As regular readers know, over the past 2 months or so the Ypsi Archives staff has been sorting through a literal truckload of boxes of newspaper clippings from the clippings archives of the erstwhile Ann Arbor News.This indexed library of clippings dating back to the 50s was to have been discarded when the News closed, until one of the Archives' most energetic volunteers dashed over to AA and salvaged it for us.
The Archives is sorting out the articles and filing them away. Here is one. Did you know you could at one time, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, get popcorn in Prospect Park and watch a baseball game? Dusty D did not.
This 1972 recollection by Lorretto Green offers more details of the old days in Ypsilanti for your enjoyment. (Click on article for larger image).
I note that current maps don't seem to list a St. John Street -- any idea where that was? I wonder if the tree is still there?
ReplyDeleteSt, John Street disappeared in the early 1960's under the campus of Eastern Michigan University.
ReplyDeleteSo the tree might be on campus? Or felled to make way for more buildings. I wonder which.
ReplyDeleteJames: that is fascinating. Any connection to the old catholic cemetery once on EMU's campus--whose graves were moved over opposite Highland and then called St. John's Cemetery?
ReplyDeleteLisele: That is a great question. I don't know, but I can take a look in my plat maps, find the old street, and check it out next time I go over to Halle Library. Thanks for the question!
ReplyDeleteSt John Street is still there but I can't imagine the walnut tree is regardless of which end she is talking about. Actually, it is hard to believe it was still there in 1972 when she visited but she is probably reffering to the east end (not EMU campus) where her home was. Hard to tell from the birds eye aerial photos but the house is certainly long gone.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tip Mike, that the street's still there. I'll have to check it out. It would be cool to find even a big ol' stump.
ReplyDeletea 1949 aerial of the area (available at Wayne State Univ and HistoricAerials.com) shows that there were some homes and plenty of trees on the west end of St John's Street. It even looks like a tennis court over the "Old Catholic Cemetery". Those homes were gone though by the 1960's when EMU built those dorms. She says she visited around 1972 and so she must be talking about the east end of the street. If you go by that area, at least you will know where to look Lauren :)
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