Super Bowl XL

You can imagine, Detroit-based blogs were full of discussion about the Super Bowl held there last week, and all the hype and parties in advance of Sunday's game. The Detroit Blog has some great photos and the right kind of attitude. Here are five particular poignant photos from the last week (the first four are from Detroit Blog, the fifth from Wayne State University):

1. Over the last couple years Detroit rushed through a tremendous amount of building demolition in order to pretty up the city for all the big shots coming in for the big game. Many rehabilitatable buildings with a great deal of historicity were lost in the haste to make the city (seemingly) look better. One had been the headquarters of Motown Records. It was torn down(!), but the Mayor later suggested building a museum there to honor the Motown music heritage(?). Why build new and fake, when you had the real thing?

In a couple forays into the building, the anonymous author-photographer of Detroit Blog snagged some memorabilia that had been left behind, when Motown abandoned the building for their move to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. So much for having an appreciation of history. And note the decline of Motown Records after becoming disconnected from their roots-history. Amazing that Motown just left various records and materials to rot, and as bedding for squatters.

This Motown Fan Club promotion piece doesn't have a zip code on it. Apparently, zip codes went into use in July 1963, so this item probably dates from before that.

This insurance receipt for Marvin Gaye was found in Marvin Gaye's desk, abandoned when the building was abandoned. Did Marvin Gaye have an office in the Motown building in Los Angeles?

2. These ghost billboards dating as much as 80-100 years old were painted over in advance of the Super Bowl. Is history that offensive to today's football fans?



3. At least not everything was torn down. To prettify vacant (undemolished) buildings, this sidewalk level banner promotion material was strung across the face of buildings across the city. Better that than vacant lots.



(Don't worry I liked the photos with all the partying women too, but I won't tell you which one I liked best.)

4. This wasn't a Detroit Blogger photo, but from the Wayne State University collection of Detroit News photos. This photo of the street in front of Kresge dates from 1934. S.S. Kresge was one of the first 5 and 10 cent stores (like Woolworths, Kress, and similar companies) and it was out of Kresge that the now dying Kmart stores were created.



Index Keywords: Detroit; stadiums-arenas