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On December 15, 1921 at 7:45 in the evening, a meeting of "Congenial spirits" was held at the newly opened Detroit Public Library on Woodward Avenue to discuss organizing a Detroit Historical Society to work in conjunction with the Burton Historical Collection and the Michigan Historical Society. Today's organization grew from those roots 101 years ago! 🎉🎉

Learn more about our history on our blog: https://bit.ly/31XByt9

Back in the day, Schvitz Health Club wasn’t the only game in town for autoworkers in need of a good soak or a good rubdown after long days on the line.

The New Detroit Baths stood at 1377 W. Vernor Hwy., near Trumbull. Given that it was two blocks from Briggs (later Tiger) Stadium, it’s possible some of the Local Nine even sampled its rejuvenating powers.

The building featured a bathhouse on the two lower floors with 45 private steam rooms with showers; two large public steam rooms; and two rooms for dry-heat baths.

Not feeling up for hitting the Turkish baths? The building offered Swedish massage, “just the thing to help relieve taut, tired, aching muscles and give them new zest for their work,” an advertising postcard from the early 1940s suggested, while urging to “invest in health, men and women.” The building was open 24 hours a day every day except Sundays, when it closed at noon.

Shower, tub or v***r baths cost 60 cents in 1944.

There also was a beauty parlor and barbershop, with 20 apartments above all the action on the top two floors. It was built for the Wolverine Investment Co. and opened in 1928 and designed by architect John Kasurin.

It was demolished in the summer of 1967 for the Fisher Service Drive, as the first sections of the freeway opened that winter.

Thanks to Benjamin Gravel for tracking down the architect.

: Christmas display in J.L. Hudson store, 1957.

View of Christmas display featuring elves, sleigh and reindeer over toy department at Hudson's store. Handwritten on back: "Toy dept. at Xmas, 1957."

📸 Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection
🔗 https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A142714

The Spirit of Detroit (1959)

On this date 95 years ago, opening ceremonies were held for Olympia Stadium on Grand River. Technically, the arena opened two days earlier with a rodeo. The Detroit Red Wings would call The Old Red Barn home until 1979, and the Detroit Pistons played there from 1957 until 1961. A who's who of the music world performed there, from Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin to Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Elton John. After the Red Wings moved to Joe Louis Arena, the arena sat empty until being demolished in 1987.

Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University