frank. Yesterday's Detroit. Miami: E. A. Seeman Publishing, Inc., 1974

The Detroit City Directorv
R. F. Johnstone & Co., 1855-1856
Charles F. Clark Co., 1862-1863
R. L. Polk & Co., 1888, 1905, 1919-1920, 1924-1925, 1935
Engelman, Larry. "Rum@running gave Detroit a dim view of prohibition," Smithsonian,
June, 1979

The Engine Works: An Adaptive Re -Use Study of the Globe Trading Company.
Detroit City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Landmarks Planning, Inc., 1980
Farmer, Silas. History of Detroit and Wayne County and Early Michigan.
Detroit: Silas Farmer Co., 1890, Gale Research Co., 1969

Farmer, Silas. All About Detroit: An illustrated Guide, Map and Historical
Souvenir. Detroit: Silas Farmer Co., 1899

Metcalf, Kenneth N. Fun and Frolic in Early Detroit. Detroit: WSU Press, 1951

Mt. Elliott Interpretive Center: An Adaptive Reuse Plan. Detroit Recreation
Department, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management
Program, Schervish, Vogel, Merz, P.C., 1981

Pilling, Arnold R. Chene Park I and II: Land Use History. City of Detroit
Recreation Department, 1981

Quaife, M. M. This is Detroit: 1701 - 1951. Detroit: WSU Press, 1951

Russell, John Andrew. The German Influence in the Making of Michigan. Detroit:
U of D Press, 1927

Schr;;mm, Jack E., Henning, William H. Detroit's Street Railways, Volume I:
City Lines 1863 - 1922. Chicago: Central Electric Railfans' Association,
1978

Vinyard, JoEllen. The Irish on the Urban Frontier: Detroit 1850-1880.
Thesis for Univeristy of Michigan - 1972

Warner, Cliff. Editor and Publisher for Detroit Boat Club Centennial Book,
January 1940

Zunz, Olivier. Detroit's Ethnic Neighborhoods at the end of the 19th Century.
Working Paper, University of Michigan, University Center for Research
an Social Organizations

Maps

Hart, Henry. Survey and Publication, City of Detroit and Wayne County,
Michigan. New York: The Survey L853

Sanborn Map Company - Insurance Maps of Detroit, Michigan. New York: 1844
and 1922

The major portion of information for this booklet was researched from the

Farmer's History of Detroit. All the quotations used in the text are also from

this delightful volume. As the official historiographer of Detroit, Silas

Farmer seemed to take immense pleasure in describing the people and events of

the city.

Pictures

Unless otherwise noted, all graphics for the booklet are taken from the Farmer's

Historv of Detroit or from the City Guide and Souvenir. The lithographs in these

publications lend themselves well to reproduction. Where necessary, permission

was granted by the Burton Historical Collection for reprinting.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to William Worden, Staff Director of the Historic Designation

Advisory Board for information on the industry of the east riverfront and

material on the Dry Dock Shipping Company. A grateful thank you also to the

people at the Burton Historical Collection for their aid.

The staff of the Copy Center of the Detroit Water-Board has been-especially

helpful in-layout and reproduction services of this study and many other river-

front publications.

SELECTED RIVERFRONT REFERENCE MATERIAIS

The Land and the River: Partners for Progress.
Report of the Interagency Task Force for Detroit/Wayne County Riverfront Development
Michigan Department of Commerce, 1976

People and the River:
Increasing Recreational Opportunities on the Detroit/Way-ne County Riverfront
Wayne County Planning Commission
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program, 1977

Detroit Riverfront Recreation: A Planning Kit
Detroit Recreation Department
Riverfront Interdepartment Task Force, 1978

Engel and Reid Parks: Redevelopment Plan: Report and Executive Summary
Detroit Recreation Department
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Beckett, Raeder, Rankin, 1979

Linked Riverfront Parks Proj 'ect: Report and Executive Summary
Detroit -Recreation Department
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Schervish, Vogel, Merz, PC, 1979

The Engine Vorks: An*Adaptive Re-Use Study in the East Riverfront Area, Detroit, Mich.
Detroit City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Landmarks Planning, Inc., 1980

Chene/St. Aubin Park: Marina/Canal Feasibilitv
Detroit Recreation Department
M
I
ichigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Schervish, Vogel, Metz, PC, 1980

Riverfront Capabilities Expansion and Analysis: Summary
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - Coastal Zone Laboratory
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program, 1980

West Riverfront 3icycle/Pedestrian Route: Report and Executive Suaunary
Detroit Recreation Department
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
8JR, Inc., 1980

Mt. Elliott interpretive Center: An Adaptive Reuse Plan
Detroit Recreation Department
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
Schervish, Vogel, Herz, PC, 1981

East Riverfronc Bievcle Route and Walking Tour: Report and Executive Summary
Detroit Recreation Department
I
Michigan Department-of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
3JR, Inc., 1982

ne Riverfront as a Resource: Conference Report
Detroit Recreation Department
Michigan Department or Natural Resources Coastal Management Program, 1982

CREDITS

City of Detroit
Mayor Coleman A. Young

The City Council
Erma Henderson, President Jack Kelley
Barbara-Rose Collins Maryanne Mahaffey
David Eberhard John Peoples
Nicholas Hood Mel Ravitz

Recreation Department
Daniel H. Krichbaum, Director
Theodore Jordan, Deputy Director

East Riverfront Recreation Project Team
Harriet Saperstein, Projert Coordinator
Edward H. Viall, Chief, Landscape Design
Derek Stratelak, M.S.'U. Landscape Architect Intern
John Jones, Senior Social Planning Analyst
William Worden, Director, Historic Designation Advisory Board
Kathryn Kozora, Research Associate, Recreation Department and
Wayne State University

This project was funded in part by:
U. S. Department of Commerce,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-583)
as administered by the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources,
Coastal Management Program,
Chris Shafer, David J. Warner, Project Managers

and through an internship funded by:
City of Detroit-Wayne State University Consortium
Jean Dietrick Rooney, Coordinator
Center for Urban Studies, WSU

September 1982

US Deparbnent of Commerce
NOAA Coastal Services Center L:,'z-2ary
220-4- South Elobs3m Ave--muc
Charleston, SO 29/05-24-13

NO" COASTAL SERVICES CTR IBRARY

3 6668 14111545 3

City of Detroit
Recreation Department
September, 1982