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Roadside Michigan
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Eastwood Park |
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Name: Eastwood Park Street: 8 Mile Rd and Gratiot
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City: Eastpointe County: Macomb
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| Open: 1925 |
Closed: 1953 |
Status: Demolished |
| Web Address: N/A |
| Notes: AKA Eastwood Gardens |
| Number of visits to this page since February 23, 2007: 20973 |
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Jo Seymour - 8/9/2009 This is in response to Richard Siegel''s entry. I have been trying for a long time to locate the family or descendents of Henry Wagner and Max Kerner. I have many fond memories of summers spent at Eastwood Park. My father designed and built the swimming pool at Eastwood Park. He built many such large pools up and down the east coast during that period. My mom and dad met and were married in NYC. Around 1941 we came to Detroit to visit my mom''s mother who had moved here from the family home in Pennsylvania, and we ended up staying. By that time my Dad had given up his design and construction business.
Henry Wagner asked him if he wanted to run the swimming pool during the summers and of course he agreed. My dad, mom, and brothers were all competitive swimmers and my dad held the world long distance record . His name was Capt. J.N. Seymour, Jr. Everyone called him "Cap."
He put on big aquatic shows each year, with fireworks, high divers, the works. Henry Wagner and Max Kerner treated us like family. In 1949 my dad hired me to work the bathhouse counter during the summer. We would come every day to the pool from our home near Wayne University, taking the streetcar. My dad knew everyone that worked in the park and when I was younger, I met everyone there. The Ballroom attracted the BIg Bands of the 40''s. The Fun House was the best! This was my childhood playground. Mr. Siegel, was there also a "Nate" Kerner? I recall that name and also Maxie Rosenbloom. We spent time at Edgewater Park also, and Jefferson Beach. Although the official reason for closing the park was alleged illegal gamblilng, the real reason was something quite different. I would love to know more about what your family did after the park closed. Those were fabulous years and I have very fond memories of the owners.
Richard Siegel - 8/7/2009 My grandfather Max Kerner and my grandmother Flora Kerner owned the park with my uncle Henry Wagner and his wife my grandmothers sister Ann Wagner it had the largest open air dance hall in the world during the 1940ites era. Glen Miller willed his golf clubs to my grandfather. My father Bernard Siegel met Maryln monroe there when she was a starlet. my family owned all five of the amusement parks in the detroit area at that time. my grandfather was kidnapped for ransome. My son Austin got it wrong my other grandfather was Max Siegel he owned Siegels department stores. The park was closed down because of gambling then today gambling is legal.and also in time there were houses built near bye where the people complained about the noice level.
mary lewis - 8/1/2009 I am searching for Pictures of the old Eastwood Park on eight mile in Detroit. My Mom and Dad danced their in the 40''s and I would like to show them pictures of great memories of their past. Thank you. Mary Lewis
TL - 7/4/2009 When my uncle, Ben York was in his early 20''s he was the pool attendant at Eastwood park (1930''s). My Aunt Marie (nee LaFaive his wife) used to spend a lot of time at the park, probably to keep an eye on her handsome husband. One day while sitting at the pool she struck up a conversation with a woman. Turns out her husband was performing at the park.
The woman''s husband was Danny Thomas. Mrs. Thomas spent a number of afternoons with my aunt while Danny was performing at the park and they became friends. Eventually my uncle and aunt moved to Florida, 1940''s. My uncle was involved with the Olympic swim team and died in the 1980''s, but whenever Danny Thomas was performing in Florida he always sent tickets to my aunt to attend the show.
Robert A. Louwers - 12/29/2007 Thank you for this opportunity to add this to your collection.
My name is Robert A. Louwers. I am 82 years old, soon to be 83. I grew up in Detroit, Michigan.
Here is my story about Eastwood Park.
My brother needed lumber to build a porch. I went with him to Eastwood Park to buy lumber because they were tearing down the park in the spring of 1952.
They were going to charge us $100 dollars for the lumber that we needed.
This was too much money for us to spend.
