2021 Tours!!
April 29, 2021- RELIGIOUS TOUR-($55) (9:00-4:30-5:00??)
1- CATHOLIC—-ASSUMPTION GROTTO (includes Cemetery) Tour Guide- Linda Davis
2- PROTESTANT-HISTORIC TRINITY (Assumption & Trinity are both on Gratiot) T.G
3-LUNCH-on Yeman Street -(POLISH VILLAGE CAFE) (STEWART BUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Kielbasa, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffed Cabbage, Sour Kraut, Dill Pickle Soup, & Non alcoholic beverage
4- BUDDHIST—-DETROIT ZEN CENTER IN HAMTRAMCK-(Tour Guide- Pat & Emju)
5- JEWISH——DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE SIGHT SEE DOWNTOWN
Two sects of Christianity represent most Christians. (Catholic & Protestant) The Buddhist
Monastery only allows 30 people for tours.
2-May 11, 2021–DETROIT CELEBRITY HOME TOUR-($50)-(9:00-4:30-5:00) We will see about 35 homes.—Francis F.Coppola, Marvin Gaye, Henry Ford, M & M,
Mike Wallace, Mary Wilson.(she just died), Walter P. Reuther, Malcolm X, Jimmy Hoffa, Jimmy Hoffa, Berry Gordy Jr, (Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross), John Delorean, John Dodge, Florence Ballard, Robert Wagner, Danny Thomas, George C. Scott, Gilda Radnor, Stevie Wonder, Dave DeBusschere, Jerome Bettis, Ty Cobb, Ivan Boesky, Ron Leflore, Rudy Tomjanovich, Casey Kasem, Sonny Bono, Carl Levin, Dennis Archer, Elijah Mohammed
May 27, 2021-TOUR OF THE CULTURE CENTER & DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM ($40)(9:00-4:30)
About 1994 I was going thru a major problem. The issue— Do I move from Grosse Pointe to Detroit?
What did I do?? I DID MOVE TO DETROIT. TWO REASONS ————
1- THE CULTURE CENTER
2- (DHM) DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM
In 1993 I had just retired from East Detroit High School & I was ready to go to Wayne State University to teach Humanities. I figured that I would have more credibility with my students if I lived in Detroit. So, I would like to share the CULTURE CENTER & THE D.H.M.—————-
I will list some of the sites we will see.——— College of Creative Studies
International Institute- N’nmdi Center for the Arts
The Hellenic Museum- Museum of Contemporary Arts
The Scarub Club DIA-Detroit Institute of Arts
Science Center DPL-Detroit Public Library
Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American M State Hall-Second Bldg. on Wayne State
Wayne State Library-First Bldg WAYNE STATE IS EVERWHERE!!
Horace H. Rackham- FINAL STOP—DHM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plymouth United Church of Christ
Bethel African-Methodist Episcopal) -Richard Allen
Paul Lawrence Dunbar Black Hospital-sign gone
Bertha Hansbury Piano Teacher-she died when she was 88, there are 88 keys on the piano,
and I cannot remember the third thing!!
June 8, 2021-$40 (10:00-4:30) We will have a WONDERFUL BREAKFAST!! Then we go to the STAHL’S AUTO MUSEUM!! You pay for breakfast. ($30) MUSEUM IS FREE!!!!!
We will start off with an ASTONISHING LUNCH!! Walk in the door at Penne Lane & you’ll feel as though you’re in one of the neighborhood bistros in New York City’s Little Italy!! From a WARM GREETING to the scents of garlic, lemon, & olive oil coming from the kitchen, you’ll know it’s AUTHENTIC ITALIAN!! Our chef starts early in the morning to make the most delicious, authentic Italian cuisine in all of Michigan. We use only the freshest ingredients & make everything FROM SCRATCH!! From our house-baked bread to hand-made meatballs & classic marinara, even our pasta is made from scratch daily. We have a PASSION TO SERVE. Come experience it!!!!!!!!!!!!! We then move on to the Stahl’s Auto Museum. This is a wonderful chance to view the history of the automobile. The collection includes over 100 makes & models from around the world. We will have 3 hours seeing all of these beautiful cars!!!!!!!! This will be a sellout for sure. Please get your checks to Stewart as fast as you can.
