Detroit Archives - Lost In Michigan

The Oldest Church in Michigan

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Detroit .

I like posting photos of churches around Michigan since in many places churches are central to the community, it’s where people are married, baptized, and remembered at the end of their life. When I posted a photo of St. Stephens church in Hamburg the historical Marker said it was the oldest church building still operating in Michigan. But it got me to do some research to find out what the oldest church in Michigan is. When I found Ste Anne de D’etroit and read it’s history it struck me how important this church is, not only to the local community, but to the state of Michigan.

founded July 26, 1701, Ste. Anne’s original church was the first building constructed in Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, which later grew into the city of Detroit. Ste Anne’s is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States with parish records dating back to 1704. From 1833 to 1844, Ste. Anne’s was the Cathedral Church for the diocese of Michigan and the Northwest. The church also has the oldest stained glass in Detroit.

In the Early 1800s Father Gabriel Richards, started a school that evolved into the University of Michigan. Started the First newspaper The Michigan Essay or Impartial Observer. From 1823 to 1825 Richard was Michigan Territory’s delegate to the United States Congress. As a delegate, he was instrumental in gaining support for the Territorial Road, which linked Detroit and Chicago

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313 Day

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit .

March 13th is a popular day with Detroiters because 313 is the area code for Detroit. According to the show How The States Got Their Shapes the larger cities in the United States got low number area codes. Detroit is 313, New York City is 212, and Washington DC is 202 and so on. It is because low digit numbers are easier to dial on a rotary phone. It is a long way around to dial the number 9. With touchtone phones, it is not that important to have low-numbered digits. I will say I don’t miss the days of rotary phones and long-distance calling fees. Other dates for area codes in Michigan are 517 and 906. I used to be in 517 but my area got changed to 989. Maybe someday there will be 89 days in September and we can have an unofficial day to celebrate.

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Historic Fort Wayne

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Forgotten Places .

Fort Wayne sits near Detroit along the Detroit River and was built to defend and invasion by Canada. The invasion never happened but the fort served the military for a long time. The building in the photo was the enlisted men’s barracks. I believe that is where they stayed before and after being sworn into service in the United States Military. It was built in the 1890s and I can only imagine how many men stayed in the old barracks going to war from the first World War all the way to Vietnam.

Some say the old fort is haunted, you can see my post about that HERE

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Police Radio Broadcast

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Historic Places .

This castle-like stone building in the center of Belle Isle State Park seems like an ordinary building. Thousands of visitors pass by it, but I wonder how many realize how much it affected society. This was the first police radio dispatch station in the United States. In 1928 the Detroit Police broadcasted from this building on their own frequency to patrol cars around the city. They chose Belle Isle to avoid interference with other radio stations.

Before the station was constructed the department did not have a dedicated frequency band to broadcast on. In 1921 the station experimented with broadcasting to officers between songs on station KOP. Between songs, they would read a list of stolen cars or alert them to missing children.

A modern patrol car today if filled with electronics and the officer is surrounded by a computer, radar guns, and communication equipment. It’s hard to imagine a day when the police did not have a basic radio in their car.

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The Ghosts of Detroit’s Haunted Ft Wayne

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Haunted Places .

Fort Wayne in Detroit has a long history that spans several decades since it was built in the 1840s Many of the buildings have been abandoned by the army and left to decay. A non-profit group has been working on saving the old fort and its many structures from the ravages of time.

During my visit, a tour guide told me of some of the hauntings on the historic property. He pointed to a tunnel that leads to a gun and cannon location and said ” That is one of the most haunted places in the fort” He said a few years ago some workers were taking a lunch break. They decided to get out of the summer heat and sat in the old tunnel to eat their lunch. The men went running out of the tunnel and have never been back to the old fort. When they were asked what happened they said while sitting down and eating their lunch a civil war soldier in full uniform came out of the stone wall. He slowly walked passed them and down the tunnel without saying a word before disappearing into thin air.