They said we could take the whole bingo hall for $300 dollars, but we had to clean it down to the ground. We said we would take it. Now we had enough
wood to build my brother Donald''s porch. (age 25).
The contractor now came to us to see if we wanted to buy the dance hall.
I counted over 250 2x8''s underneath the building. It was five stories high.We used most of this wood to build a duplex for my brother in law, Marion and my family. This cost $350 dollars. Marion and I were 27 years old at the time.
The tear down took over 6 months, cleaning and sorting of the used lumber took another 6 months. After using this wood, 14,000 bricks, and much hard work and labor, the duplex was finished in 2.5 years, and we moved into the house in 1955. To this day, it still stands strong, with white pine 2''''x12'''' lumber floor joists.
Neil Hammack - 6/2/2007 Having a ball at the different sites, I grew up at 9mi. & Schoenherr Rds. Used tto take 9mi. Greyhound bus to Gratiot and walk to the park. Mind you I was all of 12 yrs. old. Those were the days. Safe to !! Enjoyed the pool, but most of all the fun house. The walk in over the air blower in the floor for you know what. Then the barrel to walk thru. Next the semi flat wood ride that you started in the center and wasn"t long everyone was off the ride. The slide was really fast, get on burlap bag and slide. Burnt arms couple of times on the sides. Stan Yee who I knew worked at one of the game booths in his younger years. He and his buddies whould stop at my parents dairy bar after work bring home cupie dolls and other items. Remember White Castle as well at Top Hat across Gratiot on Detroit side. Only sad memory that on one of my trips to swim left bike unlocked and someone stole it. I had bought bike with paper route earnings''. Thanks again for these wonderful sites.
Alan Berger - 5/26/2007 They also had a very large tent that housed so-called freak-shows
Chris Dean - 4/22/2007 The White Castle is indeed still there. In fact, they recently had a news story on Fox 2 about its Valentine''s Day promotion.
Joe Juresich - 4/12/2007 I remember Eastwood park well. We lived near by on Edmore. I had a paper route on Carlisle, The first street south of Eight Mile, from 46 to 49. I had a membership to the swimming pool. An uncle took me there for my 6th birthday and we rode the coaster. I''ve been hooked ever since. That was a White Castle across Gratiot. I think it is still there. When White Castle had the 5 for 25 cents coupon in the paper, I would start out my paper route by going to the White Castle first and get five sliders.
Austin Siegel - 3/26/2007 My great grandpa Max Siegel owned the place for a while. My parents tell me it had the biggest dance hall in the US. I think it was shutdown for the gambling troubles it had. I wish I had more photos of it.
Joseph Hartley - 3/20/2007 The site of Eastwood Park,was a 75 acre farm,owned by the Duflo family,in fact ,8 mile rd. was originally named Duflo rd.it ,this was in 1845,it wasl then passed on to the Sprenger family,this is how Sprenger st in Eastpointe got it''s name,it was part of the original farm,also,Ego st was named after Celestine,Ego,who was the mother of Elizabeth Sprenger,the Sprenger family consisted of 5 brothers & sisters ,the Sprengers moved to a 120 acre farm on VanDyke&11/1/2 mile rd in Centerline Mi.wher the Sprenger family farmed for many years.the sprenger family leased the Eastwood property to the owners of the park,until it was condemned & later sold,i Don,t think any one could have lived on the property where the park stood,it was always an amusement park,my wife Elizabeth is the great niece of Elizabeth Sprenger,we were married in 1945 at St Veronicas church in what was then East Detroit,my wifes maiden name was Elizabeth (Bette Laethem). Any one wishing further info. on Eastwood parl,can email me at jdh1927@verizon.net Joseph Hartley
Ken Giorlando - 11/26/2006 My Great Grandfather, John Robertshaw, built the Roller Coaster from Eastwood Park. It was originally built in Electric Park in Detroit but, when closed, was taken apart and relocated to Eastwood Park.
