a brief peculiar history of detroit

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R YO F D E T R O I TEdited by Peter O’Keefe

Edited and curated by Peter O’Keefe.

Copyright 2012 by Peter O’Keefe.

Epub Edition (date)

ISBN: 978-0-9888481-0-8

Cover and Book design by Kevin Fye.

Cover image “Factory” from Jef Bourgeau’s “Art as Logo” series.

the artists.

C O P Y R I G H T

Jef Bourgeau

Barbara Greene MannTom Hagerty

Bruce Harkness

of Barbara Greene’s work from the 1970s and ‘80s. The artwork had been scattered to the four

assistance in this artistic treasure hunt:

Anne Cummings

Laura Freeman

Tribes of the Cass Corridor

Barbara Greene MannBruce HarknessChristopher King

Workman Arts

Sandra Schemske

Wayne State University

Annette Seip

Wayne State University

Managing Director Workman Arts

com).

A C K N O W E L D G E M E N T S

C O N T E N T S

PART ONE: GHOST STORIES

INTRODUCTION 11Peter O’Keefe

“GHOST LAND detroit” 27Jef Bourgeau

Photo of My Grandparents Working Their Lunchwagon at the Gates of Dodge Main

DODGE MAIN 47Peter O’Keefe

POLETOWN 97Bruce Harkness

C O N T E N T S

PART TWO: LOST WORLDS

DETROIT: THE MISSING YEARS 179Tom Hagerty

THE CASS CORRIDOR 243Bruce Harkness

BARBARA GREENE’S DETROIT 297

TIGER STADIUM 339Tom Hagerty

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES 374

CREDITS 378

11

I N T R O D U C T I O NA BRIEF PECULIAR HISTORY OF DETROIT

Peter O’Keefe

A BIT OF HISTORY

INTRODUCTION

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

13

careers there.

INTRODUCTION

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

INTRODUCTION

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

17

rocks.

INTRODUCTION

Jef BourgeauGHOST LAND detroit

There are times as an artist or a writer when an

that.” Jef Bourgeau’s “Art as Logo” series had that affect

of New Art (MONA).

Photo of My Grandparents Working Their Lunch Wagon At the Gates of Dodge Main

The tremor of recognition I experience when reading Jim’s Detroit

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

19

in Detroit.”

Barbara Greene MannBarbara Greene’s Detroit

other artist of the era--capture the creative ferment and

INTRODUCTION

Tom HagertyDetroit: The Missing YearsTiger Stadium

Bruce Harkness

The Cass Corridor

at Wayne State University and we both worked

Woodward Avenue. In between serving Heinekens

P. Reuther Library on the campus of Wayne State University.

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

21

The images contained in this book represent a fraction of the body of work Harkness created between

Peter O’KeefeDodge Main

Detroit is the Motor City. For the past century the city’s fortunes

PART ONE: GHOST STORIES

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R Y O F D E T R O I T

27

“ G H O S T L A N D d e t r o i t ”Jef Bourgeau

T H E H A M T R A M C K D O D G E A S S E M B LY P L A N T

D O D G E M A I N1 9 1 0 - 1 9 8 0

Peter O’Keefe

P O L E T O W NBruce Harkness

PART TWO: LOST WORLDS

A B R I E F P E C U L I A R H I S T O R YO F D E T R O I T

179

D E T R O I T: T H E M I S S I N G Y E A R STom Hagerty

basement dance parties.

Tom’s Tavern.

Peter O’Keefe

243

T H E C A S S C O R R I D O RBruce Harkness

297

B A R B A R A G R E E N E ’ S D E T R O I T

1980s.

T I G E R S TA D I U MTom Hagerty