The Way It Was – The Who, 1967
The Who, 1967
The Way It Was – Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 1958
Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 1958
The Way It Was – Spirit of Detroit, 1976
Spirit of Detroit, 1976
The Way It Was – Detroit Summer, 1915
Detroit Summer, 1915
The Way It Was – Wardell Apartment Hotel, 1935
Wardell Apartment Hotel, 1935
The Way It Was – Abraham Lincoln Memorial, 1865
Abraham Lincoln Memorial, 1865
The Way It Was – Pewabic Pottery, 1957
Pewabic Pottery, 1957
The Way It Was – Nelson Mandela, 1990
Nelson Mandela, 1990
The Way It Was – De Soto, 1960
De Soto, 1960
The Way It Was – Davis B. Hillmer, 1959
1959 A child’s reach usually exceeds his grasp, but that isn’t preventing this little boy, boosted by a ladder, from attempting to add a...
The Way It Was – The David Whitney Building
In Hebrew, the name David means “beloved,” and when designating downtown skyscrapers, Detroiters love the name.
The Way It Was – The Michigan Theatre
1938 This bustling bagley streetscape encapsulates the vibrancy of downtown Detroit in the late 1930s. Shot from Grand River looking north, the photo shows...
The Way It Was – Olympia Stadium
1964 Olympia Stadium, the old home of the Detroit Red Wings at Grand River Avenue and McGraw Street, was often the scene of loud,...
The Way It Was – State Fairs
1965 State fairs are always big draws for baby-animal births and white-knuckle amusement rides, but it’s the friendly contests that often provide the best...
The Way It Was – Detroit Houses in the 1950s
1950 When folk singer Malvina Reynolds wrote "Little Boxes" in 1962 (a tune popularized by Pete Seeger), she was satirizing California’s tract housing “all...
The Way It Was – The Detroit Concert Band on Belle Isle
Belle Isle, Detroit 1970
The Way it Was – Opening Pitch at Briggs Stadium
1951 He may not look as dashing as Justin Verlander on the mound, but for a politician Detroit Mayor Albert E. Cobo looks pretty...
The Way It Was – Drink Golden Jersey Milk
1936 The "Got Milk?" ad campaign to chug down more moo juice has been wildly successful since 1993, but in the 1930s, this eye-catching...
The Way It Was – Detroit, The Arsenal of Democracy
1942 During World War II, Detroit was dubbed the Arsenal of Democracy, as factories cranked out combat machinery day and night. However, the influx...
The Way It Was – Hudson Motor Car Co.
1932 Roy Chapin Sr., chairman of Detroit-based Hudson Motor Car Co., was a whiz at marketing autos — even in the thick of the...