John Leonard - 9/18/2006 I remember eastwood park well in the early 50s I spent a lot of time there roller skating and working there so I could skate free we had a lot of friends there. are any of you out there? love your site
Del Jackson - 9/16/2006 When I was growing up in Port Huron during the late 30s and early 40s, my buddies, brothers and I use to hitch hike to Eastwood Park to ride the roller coaster. I also got my first tattoo at Eastwood Park. Also hitch hiked to see the Detroit Riots. Still drive thru this area when I vacation in Port Huron. We always stopped at White Tower for hamburgers. It was on the opposite side of Gratiot. Do any of you Senior Citizens remember White Tower? P.S. I also won a live rabbit at Eastwood Park, took him home and he lived for sometime.
Tom Seller - 4/6/2006 To make it even more frighteningly attractive, the roller coaster at Eastwood was said to have been "condemned" by city and other officials....Of course, it wasnt but that belief made it more thrilling to ride it. Ed.C.Weyn: The date of the riots you refer to is 1943, not 1945.
Leo Pike - 8/15/2005 Cyrll Wagner did not have anything to do with Electric Park so he did not start his career there. Henry Wagner started his career at Electric Park. Cyrills Father, Henry Wagner set up his sons with Edgewater park while Henry ran Eastwood Park. Jefferson beach was brought during this time also Walled Lake was bought later. Cy was my great friend & business partner in some things & we went everywhere together. Leo Pike eieiopike@comcast.com
Art Morneweck - 8/13/2005 1943 went on double date with Don,Micky & Blance Matthews. I was with Blance but a few days later I dated Micky, and married her May 15,1944 when I was Air Corps. Cadet
Don Gitersonke - 3/29/2005 I lived at 9&1/2 and Gratiot and would walk to the park every week and go swimming or ride the big slide on potato sacks. We would board the streetcar there to go shopping or to go downtown. The park was a part of our growing up in East Detroit.
Bill Jewell - 10/14/2004 As a little guy, maybe five years old in 1952, my Aunt Eleanor took me to Eastwood Park. She was buying me a cotton candy, when a guy walked by with his bear. I remember that the bear had a pink striped collar on. We then went to the merry-go-round. I have no idea why that sticks in my mind.
Ed.C.Weyn - 9/11/2004 We would walk up to the park from Pfent St.and stop at White Castle (right across the street) and get 12 sliders for a dollar,I can only remember the sword swallower, Roller Coaster and the riots around 1945.
Bonnie Heacox - 5/10/2004 We had moved on Bringard and Kelly for some part of my child hood and I remembered something about Eastwood Park. It wasnt as fancy as the Jefferson Beach Park but it was nice. What i remember my mom telling me is that they had a rubber jungle and it caught fire. Thats what I was told. A lot of the crowd that hung there started hanging out at Jefferson Beach. Thats when it started becoming over crowded and too wild for us.
Karen P Hunt - 12/30/2003 I lived on the site of the former Eastwood Park, and my mother often went there growing up. My mother said that it closed because of the East Detroit officials problem with gambling or games of chance. Again, she is not sure after all these years, but maybe somebody knows more about it? She said it was a great park, and she missed it.
WaterWinterWonderland - 3/9/2003 Cyril Wagner, who started his career at Electric Park in Detroit, started Eastwood park when Electric Park closed. The park was located at the end of the streetcar line, which was a common method to increase ridership on weekends.
Charles W. Finley - 3/9/2003 Eastwood park was located in Eastpointe Michigan , (note the DSR had a turnaround at the park) the DSR turnaround was removed when Gratiot Streetcar Service ended in 1956.
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| OLD PHOTO FROM WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY |
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| OLD PHOTO FROM WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY |
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| DANCE HALL |
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| ROSIE SHIRLEY BARBARA FROM MARIANA KOPACZ |
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| UNDER CONSTRUCTION |
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| PENNANT |
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| NEWS AD |
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| OLD NEWS AD |
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| THAT CORNER NOW |
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| FROM NICK SAGE |
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| FROM NICK SAGE |
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| FROM NICK SAGE |
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| FROM NICK SAGE |
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