June 17, 2021- TRIP TO FRANKENMUTH -$50 (9:00-8:30)
A BEAUTIFUL COACH BUS WITH HENRY!! WILLKOMMEN!! In German that means WELCOME!! I cannot believe that I have never taken a group to Frankenmuth. As you can imagine that is about to change! Of course the FOOD is the thing that most of us think of when I say FRANKENMUTH! Let’s get started!! I was listening to WJR radio about a year ago on the Frank Beckman (retired in March in 2021) show and they were talking about an event at the Heroes Museum at FRANKENMUTH. That really woke me up! Let’s go there, enjoy the cousine, (20 total RESTAURANTS!!!) & the other amenities in this charming town. The trip begins at 9:00 AM at a Military Museum in Eastpointe (16600 Stephens Rd). FRANKENMUTH was founded in 1845 by a group of 15 German-Lutheran Missionaries to teach Christianity to the Chippewa Tribe. Lots of HISTORY ON THIS TRIP! The first thing we are going to see is the Historical Museum ($2.00) or FREE TIME!! After the Museum, we will walk to Zehnder”s or the Bavarian Inn for LUNCH. (or another restaurant of your choice) I am going to list some of the highlights of FRANKENMUTH.———————-
1–Bronner’s- World’s Largest Xmas Store
2–The Chippewa Indian Memorial
3–Heroes Museum–THEY HONOR VETERANS
4– Taking a classic horse-drawn carriage ride.
5–Explore FRANKENMUTH by Boat ($12)
6–Glockenspiel Tower (Pied Piper of Hamelin) 6:00-PM
7-Taking it all in on our 16-PERSON PEDALE TROLLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Details of trip may change after Stewart drives his car to Frankenmuth in May.
Historical Museum ($2.00) and Boat trip ($12) will cost extra.
DETROIT CULTURAL CENTER & THE DETROIT HISTORICAL-MUSEUM -(9:00-4:00) ($40)-Twenty five years ago I had to make a decision about a very important issue. It was about me moving from Grosse Pointe to Detroit?? I decided to move to DETROIT!! The overwhelming reason was the CULTURAL CENTER!!!! I had just retired from teaching high school at East Detroit High & I was getting ready to take a position at Wayne State University Teaching Humanities!!!! I figured that I would have more credibility with my students if I would live in DETROIT!!
1-Sept. 1—Detroit’s “Underground Railway Station”. (NE Corner of State & Griswold)
2-Sept. 2—French Pear Tree, Waterworks Park.
3-Sept. 6—History of Belle Isle End of Bridge
4-Sept. 8—Michigan’s First Bank, Northwest corner Randolph & Jefferson
For people going on tour we will cover all 20 of the sites. About 4 or 5 people would be involved in those presentations. Some of the people included are: Edsel B. Ford, Ty Cobb, John C. Lodge, & Judge Arthur J Tuttle. People going on tour will receive a copy of that “Piece of Paper”!!!!! REST OF THE SITES– (we will give you more details on TOUR DAY!!!!!!!!!!!)
5-Sept. 9—-Landing Place of First U.S. Troops in Michigan
6-Sept.10—-Michigan’s First Newspaper
7-Sept. 11—Michigan’s First Toll Gate
8-Sept. 14—Michigan’s First Seat of Government
9-Sept. 15—Home of Dr, Douglas Houghton
10-Sept.16—Detroit’s Last Indian Massacre
11-Sept.17—Michigan’s First Hospital
12-Sept.18—Michigan’s First Public School
13-Sept. 22– Michigan’s First Theater
14-Sept. 23–Michigan’s First Baseball Park
15-Sept. 24–Detroit’s First Whipping Post
16-Sept. 25–Michigan’s First Railway Depot
17-Sept. 27–Last Home of General John R Williams
18-Sept. 28–Birthplace of Ford Motor Car
19-Sept. 29–Michigan’s First Capitol Building
20-Sept. 30–Detroit’s First Federal-Built Post Office
IT WAS “BOOZE CITY” LONG BEFORE MOTOWN–
Alcohol has played a key role for centuries in Detroit’s business, culture & politics.
1-BOOZE AND “BLACK ROBES”–French soldiers and settlers who founded Detroit had 15 barrels of brandy when they arrived July 24, 1701. Catholic Missionaries immediately opposed the French practice of supplying brandy to American Indians. Later, when the British ran Detroit, a government official wrote: “The leading chiefs complain that the English are killing their young men with spirits–They say: they lose more men by rum than they lose by war”
2- WHISKEY DEMOCRACY-In 1798, an election was held in a Detroit Bar for the Northwest Territory Legislature. Opponents charged the winner provided liquor to voters. One of Michigan’s first seats of government was in another drinking establishment, Richard Smythe’s Tavern, starting in August 1805.
3-HIRING THE INEBRIATED: -In the 19th Century, Detroit saloons served as informal union halls especially during strikes. In 1906, Cadillac Motor Chief Henry Leland and the Board of Commerce wrote that saloons in factory neighborhoods “lessen the efficiency of workmen”!
