| THE OL' BELLE ISLE COACH STATION |
Did you know??? At one time the entrance to the Belle Isle Bridge had its very own bus station—one
which was once considered to be "...the greatest little bus stop in the world."
which was once considered to be "...the greatest little bus stop in the world."
| This photo show the Belle Isle Waiting Room and Convenience Station shortly after it was completed in 1921. In those days bus service to the island was provided by the city's Parks and Boulevards Department. (Detroit Free Press photo) |
Although the ol' sign that use to hang along-side the brick and concrete, red-shingled-roof landmark, located at the
Belle Isle bridge, use to read "Belle Isle Coach Station," the structure was initially built by the City of Detroit to be used
for streetcar service. Completed back in 1921, the waiting and convenience station was located beside the entrance
to the Belle Isle Bridge, near E. Jefferson and E. Grand Boulevard. But in the name of progress, that graceful old brick
shelter was suddenly bulldozed by the city back in July of 1980 to make way for a federally funded Department of
Transportation project, which was designed to improve the flow of traffic to and from the island.
THE HISTORY OF THE BELLE ISLE BUS STATION:
Back in 1914, city officials had decided to turn all of the city's riverfront into parkland, much like was done in the city of
Chicago. Plans were in the works to develop parks, picnic areas, and bandstands all along the Detroit River.
During that time, the entrance to Belle Isle Park, at Grand Boulevard and East Jefferson, was one of the city's busiest
intersections. The intersection served as the terminus for three streetcar lines—the Crosstown, Fort-East and Myrtle
lines—and was also serviced by the East Jefferson streetcar line. As a result, the city decided to hire two young
former Albert Kahn architects, named Mildner and Eisen, who then set out to design the most charming streetcar
stop they could. The construction of the Belle Isle Streetcar Station was intended to be the first step to signal the
rededication of Detroit's waterfront to public use. But disappointingly, the brick and concrete streetcar stop, done in a
classic Roman motif style architectural design, complete with "arched windows and dainty balconies on which flowers
once flaunted," would become the only part of Detroit's waterfront plan to be implemented.
After the original wooden bridge to the island was accidentally destroyed by a fire on April 27, 1915, construction would
begin in 1921 on the island's current concrete and steel arch bridge, which was specifically designed to repeat the
same architectural themes found on the streetcar station. Although 2,159 feet of double streetcar trackage was built
into the roadway along the east side of the bridge, streetcar service to the island was never implemented, as the DSR
began to focus more on converting many of its rail lines to buses. Consequently, the tracks were never used,
remaining exposed for decades and basically lying idle until the bridge's roadway was repaved during the early 1950's.
Although originally intended as a streetcar waiting station, the shelter was never specifically used as such, as there
were no direct rails accessing the station from the nearby streetcar lines along Jefferson Avenue. Instead, the station
served as a layover and boarding station for the Belle Isle bus line. Bus service to Belle Isle had been first
implemented by the city's Department of Parks and Boulevards in 1909. Service by bus remained after the DSR took
over the service in 1924. The station would continue on as the waiting station for the Belle Isle bus route for nearly
sixty years.
But during the mid-1970's, and much to the disappointment of many, the condition of the station had deteriorated,
becoming a haven for alcoholics, bums and vandals. It wasn't uncommon to find vagrants sleeping on the floor as
you walked in the door each morning. According to the city's Recreation Department Director, Dr. Daniel H.
Krichbaum, "the coach station had been boarded up for at least 10 years," with the police also reporting a number of
muggings occurring at the station in recent times. The bus station had basically become an eyesore, littered with
paper debris, graffiti, and drifts of wine bottles and beer cans all along the floor.
But despite the sordid condition of the place, plans had been in the works by the Friends of Belle Isle (a non-profit
group of island supporters), along with the Michigan History Division of the Secretary of State's Office, to persuade
the city to refurbish and/or relocate the building. There were also plans to get the old shelter listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
But as was often the custom during the Coleman A. Young administration, such historic preservationist groups were
many times labeled by the Mayor as a major hindrance to progress in the city. Nevertheless, it was still
understandable that members of the Friends of Belle Isle were horrified when informed the administration had the
shelter demolished without public notice. Demolition of the old station began after normal working hours, during the
evening of Tuesday, July 1, 1980. Detroiters awoke the next morning to discover that the old bus shelter had been
demolished.
According to a Detroit Free Press news article written around the time, an onlooker had reported that "...the structure's
four corners were knocked in by bulldozers around 7:30 p.m.," and added, "All that remains is the shelter's red-
shingled roof, which collapsed intact." The Free Press article also reported that when the state historic preservation
coordinator was informed that the building had been demolished, he sarcastically commented, "Well, that takes
care of that, doesn't it.," and also added, "That's one way of dealing with the problem."
Another reaction reported in The Detroit News was that of a Miss Helen Treacy, a member of the Friends of Belle Isle
organization, who wailed, "...And the Recreation Department comes along and tears it down without even telling
us!"
But according to the July 3, 1980, edition of The Detroit News, Theodore Jordan, assistant director of the city's Parks
and Recreation Department, stated that there was no attempt at subterfuge in knocking the building down after normal
working hours. Jordan also added that, "The building has no historical value. We know it was built in 1921, but
that's all we know."
According to Joyce Garrett, then director of the city's Public Information Department, "...it wasn't worth the money.
