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Circa 1897. "Post Office, Detroit." Sign on utility pole: "Please do not spit on the sidewalk." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.
Hey guys, I couldn't resist this one, I just went out on the bike to get an "after" photograph of this view. Enjoy!
Looks like John Cleese doing his Silly Walk in front of the library.
It is quite odd to find nothing at all remaining from this wide swath. Many buildings from this era are still in place - any drive through Detroit shows that.
There's quite a history of this place, as well as more photos, over at:
I can't help feeling a bit of envy by looking at that smooth pavement on the street. Notable that this was taken at a time when the automobile was still considered a fad, a mere toy for the idle wealthy, and was not still being used as a regular means of transportation.
What's with the man high stepping in the street, a block back?
[He's getting on a bicycle. - Dave]
Seems ironic that there should need to be a letterbox across the street from the world's largest post office.
I would like to time travel and swipe some of the polite requests to refrain from spitting on the sidewalk, and bring them to current day Boston to be posted. The sidewalks are covered with spit and gum, and there is nothing quite like walking behind a spitter. That is particularly true on a windy day.
Back to the photo, the post office is magnificent! I wonder if it had spittoons inside.
The old post office in Detroit was on the northeast corner of West Fort and Shelby. Nothing in this photo remains today.
The ones in Austin were built in Indiana.
[They may have been manufactured in Indiana, but, as noted below, they were purchased used by Austin from Detroit. - Dave]
"Party at the Moon Tower."
That looks exactly like one of the "moonlight towers" of Austin, Texas -- and according to Wikipedia, they were purchased used from Detroit in 1894. I wonder if that's one of the ones residing in Austin now.
From the woman's attire in the right background, (white blouse, dark skirt--not quite in an "A" line, probably a boater hat), I guess that this was taken in 1892. If she is not quite in fashion, then 1893.
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