Ecorse Way Back When
Remember When in Ecorse…
Photo: Ecorse Photographer John Duguay took this picture of the St. Francis High School football team practicing in the Municipal Field in Ecorse.
Mrs. Evelyn J. Jones, 23 West Westfield, Ecorse remembered Ecorse when….West Jefferson was brick and there were street cars on it…when boat houses were where the park is now…when Outer Drive was one street only and called Bonzano…when Adray Labadie home was on Jefferson…when Ignatius Salliotte, who was an attorney, had a home where the library is now.
…When Mrs. Genaw’s Candy Store was on the corner of Outer Drive, where the gas station is at present…When the Ecorse Library was in the DeWallet building…when Mr. Lajoie had a place where meals could be obtained at the foot of Southfield…When Arthur Plourde home was on the corner of Outer Drive and High and is now at 24 Westfield.
…When Mr. DeMay’s home was on Outer Drive and now is on the corner of West Alexis and High…When we could ride in Jitneys….when there was a gas station where Do-O-Bar is now…..When Wolverine Lumber Company was on the corner of West Alexis…when the Bob Lo Boat picked passengers up at the Ecorse Dock….When there was a dry goods store at the corner of West Jefferson and Woodward…When a cleaners was where the Senior Citizens Lounge is now…When our fire station was on the corner of Labadie and High. Mr. Jaeger was our fire chief. When the Charles Wallace home was where Kroger parking lot now is.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, September 1, 1971)
Catholic Schools Changing Roles
When schools open next week, many schools I the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit will be a part of the changing role.
St. Francis Xavier School in Ecorse…once a full-fledged school from first grade through high school, closed out all classes two years ago. The parish, however, has rented the entire school facilities on Outer Drive near West Jefferson to the Wayne County Intermediate School District for use of the Downriver Regional Retarded Children’s Program from 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm. daily. When the building is not in public use the facilities will continue to be used for adult education and other parish uses.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, September 1, 1971)
Gary L. Cooper, 3948 Tenth Street, in Ecorse remembered very well in June 1959 when Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at the Ecorse Community center. “I was 10 years old at the time. I can remember the greatness and the dignified manner in which she spoke. As she came out of the Center, I got lose enough to see this great woman. As she passed by with an armful of red roses, she smiled at me and I did likewise.”
Mrs. Nagy, 4406 Second Street in Ecorse wrote: “I don’t remember dates or the years when it was, but I lived in Ecorse for 54 years. These are things I remember. Ecorse’s Southfield Road was State Street. We had Bob-lo boats dock up on Jefferson riverfront and a moonlight boat used to go to Sugar Island. We used to have tracks like on Salliotte until they built our viaduct on Southfield. We also had horse and wagons to pick up garbage and rubbish.
Our library was located in the block where the Silver Rail Bar is. Our small Ecorse show was on Jefferson too. On Second Street, off Southfield, kids used to play ball and have fun. Carnivals used to come where there are factories today.
On Third Street there used to be a cement block shop.
The horses on the riverfront were like boat houses.
(The Herald Advertiser Newspapers, Wednesday, September 22, 1971.)
Yester Year
Yester Year
Compiled by Irene Martin from back issues of The Herald Advertiser Newspapers
Yester Year
In January 1939, people in and around Ecorse and River Rouge were talking about these events.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, August 22, 1973)
Yester Year
Photo: Ecorse Photographer John Duguay took this picture of the St. Francis High School football team practicing in the Municipal Field in Ecorse.
Mrs. Evelyn J. Jones, 23 West Westfield, Ecorse remembered Ecorse when….West Jefferson was brick and there were street cars on it…when boat houses were where the park is now…when Outer Drive was one street only and called Bonzano…when Adray Labadie home was on Jefferson…when Ignatius Salliotte, who was an attorney, had a home where the library is now.
…When Mrs. Genaw’s Candy Store was on the corner of Outer Drive, where the gas station is at present…When the Ecorse Library was in the DeWallet building…when Mr. Lajoie had a place where meals could be obtained at the foot of Southfield…When Arthur Plourde home was on the corner of Outer Drive and High and is now at 24 Westfield.
…When Mr. DeMay’s home was on Outer Drive and now is on the corner of West Alexis and High…When we could ride in Jitneys….when there was a gas station where Do-O-Bar is now…..When Wolverine Lumber Company was on the corner of West Alexis…when the Bob Lo Boat picked passengers up at the Ecorse Dock….When there was a dry goods store at the corner of West Jefferson and Woodward…When a cleaners was where the Senior Citizens Lounge is now…When our fire station was on the corner of Labadie and High. Mr. Jaeger was our fire chief. When the Charles Wallace home was where Kroger parking lot now is.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, September 1, 1971)
Catholic Schools Changing Roles
When schools open next week, many schools I the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit will be a part of the changing role.
St. Francis Xavier School in Ecorse…once a full-fledged school from first grade through high school, closed out all classes two years ago. The parish, however, has rented the entire school facilities on Outer Drive near West Jefferson to the Wayne County Intermediate School District for use of the Downriver Regional Retarded Children’s Program from 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm. daily. When the building is not in public use the facilities will continue to be used for adult education and other parish uses.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, September 1, 1971)
Gary L. Cooper, 3948 Tenth Street, in Ecorse remembered very well in June 1959 when Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at the Ecorse Community center. “I was 10 years old at the time. I can remember the greatness and the dignified manner in which she spoke. As she came out of the Center, I got lose enough to see this great woman. As she passed by with an armful of red roses, she smiled at me and I did likewise.”
