Lost Detroit : Stories Behind the Motor City's Majestic Ruins

Lost Detroit tells the stories behind 12 of the city's most beautiful, all-but-forgotten landmarks and of the people behind them, from the day they opened to the day they closed. While these buildings might stand as ghosts of the past today, their stories live on within these pages. The team behind BuildingsofDetroit.com brings you the memories of those who caught trains out of the majestic Michigan Central Station, necked with girlfriends in the balcony of the palatial Michigan Theatre, danced the night away at the Vanity Ballroom and kicked out the jams at the Grande Ballroom. As Detroit Free Press Architecture Critic John Gallagher said, the buildings in these pages held a central place in the story of Detroit's Auto Century. It was America's story, too. Detroiters lived, loved, toiled, played, celebrated and dreamed great dreams in these buildings and thereby helped shape a nation." From The Publisher: In This Important Book, Dan Austin And Sean Doerr Have Restored The Real People To Many Of Detroit's Architectural Landmarks, And Not A Moment Too Soon. These Lost Buildings Still Stand, Or Rather Totter, In A Dilapidated State, Their Histories Fading Like The Paint On Their Walls. The Buildings Might Not Long Survive, But Thanks To This Book And The Efforts Of Austin And Doerr, The Stories Of These Places And The People Who Built And Used Them Will Endure. Who Were These Lost Detroiters? Mayors And Matrons, Train Conductors And Auto Workers, Honeymooners And Jitterbugging Young Couples Out For A Saturday Night - All The Rich Panoply Of Faces That Make Up Detroit's Story. The Buildings They Inhabit In These Pages - The Michigan Central Station, Vanity Ballroom, Cass Tech High School And Others - Held A Central Place In The Story Of Detroit's Auto Century. It Was America's Story, Too. Detroiters Lived, Loved, Toiled, Played, Celebrated And Dreamed Great Dreams In These Buildings And, Thereby, Helped Shape A Nation. Broderick Tower -- Cass Technical High School -- Eastown Theatre -- Grand Army Of The Republic Building -- Grande Ballroom -- Lee Plaza -- Metropolitan Building -- Michigan Central Station -- Michigan Theatre -- United Artists Theatre -- The Vanity Ballroom -- Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church. Dan Austin ; Photography By Sean Doerr. Stories and photographs celebrating the city's history through its abandoned architectural landmarks. Lost Detroit tells the stories behind twelve of the city's most beautiful left-behind landmarks and of the people who occupied them, from the day they opened to the day they closed. While these buildings might stand as ghosts of the past today, their stories live on within these pages. This book brings you the memories of those who caught trains out of the majestic Michigan Central Station, necked with girlfriends in the balcony of the palatial Michigan Theatre, danced the night away at the Vanity Ballroom, and kicked out the jams at the Grande Ballroom. Filled with stunning and often moving photographs, it's a treasure for history and architecture buffs, as well as for native Detroiters. “A fascinating journey.” —John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press architecture critic, from the Foreword