The Fabulous Fox Theater of Detroit

Posted on by farlane

Fox Theatre Detroit

The Fabulous Fox Theater of Detroit, photo by SNWEB.ORG Photography

Wikipedia’s Fox Theatre (Detroit) entry says that Detroit’s Fox is the largest of the 28 Theaters built by movie mogul and 20th Century Fox founder William Fox (or purchased by his company):

…it was the first movie palace to have live sound. The architect, C. Howard Crane, designed a lavish interior blend of Burmese, Chinese, Indian and Persian motifs. There are three levels of seating, the Main Floor above the orchestra pit, the Mezzanine, and the Gallery (balcony). The exterior of the attached 10-story building features an Art Deco facade, which at night is illuminated and can be seen for several blocks.

The Fox was Detroit’s premier movie palace for decades, but by the 1970s it was a shadow of itself, showing horror and Kung fu movies to sparse audiences. In 1988, new owners Mike and Marian Ilitch conducted a $12 million renovation by its new owners which restored the theater to its former glory as Detroit’s premier venue.

Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre from the Detroit News has some great historical photos and details some of the amazing materials utilized. Those red columns, for example, are solid marble and each apparently holds a jeweled figure representing various Asiatic Gods and the lobby held the largest wool rug ever made in the US.

You can see a whole lot more photos of this amazing structure in a Flickr search for Fox Theatre Detroit (slideshow) and you can purchase the photo above at snweb.org.

Here’s a link to the official site for the Fox Theatre (where you can order tickets to Broadway and other shows) and here’s the Fox Theatre on the Absolute Michigan Map.

Photos from the Woodward Dream Cruise

Posted on by farlane

Savoy by radiospike photography

Savoy, photo by radiospike photography

This photo is one of several that Spike has of the Woodward Dream Cruise, and one of hundreds in the Woodward Dream Cruise group on Flickr (slideshow). For even more, settle back for Flickr’s Woodward Dream Cruise slideshow.

The 14th annual Woodward Dream Cruise takes place this Saturday (August 16, 2008) in Detroit, Michigan. From humble beginnings in 1995 as a fundraiser for a soccer field in Ferndale, it has grown to be the world’s largest one-day automotive event, drawing 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from all over the world. The Cruise benefits more than 100 charities and pumps an estimated $56 million into the metro Detroit economy.

This year, the cruise will feature a “GM Century Cruise” where more than 100 GM vehicles from the last 100 years will parade up Woodward Avenue at 7:30 am. For more information and pictures of some cool old cars, here’s a video from GM. There’s also a cool video overview of the Dream Cruise right here.

More about cruising Woodward can be found at Cruisin’ the Original: Woodward Avenue on Michigan in Pictures and even more about the Cruise (with another photo by Spike) at The Woodward Dream Cruise, A Detroit Classic at Absolute Michigan.

90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

1st hole Oakland Hills

1st hole Oakland Hills, photo by mandj98.

This photo is part of James’ 2008 90th PGA Championship set (slideshow).

The 90th Professional Golfers’ Association Championship takes place today through Sunday at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills. They explain that although the South Course of Oakland Hills was formally opened on July 13, 1918, the legendary reputation of the course came some 40 years later:

Although many tournaments have been held throughout the years at Oakland Hills, the one which gave the course its greatest reputation as “The Monster” was the 1951 Open. The result was a tournament in which only two subpar rounds were shot during the entire 72 hole affair. Ben Hogan won with a total of 287 by shooting a final round 67 after which he was quoted as saying “I am glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees.” He also said that it was “the greatest test of golf I have ever played and the toughest course.” The late Clayton Heafner who had a final round of 69, the only other sub-par of the tournament, finished second two strokes back. There was some comment after the last round of the tournament of the effect that the tee markers had been moved so far forward that last day as to take some of the fairway traps out of play. In any event, the natural result of this extremely difficult Open was that from that point on the USGA no longer permitted the host Clubs to control the layout for an Open tournament.

You can read more about the history of the club through Wikipedia’s Oakland Hills Country Club entry and view more photos through the Oakland Hills CC course tours and a search of Oakland Hills Country Club photos at Flickr (slideshow). The PGA has a great photo gallery with pics of the course and from the tournament.

