Bustling downtown Detroit in 1917. Over the course of time its operahouses, theatres and trams have been erased and replaced with parking lots and freeways.

Comments

1. historicc_laundromat says

   I love how before cars had fully taken over, people just walked all over the streets. Even in Detroit of all places. Hope we can bring that back one day.

2. cmac712 says

   There’s actually a large office building where the Opera House was, not a freeway or a parking lot.

   Go further north of this point of view and you’ll see parking lot land

3. Pickerington says

   What’s that machine out front bottom of the blackstone building?

4. Ivan27stone says

   What baffles me the most is the sharpness of the image!!!

   Edit: typos

5. FLTiger02 says

   Everyone is wearing a hat.

6. TheSpaceMonkeys says

   Here’s another old photo of that same intersection. If you explore the Detroit Library Digital archives, you’ll find all sorts of gems!

7. angerpillow says

   The short period where horses, cars, and streetcars all shared the roads together.

8. garster25 says

   Now it’s a park. That statue is still there https://goo.gl/maps/K88G544DESGWQu7x8

9. IhaveCripplingAngst says

   Who agrees with me that Detroit used to be one of the most beautiful cities in the United States? Its fate is tragic, but I’m so happy it’s been making a resurgence lately.