4- BREWSKI-THE CRAFT!! Beer making was an important industry that employed tens of thousands of Detroiters, many of them immigrants, over 150 years. The British, Irish, Scottish, Germans & Poles were the principal brewers.
5-HOW WET I AM—-Between 1875 and 1925, saloons were a major political force in Detroit. In some years, more than one-third of the City Council members were saloon owners or bartenders. Saloon interests controlled many voting districts. The saloon operatives stuffed ballot boxes, corrupted voting rolls & used alcohol in an attempt to sway voters. Even Detroit’s great reform mayor, Hazen Pingree, kicked off his 1889 campaign in Baltimore Red’s bar to quell potentially damaging rumors that he was dry.**
6-PROHIBITION—Detroiters ignored state laws between 1858 & 1867 that banned the sale of alcohol. During that time, the number of Detroit saloons tripled, the number of breweries doubled & the number of distilleries quintupled. (5 times)
7-PROHIBITION -2 Detroiters also flagrantly disobeyed the booze ban between 1918 and 1933. By 1925, officials estimated the number of blind pigs at 5,000 to 16,000. The New York Times called rum-running Detroit’s second-biggest industry behind cars. The Free Press’ Malcolm Bingay wrote: “It was absolutely impossible to get a drink in Detroit unless you walked at least 10 feet & told a busy bartender what you wanted in a voice loud enough for him to hear you above the uproar”.
8-THE DRINKER CITY- Detroiters are credited with inventing three drinks. The Hummer (ice cream, rum, Kahlua); the Bullshot (vodka, bouillon, ice cubes, a wedge of lemon and a dash of a concoction of Worcestershire, Tabasco, Angostura bitters, and celery salt) and Cold Duck, a combination of dry California burgundy and New York State champagne.
By Bill McGraw
DETROIT CULTURAL CENTER & THE DETROIT HISTORICAL-MUSEUM –
$40-(9:00-4:00)-Twenty-five years ago I had to make a decision about a very important issue. It was about me moving from Grosse Pointe to Detroit?? I decided to move to DETROIT!! The overwhelming reason was the CULTURAL CENTER!!!! I had just retired from teaching high school at East Detroit & I was getting ready to take a position at Wayne State University Teaching Humanities!!!! I figured that I would have more credibility with my students if I would live in DETROIT!!
So, I would like to share the CULTURAL CENTER & the DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM with you.
Take the Ford Freeway to John R
Left on John R to Kirby (College of Creative Studies) (International Institute)(Historical Marker-HM)
Right on Kirby to Woodward (HM)
The International Institute was founded by the YWCA in 1919. There were ! 1 of 55 International Institute’s developed after Edith Terry Bremer founded the first one. The Institute helped new arrivals, find jobs, obtain homes, being citizens, learn English & acquire medical care.) The Hellenie Museum is on Kirby. They are Greek. Lindell AC- America’s First Sports Bar
Turn right on Woodward to Ferry (Chartreuse, Wasabi, Park Shelton, Frida, Babo are all on Woodward)
Right on Ferry to John R
Right on John R to Warren Scarub Club-831-1250
Right on Warren to Kirby (Horace H Rackam)
Right on Kirby to John R Right on John R to Warren
Left on Warren to St. Antoine (Plymouth United Church of Christ)
Left on St. Antoine to Frederick- (Bethel African-Methodist Episcopal) (Richard Allen) (Walter Ford)
Left on Frederick to John R (Black Hospital) Piano Player
Left on John R to Warren
Right on Warren to Cass
Right on Cass to Palmer
Left on Palmer to Anthony Wayne Drive
Left on Anthony Wayne Dr to Warren
Left on Warren to Kirby
Left on Kirby to Detroit Historical Museum
Miscellaneous
1- N’namdi Center for the Arts–52 Forest
2- Museum of Contemporary Art
3-Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indian, Albasha
Call Stewart at 313-922-1990. Tours leave from Eastpointe. A Military Museum is the departure point on 16600 Stevens Road just one block from Gratiot. Stevens is also known as Nine and a Half Mile Road. The museum has a phone. Its number is 586-872-2581.
Please E-MAIL me about your questions, comments, etc!!! I really need to know what you want to do? Phone-313-922-1990. Cell–586-218 9042. I prefer e-mails.
STEWART’S BACKGROUND-
He has led these 2 tours about 10 times each! This is his 54thyear
conducting tours. I taught Social Studies at East Detroit High School for 30 years. (1964-1993)
From 1994-2001 I taught Humanities at Wayne State University. Of course
TRAVELLING has also been very important to me. I also have been blessed
to have visited all of the states and 142 countries!!! Please send checks to- Stewart McMillin–2136 Seminole- Detroit, Michigan 48236 (DO NOT say Stewart McMillin TOURS!!!!!!!!!)