Sunset Baseball – Comerica Park

Posted on by farlane

Sunset Baseball – Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan, photo by jkissnhug

Farewell, Pudge Rodriguez.

Detroit Riot, July 1967

Posted on by farlane

Remembering the Detroit Riot of 1967 on Absolute Michigan has a lot of information and videos about what was one of the most profound events in Michigan’s history.

Below are some links to photographs I’ve found – please add more links in the comments. I’m surprised by how few there are for such a major event.

Tiger Stadium demolition: When the walls come tumblin’ down

Posted on by farlane

Tiger Stadium Demolition

tiger stadium, photo by Rhonda_Marie

View bigger in Rhonda’s Tiger Stadium slideshow (view set). Demolition has begun on Tiger Stadium. You can follow the bouncing wrecking ball using any or all of the ways below:

The Last Days of Tiger Stadium

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Tiger Stadium Usher 2, circa 1999

Tiger Stadium Usher 2, circa 1999, photo by LAWRENCEcreative.

Greenberg, Kailine, Manush, Heilmann, Kell, Newhouser, Jennings, Harwell – the stadium may be gone, but the names live on. Brett writes:

These are pictures taken from the last season of Tiger Stadium. Rather than watching all of the the games, I would find myself wandering the hallways and aisleways trying to capture moments significant to this iconic place…

I hope these pics bring back some great memories as we all wait for the final brick to fall on this historic landmark.

View his Tiger Stadium, circa 1999 slideshow (photo set). Do it, for real. The scenes he captured of the daily life of this grand old ballpark are priceless.

Although a series of bids to save all or part of the ballpark over the last several years, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has until August 1st to prove it can raise $12-15 million to preserve the diamond, dugouts, 3,000 seats and an area that would house Hall of Fame Tiger’s broadcaster Ernie Harwell’s collection of sports memorabilia. Detroit News story.

Here’s some more Tiger Stadium Stuff:

Exposure.Detroit July 2008 Exhibition

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Untitled, photo by caterpillars.

What: EXPOSURE.Detroit Photography Exhibit Opening Party

When: Friday, July 18th 7pm – 10pm

Where: The Bean & Leaf Cafe in Royal Oak

Music: DJ ADROIT

ITS FREE!

Featuring: Caterpillers | Urban Picasso | Rob2655 | Kevin Ridge Photo | Copperrein |

Here’s the flickr group Exposure.Detroit

Here’s a map

Here’s the discussion thread

Flyer Design: Ralph Krawczyk Jr

the city on the strait: detroit

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

72nd floor / 2008 fireworks

72nd floor / 2008 fireworks, photo by g. s. george.

Geoff took this from the 72nd floor of the Renaissance Center during the Detroit River Days fireworks (formerly Detroit International Freedom Festival). He explains that we’re looking down onto the Detroit River, Hart Plaza and Jefferson Avenue. The entrance to the Detroit-Windsor tunnel is seen at the very bottom. In the distance, the Ambassador Bridge spans the Strait of Detroit. Windsor, Ontario Canada can be seen behind the fireworks at far left.

Geoff is obviously one of the many photographers who have a deep love for Michigan’s largest city. Introducing his the city on the strait: detroit set (slideshow) he writes:

a city without bounds, connected to the world and to its vast country by an aquamarine strait nestled between five of the world’s largest freshwater lakes. its capital, industry, and population developed so rapidly that it imploded under the pressure of social strife, and today Detroit stands as a living urban document of the capabilities–and failures–of the American people. But the city chugs along, and its million-odd residents continue to embrace the city’s many cultural and historical vestiges–those links to the past that may, one day, be used to revitalize and reignite the city’s vibrancy and industrial prowess. already signs of that reemergence have appeared, and its only a matter of time before these majestic structures, occupied and abandoned, end up as a pile of rubble or an icon.

Michigan in Pictures has some more Detroit Freedom Festival fireworks pics (from 2006).

The Triumphal March: Detroit Red Wings 2008 Victory Celebration

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

The Triumphal March

The Triumphal March, photo by Airplane Lane.

Airplane Lane took this photo of the throngs cheering Detroit Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom holding the Stanley Cup aloft in celebration as he rode down Woodward Ave during the Red Wings victory parade.

You can check out a ton more photos in this Flickr slideshow of Detroit Red Wings victory parade (just the photos).