Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wednesday Mystery Photo: Try DeSoto No-Shift Driving

Dusty D confidently thought she stumped readers with the last mystery photo, of a scrap of real estate so obscure that DD didn't think anyone would know it. Ha!

Naturally, two people guessed it right away: Building Place and B. F. It's the old baseball field in Gilbert Park, seen as the "bald patch" in the center of the map below.

So. DD is adopting a new and diabolical tack this Mystery Photo Wednesday. I'm offering here a photo of something that doesn't even exist anymore--Ypsilanti's old DeSoto dealership. (evil little chuckle) There you go, my pretties...see if you can deduce THAT li'l gem! (rubs hands together in anticipation). Stay tuned for the answer, and the next Mystery Photo, next Wednesday.

13 comments :

BF said...

Isn't it this?

Across from the KFC

Edward Vielmetti said...

The 1945 Polk directory says

HENDEE MOTOR SALES (Lyle J Hendee) , Distributors DeSoto and
Plymouth Motor Cars, 310 E Washington. Tel 2-3151

Building Place said...

310 E. Washington St. sounds like an Ann Arbor address, Ed.

mickey Ichesco said...

that building housed vincent chevrolet and the last dealer there was Serbay Motors who sold chrysler/plymouth datsun and finally buick automobiles

mickey Ichesco said...

by the way that building was davis motor sales........when built the showroom was in the basement with the upper showroom added later......It also sold imported cars first The building owner was Spencer Davis

Edward Vielmetti said...

Thanks Building Place - you're right about 310 E Washington St address being Ann Arbor. (That building is now the Neutral Zone.)

Dusty D said...

Sigh.

(Opens chamber, inserts one bullet, reloads chamber, spins it. Meditates despondently on impossibility of stumping readers. Thinks twice, puts gun down).

Okay. (Deep breath). I'm gonna have to start taking pictures of INDIVIDUAL BRICKS in some wall somewhere to even try to defeat you folks.

Good God in the morning.

Mickey, thank you for visiting (welcome to the blog!) and for your cool info! Hope you continue to visit and contribute neat stuff!

All righty then, moving on, I've got a good one for you guys next week (I know, I say that, hope dying eternal, every ding-dongin' week).

It's not a building. It's a tree. Not just any tree. A famous tree, over 250 years old, yessir. Beech tree. But that's ALL I'm gonna say about it till next week's Mystery Photo next Wednesday. My lips are sealed (and my fingers are crossed that maybe, this one will do it to even remotely challenge eagle-eyed readers).

James said...

I enjoy the Mystery Photo every week, even when I know what the photo is. It is fun to see the ansewers, and learn new things each time. Keep up the good work Dusty Diary, as one day you will stump us all.

Dusty D said...

James: I'm glad you do; I do too. I am amazed at how good, week after week, folks are at guessing what I imagine to be obscure places. It is fun to try and think up a challenge. At any rate, thanks for visiting!

Edward Vielmetti said...

One more detail on that building; the Ralph Gerganoff page on Arborwiki says that the Davis Motor Sales building was designed by that architect.

Dusty D said...

Ed: Good heavens, did he design every 2nd building in the AA-Ypsi area? My word. The latest issue of Gleanings gives an overview of his work in the area.

Anonymous said...

My husband owned that building last before the eminent domain & condemnation of the property. The picture and information was very interesting. Thanks.

Dusty D said...

Anonymous: I'm glad you liked it. If you'd like to email any remembrances of the building or personal memories, I'd be delighted to make a special post for them. I can do it anonymously if you like, or only use your first name--whatever you are comfortable with. I'd love to hear stories about the building!

My email is ypsidixit@gmail.com.