Mrs. Nagy, 4406 Second Street in Ecorse wrote: “I don’t remember dates or the years when it was, but I lived in Ecorse for 54 years. These are things I remember. Ecorse’s Southfield Road was State Street. We had Bob-lo boats dock up on Jefferson riverfront and a moonlight boat used to go to Sugar Island. We used to have tracks like on Salliotte until they built our viaduct on Southfield. We also had horse and wagons to pick up garbage and rubbish.
Our library was located in the block where the Silver Rail Bar is. Our small Ecorse show was on Jefferson too. On Second Street, off Southfield, kids used to play ball and have fun. Carnivals used to come where there are factories today.
On Third Street there used to be a cement block shop.
The horses on the riverfront were like boat houses.
(The Herald Advertiser Newspapers, Wednesday, September 22, 1971.)
Yester Year
- Twenty-five years ago this month…1948, Ecorse and River Rouge were bustling with post-World War Ii activities and newest of the new automobiles could be seen at Stu Evans Motor Sales, Inc., 4688 West Jefferson, Ecorse.
- A theater naming contest began in Ecorse with judges including Mayor W.W. Voisine; the Rev. Leonard Duckett; Arthur Erickson, Ecorse School superintendent; and Alexander Petri, president of the Ecorse Junior Chamber of Commerce. The theater was located on West Jefferson near Outer Drive.
- The family market basket held smoked picnic hams at 43 cents per pound; leg of veal, 45 cents per pound; eggs, 59 cents a dozen; Klenex, two packages, 200 each, at 35 cents; 12 ounces of rice, 14 cents; red salmon, 57 cents for 16-ounce can; coffee, 47 cents a pound; and stewing chicken, 39 cents a pound.
- M’lady’s oil permanent cost five dollars and up with coupon. One ton of coal cost $11.25.
- A six-room home for sale in River Rouge cost $7,350 and a five-room home in Ecorse was $6,500 with terms. One four-family house sold for $8,000 with terms.
Yester Year
Compiled by Irene Martin from back issues of The Herald Advertiser Newspapers
- Benjamin E. Goodell signed a contract with the Ecorse School System to be principal of the city’s newest school, Five, an elementary. He taught at River Rouge High School from February 1930 to June 1939.
- A grand opening for a new gasoline service station at Tecumseh and West Jefferson, Ecorse, gave a free pack of cigarettes, with the purchase of seven gallons of gas during the four-day festivities.
- A society formed for the purpose of music appreciation met at the Ecorse home of Margaret Clevenger.
- The family market basket was filled with such commodities as leg o’ lamb at 19 cents per pound; beef roast at 15 cents per pound; apple butter per 26 ounce jar, 10 cents; pound can of pork and beans, four cents; and a peck of potatoes, 25 cents.
- Ecorse Boat Club junior doubles took first place in the Henley Regatta, Canada, with Herb Beaubien, stroke and James Cameron, bow; William Tanks won second in the senior singes; second was also taken by the senior doubles group including Nick Pappas, Louis Tank, Beaubien and Cameron. Alger Ruthven was the foursome’s coxswain.
Yester Year
In January 1939, people in and around Ecorse and River Rouge were talking about these events.
- A reunion of the Western Yacht Club was held. In 1909, th club was organized by a group of 16 bachelors, and in time it was housed in a building opposite LeBlanc Street in Ecorse. An old Ecorse Advertiser credited Fred Gies, the carpenter, Captain C.J. Brinkman, and Roy Buster O’Brien as the leading spirits in the club, aided by Billy Bass and Ed Horn.
- The Ecorse Board of Education purchased 125,000 bricks from three local dealers for $32.50 per thousand. They were used to build School Five, which was named the Claude J. Miller School.
- Ellis S. “Duke” Underill, described as one of the most popular public officials who ever served Ecorse, announced that he was retiring from politics, after serving as village and township treasurer and clerk.
- Village President W. Newton Hawkins and School Superintendent C.J. Miller were general chairmen of the President’s Ball, the annual social affair which reminded the public about the widespread efforts to combat infantile paralysis.
- B.L. Sims store at 4078 West Jefferson, Ecorse, was selling full fashioned hose at 49 cents a pair, unbleached muslin for five cents a yard; ladies’ coats for five dollars, $13 or $18; Cannon towels for 25 cents.
- The Ecorse Theater, located at 4050 West Jefferson, was featuring movies with Shirley Temple, Ann Sheridan, and a Betty Boop cartoon. James Stewart was appearing in “Shopworn Angel.”
- Of all the memories of the past, few seem sweeter than these in January 1933: bacon – 11 cents a pound, sirloin steak or leg of lamb-17 cents a pound, potatoes – eight pounds for 30 cents, bananas – four pounds for 23 cents-pork lion roast – nine cents a pound, and a first run movie – 25 cents.
(Ecorse Advertiser, Wednesday, August 22, 1973)
Yester Year
- Retired Ecorse Police Lieutenant William Montie died in August 1944, and was buried in Flat Rock Cemetery. He joined the police force when it was combined with the fire department and headed by one chief with seven men in 1921.
- A field meet and sports carnival was held August 4, 1944 in Ecosse at 16th and Hyacinthe Streets, West Side Community Center, with competing students arriving from the host group, and Hyacinthe Court, Ecorse, and from River Rouge’s Beechwood Community Center and Northrup School Recreation, in River Rouge.