Mercury Motel, photo by maproomsystems.
Intersection of Michigan and Military, Dearborn, Michigan.
Currently has many vacancies.
Nothing but, to be precise.
Demolition pending.
SeedPod II
Van Dyke: Elizabeth Park
Van Dyke: Elizabeth Park, photo by Matt Blackcustard.
It’s been a little while since we’ve blogged one of Matt’s photos.
This one was taken with a modified Voigtlander brilliant pinhole (apparently the pinhole was not standard). It is a Van Dyke brown print, which you can learn about here and here. One of the things I learned is that the process was named for the resemblance of the print color to the brown oil paint named for the Flemish painter Van Dyck.
Elizabeth Park is on the Detroit River in Wayne County and has the distinction of being Michigan’s first county park.
a white christmas
a white christmas, photo by radiospike.
Here’s a photo from Commerce Township on Christmas Eve is one of many in the new Michigan Gallery on Flickr. It’s a group where Michigan photographers can feature their best.
Patience
Patience, photo by IShutterToThink.
Eric says this is his favorite girl and his favorite shoes. I gotta agree: those are some kickin’ kicks.
(this is) The Spirit of Detroit
The Spirit of Detroit, photo by One Foot Over The Moon.
Continuing our run of photographers never before seen on Michigan in Pictures, here’s a photo from One Foot Over The Moon . It’s part of her This is Detroit set, which takes an interesting look at the Motor City. Check it out…
(much more about the Spirit of Detroit)
Empty warehouse in Detroit
The Guardian Building, Detroit
Last Look at Promenade by BuildingsOfDetroit.com – SNWEB.ORG
SNWEB says that the Guardian Building is Detroit’s best kept secret. It is considered one of the most significant Art Deco skyscrapers in the world and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Billed as “The Cathedral of Finance”, the building was designed for the Union Trust Company in the Roaring 20s by noted architect Wirt C. Rowland. A defining characteristic is the use of color. Rowland explained “We no longer live in a leisurely age … the impression must be immediate, strong and complete. Color has this vital power.”
The Guardian Building web site says:
Designed by Michigan architects; erected by Michigan contractors; built by Michigan artisans–the Guardian Building is virtually a temple of Michigan commerce and ingenuity. The Griswold Street entrance is crowned with a semi-dome lined with symbolic custom tiles by Mary Chase Stratton’s Pewabic Pottery of Detroit. The lobby features a large glass mosaic and the banking hall’s spectacular mural are both by Michigan artist Ezra Winter. Flanking the sides of the main entrance are reliefs designed by Detroit’s own architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci. In all, forty artisans worked on the structure’s painted murals and ceilings, intricate tile work, mosaic and stained glass, marble fixtures and vaulted lobby.
Check out a slideshow of Guardian Building photos from Flickr. Also see the excellent article Guardian Building has long been the crown jewel in Detroit skyline in the Detroit News’ Rearview Mirror and Guardian Building in Wikipedia.
Michigan Stadium Official Opening, 1927
Michigan Stadium Official Opening
Today’s photo is courtesy the Library of Congress. It’s from the formal opening of the new Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on October 22, 1927 for the Ohio State University vs. University of Michigan football game. The game’s final score: Michigan 21 Ohio State 0.
You can see a TON more photos of Michigan Stadium on Michigan Stadium Story and also see a team photo & info about Michigan’s 1927 football team from the UM Bentley Library including the news account and photos from “Dedication Day”.
Check out ‘Michigan Stadium Official Opening’ On Black courtesy Big Huge Labs!
Get a whole bunch more on Absolute Michigan’s University of Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Football Rivalry page!
LOC: LC-USZ62-127311
Saginaw, Michigan: place of the sauk
place of the sauk, photo by gsgeorge.
Today’s post springs from a critique by Lawrence Drouillard of a photo of Saginaw that we posted this spring
BLAND, BOARDED AND CRACKED, WITH AN UNCERTAIN BOTTOM LINE WITH NO FOCUS – NOT UNLIKE THE TOWN I’VE LIVED IN ALMOST ALL OF MY LIFE. THIS IS WHAT IT HAS BECOME. -SAGINAW, MICHIGAN
Now, I happen to like that photo quite a lot, but it’s certainly not a photo that shouts “move yourself or your business to Saginaw or just drop by for a visit” as a photo like this one by Geoffrey George does. (view larger). Since the other picture is the first thing that pops up on a search for “saginaw michigan photo”, we probably better address that.
The Saginaw Library details the history of Saginaw and says that there is archaeological evidence Paleo-Indian nomads in the Saginaw Valley from 12,000 years ago (some of the most valuable archaeological sites in Michigan are in the area). Woodland cultures including the mound-building Hopewell Indians settled along the Saginaw River. According to the library, name Saginaw is derived from an Ojibway term “O-Sag-e-non” or “Sag-in-a-we” that means “to flow out” and probably refers to the outflow of the Saginaw River into the Saginaw Bay. However, there are also those who believe that Saginaw is derived from Sagina’we’, signifying ‘the country or place of the Sauk’.
The library’s history goes on to explain how the American Fur Company established a trading post on the west side of the Saginaw River after the War of 1812, and how Saginaw City was founded by Norman Little in 1836. Both the article and Wikipedia’s entry on Saginaw, Michigan detail how Saginaw’s easy access to waterways served to fuel growth as Michigan’s massive white pine forests were felled and shipped around the nation in the 1800s. Soon after the close of the lumbering era, a new industry: the auto industry.
In Saginaw, the Jackson, Wilcox and Church Company produced carriages to be drawn by horses, and later produced components used in motor vehicles. This was eventually acquired by General Motors and formed the basis for its Steering Gear division. Additionally, General Motors established foundries and other manufacturing facilities in Saginaw. The early development of automotive production within Saginaw would set the course for the future economic circumstances of the City. (click for photo from the early automotive industry in Saginaw)
Modern day Saginaw has faced major challenges due to manufacturing job loss, but community leaders are actively seeking new industries through initiatives such as those listed on The Saginaw Valley. You will also want to explore the area through the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce, the Saginaw Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Saginaw, Michigan.
You can see where this picture was taken (along with many more) on the Flickr photo map of Saginaw, MI and also see more photos from the past and modern day in the Saginaw, Michigan group on Flickr. Please also feel free to add your own thoughts on Saginaw or links to more information in the comments!
Michigan in Pictures 