The Ghosts of Corktown
By: Nick Bruewer
Thesis

Michigan Central Station and Tiger
Stadium* should not be demolished due to
their architectural splendor and significance
to the City of Detroit.
History
 In 1885 the Detroit Wolverines joined the
American League and became the
Detroit Tigers (Ballparks of Baseball)
 Played at “The Corner” of Michigan and
Trumbull in 1896
 Bennett Park was built in 1895 with a
capacity of 6,000 people
History
 In 1911 the whole stadium was
demolished and rebuilt of steel and
cement, with a 23,000 person capacity
(Ballparks of Baseball)
 The stadium was then named Navin field
 1923 a series of expansions added
nearly 7,000 seats
 1935 Navin Field was re-named Briggs
stadium
History
 Briggs was re-named Tiger stadium in
1961
 1977 a fire destroyed the press box
 The city of Detroit bought the stadium for
$1 in 1977
 The 1993 off-season was the last time
the stadium was renovated to a capacity
of 54,000
The Last Game
 September 27, 1999 Tigers beat the
Kansas City Royals 8-2 in the last Major
League game at “The Corner”
Tiger Stadium Today
 June 2006, City Council made plans to
raze the stadium
 July 2008 demolition began
 About one-third of the stadium is
standing
Michigan Central Station
Michigan Central Station




Built in 1912
Still under construction when Michigan
central Depot burned in 1913
Designed by Warren & Wetmore, the same
architects that planned New York’s Central
Station (Forgotten Detroit)
Romanesque Bathhouse (Forgotten
Detroit)
Michigan Central Station




Built in Corktown as an isolate anchor
(Forgotten Detroit)
Was a center for WWII military traffic
(Forgotten Detroit)
Train Traffic slowed after the war
In 1956 the station was put up for sale, a
five million dollar price tag.
The Late 20th Century




Put up for sale in 1963, again
1971 Amtrak took over U.S. passenger rails
(Forgotten Detroit)
In 1978, $ 1,250,000 worth of renovations
was made (Forgotten Detroit)
Ten years later…
SHUT DOWN
Why?
 The “isloate anchor”
 The end of interurban transportation in Detroit
in 1938 during the depression
 The absence of parking
The main reason…
MCS Today



Used as a set for Transformers
Detroit City Counsel wants the building
razed
Matty Mouron wants the Federal
Government to take control and renovate
Movies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbtyUsnrY
2I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_66XeFlb
Mg&feature=related
The Future


Too late for Tiger Stadium
MCS might be renovated like the BookCadillac
Sources: Pictures
• http://www.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/corkto
wn/Corktown_files/corktwnogo16k.JPG
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/northamerica/usa/detroit/map_of_detroit.jpg
• http://gluespace.files.wordpress.com/2008/
06/stadium1.jpg
• http://www.parrypannozo.com/images/phot
o_shoot/extra_large/detroit_mi_old_tiger_s
tadium_07_05_07_CRW_3663.jpg
Pictures
• http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3
&Date=20090121&Category=METRO01&ArtNo=901210
360&Ref=AR
• http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3
&Date=20090227&Category=BIZ&ArtNo=902270368&R
ef=AR
• http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.buyi
mage.co.uk/ireland/general/map.gif&imgrefurl=http://ww
w.buyimage.co.uk/ireland/&usg=__w9URWawlZtvAo3bh
Vcele2EsDU0=&h=556&w=500&sz=14&hl=en&start=2&t
bnid=R0LkYgYo1ityIM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=120&prev=/ima
ges%3Fq%3Direland%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
• http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/7/170/f
ull/472.gif
• http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://g
allery.photo.net/photo/2115438md.jpg&imgrefurl=http://photo.net/photodb/photo
%3Fphoto_id%3D2115438&usg=__4HpwemZS
BqYi9RGARbojMhvtPeU=&h=562&w=594&sz=3
7&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=X1qwjkpaaEfM
yM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq
%3Dmichigan%2Bcentral%2Bstation%26gbv%3
D2%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1
• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
a/ab/Where_Is_Everyone%3F.jpg
• http://home.comcast.net/~gkacir220659mi/MCS
_PC.jpg
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mcshie.jpg
• http://www.forgottendetroit.com/mcs/history.html
• http://countrymouse.blogharbor.com/_photos/Po
stcard%20Man%20in%20Old%20Fashioned%2
0Car.sized.jpg
• http://www.us12heritagetrail.org/media/sdbstorie
s/detroit_central_station.jpg
The Best Website on Detroit
Landmarks
• www.forgottendetroit.com
By: David Kohrman