July 22, 2011
Detroit turns 310
Dear Detroit: Happy birthday. And chin up.
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June 15, 2011
Annabellisle, the lonely wolverine: 1914
The heartbroken wolverine at the Belle Isle Zoo.
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June 10, 2011
Settlers beware
Fake eviction notices in Detroit. From 1837.
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June 7, 2011
The Great Clock of Detroit
An astronomical clock built in Detroit was a marvel of the modern world.
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May 27, 2011
Memorial Day: Five Veterans to know
A brief scrapbook of Detroiters, Veterans and countrymen (and women) from the Revolution to the Civil War.
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May 19, 2011
Detroit’s most annoying lawyer
A brief biography of Ebenezer Rogers, a.k.a. “Squirrel-Tooth,” a.k.a. “Old Famine,” who ate everything, leered at women and got in a lot of fights.
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May 4, 2011
Detroit & New Orleans: Antoine Cadillac
The cities share a lot, including the Commandant himself: Antoine Laumet de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac.
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April 13, 2011
The Spirit of Detroit
Five years ago today, on the first take-off-your-sweater-nice day in spring, in a college town on the stateline between Wisconsin and Illinois, I walked to a tattoo parlor, had this done, and then went out for a beer.
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March 30, 2011
Jean-Francois Hamtramck
It’s not the likeliest place for a hallowed memorial to a decorated officer of the Revolutionary War. But here he lies, along growly old Jos. Campau, across the street from an L.A. Insurance.
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March 9, 2011
Gambling? No.
On the Belle Isle Casino, where the author will be wed.
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February 14, 2011
Detroit’s other micro-funded public art project
Something to think about when we think about the Robocop statue.
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January 19, 2011
Margaret Mather
A tragic Victorian stage actress rises from poverty in Detroit to live in celebrity, if not artistic splendor.
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January 6, 2011
Who was Silas Farmer? We found out.
Silas Farmer: upright Christian citizen, co-founder of Detroit’s YMCA, author of “History of Detroit and Michigan” and “The Drinker’s Dictionary.” All in our very first podcast
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December 30, 2010
Solomon Sibley’s pear, & a brave New Year
OR: What I learned about Detroit history in 2010.
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December 22, 2010
Christmas with General Friend Palmer
Festive Christmas traditions from early Detroit, as related by General Friend Palmer. Pony races, mince pies and all-night noise-making.
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November 24, 2010
A defunct Detroit Thanksgiving tradition
Shoot your own turkey. At the bar.
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