The fort has never seen a battle or fired any guns or cannons at an enemy. Many soldiers trained at the fort during the Civil War. A few died and were buried on the fort grounds. Eventually to make room for expansion of the fort the headstones and bodies were moved to a nearby cemetery down the road.

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The old fort hosts ghost tours in the fall. They are extremely popular and you need to reserve your spot in advance. you can find out more about them HERE

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Detroit’s Mostly Forgotten Fort Wayne

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Historic Places .

Most people are unaware of the old historic Civil War-era fort next to the Detroit River near downtown Detroit. When I tell people about Fort Wayne they think of Indiana, but it is the name of the fort in Detroit. It was built in the 1840s and used by the army all the way up to the 1970s. Civil War soldiers mustered at the fort and learn how to fight. Truck parts made in detroit was shipped trough the fort during WWII. During the Korean War and Vietnam War Thousands of enlistees and draftees were sworn in at the fort. It is open for tours on the weekend during the summer for a $5 donation.

I have a lot more photos and stories to share about the old fort, It would be too much for me to do in one post so I will share them over the next few months.

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A Miracle at Peterboro and Park

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in castles, Detroit .

In Midtown Detroit on the corner of Peterboro And Park is the old James Scott mansion. The transformation that has occurred is nothing short of miraculous. It was not divine intervention that restored this historic old building, but good old fashioned hard work and money. If you want to see what it looked like before check out my post about it a couple of years ago HERE

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Good News and Bad News

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit .

You have probably been asked the question before ” do you want the good news or the bad news first?” I am gonna give you the bad news first. The old Boblo Island boat the SS Ste Claire caught fire yesterday where it was docked and was destroyed. you can find out more at the Free Press HERE I have fond memories of riding this boat in 7th grade on a field trip to Boblo Island. I took this pic a few years ago when it was on the river near Dearborn. I was hoping to get a photo of it at its new location but not after the flames took away this grand old ship. I am thankful I got a photo of it when I did. It’s sister ship the SS Columbia is being restored in New York and hope she will sail into Detroit someday. you can check out the website HERE

In good news, the James Scott Castle’s restoration project is progressing along well. It’s hard to believe that a build in such a dilapidated state could be brought back from the dead. The mansion sits on the corner of Peterboro and Park near Wayne State University. I have not seen it yet since the exterior was restored but I am looking forward to it. you can read more about the restoration HERE

They say the only constant is change, sadly some of the places I have photographed are gone but it’s also nice to see some of them have been restored. If it’s gonna change I prefer change for the better.

P.S. if you got a 2018 Lost In Michigan calendar my photo of the SS Ste Claire is the photo for the month of July.

P.P.S. I have not been posting a lot since I have been out taking more photos and spending some quality time with my family on summer vacation at some of Michigan’s state parks, you can see more about that on my Camp Michigan website HERE and facebook page HERE I have lots of great photos and interesting stories to share and I can’t wait to share them with you.

I hope you will subscribe to email updates since facebook prioritizes your friends a family they will not show you many of my posts, I promise I won’t email you a bunch of junk email, it’s only to notify you of a new post which will be two or three times a week.

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New Life For An Old Train Station

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Train Depots .

I just saw that the Ford Motor Company purchased the historic Michigan Central Station in Corktown. They have plans on renovating it and using it for the headquarters of there automated vehicle division. I am exited to see what they do with this grand historic building. I hope the bottom floor will be open for visitors after the renovations. I wish I was able to tour it when it was open to visitors this past weekend.

you can read more about Ford’s plans on restoring the station in the Detroit Free Press HERE

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The Old Firehouse On the Northeast Side

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Detroit, Fire Houses .

The old firehouse on Mount Elliott was the oldest operating firehouse in Detroit when it closed in 2012 and the city put it up for sale. It’s a beautiful old two story firehouse built in 1893, and designed by famed architect Gorge Mason, who designed the Masonic Temple, and the Ransom Gillis House in Detroit. I can only imagine all the emergency runs the firefighters went on over the years, from horses to the massive fire engines they have today.

P.S. Thank you to all the first responders working over the holidays and every day.

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