By dave (207.241.133.153) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:01 pm:

Has there been a thread on this subject?
I remember Jim Gallert mentioning Pepper Adams' "Hastings Street Stomp" and "(some street) & Pingree", and Yusef Lateef's "85?? 12th Street" in his book.
Maybe all you smart guys could get me going on a cross genre' collection of recordings based on Detroit place names.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 03:53 pm:

The 85?? might be refering to 8540 12th which was Klein's Show Bar.

The only recording I can think of right now which features Detroit street names is the Platters "Going back to Detroit" which talks of "longing to be on "12th and Blaine".

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 04:07 pm:

Don't remember if there are any specific addresses on THE PEPS "Detroit, Michigan and same song by RONNIE LOVE on D-Town. Also KIM WESTON sang about Detroit in "Detroit (My Home Town)" on Rahkim... and SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES "I Care About Detroit" on Standard Groove.

Lars

By Jim G (205.188.209.38) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 05:32 pm:

Dave,

Yeah, Pepper (and Paul Williams) recorded "Hastings Street Bounce", and David is correct, Klein's was at "8540 Twelfth" where Yusef held forth in the mid 1950s. "Twelfth And Pingree" also refers to Klein's location.
"Hastings Street Opera" Detroit Count
"35-30" Paul Williams (Address of Joe's Record Shop on Hastings)
"50-21" Thad Jones (Blue Bird Inn on Tireman)

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 05:59 pm:

Interesting Jim.

I have always had difficulty in pinpointing the precise location of the Chit Chat club on 12th.

Now demolished, it was based at 8235 12th.

I know that the 82 refers to the block but what exactly does the 35 mean? Was there any methodology in the latter part of the numbering system.

This always gives me grief especially when the building I am looking for is possibly there but is unidentifiable due to missing numbers.

I've got another 98 addresses to photograph this trip so info on this subject would be much appreciated!

By Jim G (205.188.209.38) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 06:33 pm:

David,

Truth be told, I don't understand it either!
The block thing is cool, but building numbers don't seem to make much sense.
You may want to post something on "Discuss Detroit"--someone over there may know.
But, as it's not a particularly contentious question, it may be ignored!

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 07:08 pm:

David, there is no real methodology for the final two address digits in Detroit. All of Detroit's addresses were renumbered at the beginning of 1921 after the city had geographically expanded to nearly its present limits. (For instance, my apartment building, which dates to 1901, has the original number, 875, etched into the stone above the entry arch; but the current address, 4762, is affixed to the building on a plaque below.)

General rule of thumb seems to be that adjacent buildings should be four to ten digits apart (i.e., 800, 808, 816, 822, 830, 834, 844, etc). 8235 12th seems to indicate that it was near the middle of the block. But not necessarily so. Some early numbers are in the middle of blocks... some corner addresses end in "35," "40," "56," etc.

Many blocks go right to the end of the series. But some don't... there may only be a few addresses before a new numerical block starts; in other words, the 4700 block may run only up to 4714 on the east side of the street before the 4800 block starts, but then the 4800 block may go all the way to 4898. And, many numerical blocks are often omitted altogether... for example, when you're on East Jefferson and you cross Mt. Elliott Avenue going east, you jump from the 3700 block to the 6300 block.

Moreover, the City of Detroit has been known to assign an address to a piece of vacant property that may not reflect the real address of the building that once occupied the site. It'll be close, but not always exact.

If you want an orderly address system, look at Chicago. Detroit's is downright quirky.

By Lynn Bruce (65.60.202.214) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 07:48 pm:

Tied tongue Hanly(or something close) had a song---
The Dee-troit river is muddy and deep but I'll walk that river just like Hastins (not pronounced Hastings) street. I got my boots on baby,I got my boots on baby,tryin to make it home to you.

The song may have been titled "I got my boots on baby",but I don't have a clue. The song just pops into my head from singing it with my teen-aged buddys many years ago.

By acooolcat (61.222.95.58) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 10:25 pm:

Spyder Turner mentions Woodward Avenue in his Fortune release - Ride In My 225.
Graham

By David Meikle (213.122.13.41) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 03:45 am:

Fury13

Thanks for giving me such a clear response.

I noticed the Jefferson quirk last year when travelling back to downtown. It was the strangest feeling!

Going back to numbers within a block, in the UK, when a large building is involved, the street number jumps significantly.

When houses on the same side of the street are involved, numbers rise by 2 on each occasion. This is fine, but there is no block system, and I think that is disadvantageous in terms of knowing how far you still have to travel.

I also like the street system in NYC. It makes buildings so much easier to find.

Lynn and Graham; two nice examples, thanks.

By dave (207.241.133.153) on Friday, March 28, 2003 - 10:21 am:

Thanks for the help guys.

By medusa9e (66.73.8.56) on Saturday, March 29, 2003 - 08:58 am:

There was s ong put out N the 60's by a white female group, the song was--442 Glenwood Avenue, anyone remember that?

By Mark Speck (65.56.222.187) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 12:29 am:

Yep, it was the Pixies Three, produced by John Madara and David White.

Best,

Mark

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 09:21 am:

Indirectly related....
....was BEachwood (as in 4-5789) a Detroit phone prefix?

By dave (207.241.133.153) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 11:39 am:

Wow...just found a whole album for this thread. Yusef Lateef's "Detroit". Has "Belle Isle", "Eastern Market", "Livingston Playground", "russell & elliot" and others. Great people with him. Can't wait to hear it.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 01:34 pm:

Doug,
I don't remember Beachwood being the prefix for any Detroit phone number. I do remember A BR prefix for Broadway.

By matt (208.130.56.167) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 02:23 pm:

spyder turner's "ride in my 225" mentions not only woodward avenue but also grand circus park...

By medusa9e2003 (66.73.2.215) on Friday, July 04, 2003 - 09:14 pm:

I think at that day and time, it was TW for Twinbrook, and FO for Forrest,don't know about the west side.