Renovation would have cost a quarter of a million dollars," and added, "...Relocation was not feasible because of
the building's condition and (the) expense."
Ms. Garrett also added, "A new and 'much better boarding area' will be built on the east side of the roadway, near
the original shelter's location on East Jefferson."
The city's demolition of the Belle Isle Coach Station was part of a planned $11.5 million federally funded renovation
project. According to the Recreation Department Director, a newly configured roadway would cut through the location
on which the coach station sat, providing for easier access and egress to the island. Of course, by the time the
Island's newly remodeled bridge was dedicated in 1987, the ol' Belle Isle Coach Station was already history. The
replacement boarding area promised by the city turned out to be just an ordinary bus stop sign, without a shelter.
Belle Isle bridge, use to read "Belle Isle Coach Station," the structure was initially built by the City of Detroit to be used
for streetcar service. Completed back in 1921, the waiting and convenience station was located beside the entrance
to the Belle Isle Bridge, near E. Jefferson and E. Grand Boulevard. But in the name of progress, that graceful old brick
shelter was suddenly bulldozed by the city back in July of 1980 to make way for a federally funded Department of
Transportation project, which was designed to improve the flow of traffic to and from the island.
THE HISTORY OF THE BELLE ISLE BUS STATION:
Back in 1914, city officials had decided to turn all of the city's riverfront into parkland, much like was done in the city of
Chicago. Plans were in the works to develop parks, picnic areas, and bandstands all along the Detroit River.
During that time, the entrance to Belle Isle Park, at Grand Boulevard and East Jefferson, was one of the city's busiest
intersections. The intersection served as the terminus for three streetcar lines—the Crosstown, Fort-East and Myrtle
lines—and was also serviced by the East Jefferson streetcar line. As a result, the city decided to hire two young
former Albert Kahn architects, named Mildner and Eisen, who then set out to design the most charming streetcar
stop they could. The construction of the Belle Isle Streetcar Station was intended to be the first step to signal the
rededication of Detroit's waterfront to public use. But disappointingly, the brick and concrete streetcar stop, done in a
classic Roman motif style architectural design, complete with "arched windows and dainty balconies on which flowers
once flaunted," would become the only part of Detroit's waterfront plan to be implemented.
After the original wooden bridge to the island was accidentally destroyed by a fire on April 27, 1915, construction would
begin in 1921 on the island's current concrete and steel arch bridge, which was specifically designed to repeat the
same architectural themes found on the streetcar station. Although 2,159 feet of double streetcar trackage was built
into the roadway along the east side of the bridge, streetcar service to the island was never implemented, as the DSR
began to focus more on converting many of its rail lines to buses. Consequently, the tracks were never used,
remaining exposed for decades and basically lying idle until the bridge's roadway was repaved during the early 1950's.
Although originally intended as a streetcar waiting station, the shelter was never specifically used as such, as there
were no direct rails accessing the station from the nearby streetcar lines along Jefferson Avenue. Instead, the station
served as a layover and boarding station for the Belle Isle bus line. Bus service to Belle Isle had been first
implemented by the city's Department of Parks and Boulevards in 1909. Service by bus remained after the DSR took
over the service in 1924. The station would continue on as the waiting station for the Belle Isle bus route for nearly
sixty years.
But during the mid-1970's, and much to the disappointment of many, the condition of the station had deteriorated,
becoming a haven for alcoholics, bums and vandals. It wasn't uncommon to find vagrants sleeping on the floor as
you walked in the door each morning. According to the city's Recreation Department Director, Dr. Daniel H.
Krichbaum, "the coach station had been boarded up for at least 10 years," with the police also reporting a number of
muggings occurring at the station in recent times. The bus station had basically become an eyesore, littered with
paper debris, graffiti, and drifts of wine bottles and beer cans all along the floor.
But despite the sordid condition of the place, plans had been in the works by the Friends of Belle Isle (a non-profit
group of island supporters), along with the Michigan History Division of the Secretary of State's Office, to persuade
the city to refurbish and/or relocate the building. There were also plans to get the old shelter listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
But as was often the custom during the Coleman A. Young administration, such historic preservationist groups were
many times labeled by the Mayor as a major hindrance to progress in the city. Nevertheless, it was still
understandable that members of the Friends of Belle Isle were horrified when informed the administration had the
shelter demolished without public notice. Demolition of the old station began after normal working hours, during the
evening of Tuesday, July 1, 1980. Detroiters awoke the next morning to discover that the old bus shelter had been
demolished.
According to a Detroit Free Press news article written around the time, an onlooker had reported that "...the structure's
four corners were knocked in by bulldozers around 7:30 p.m.," and added, "All that remains is the shelter's red-
shingled roof, which collapsed intact." The Free Press article also reported that when the state historic preservation
coordinator was informed that the building had been demolished, he sarcastically commented, "Well, that takes
care of that, doesn't it.," and also added, "That's one way of dealing with the problem."
Another reaction reported in The Detroit News was that of a Miss Helen Treacy, a member of the Friends of Belle Isle
organization, who wailed, "...And the Recreation Department comes along and tears it down without even telling
us!"
But according to the July 3, 1980, edition of The Detroit News, Theodore Jordan, assistant director of the city's Parks
and Recreation Department, stated that there was no attempt at subterfuge in knocking the building down after normal
working hours. Jordan also added that, "The building has no historical value. We know it was built in 1921, but
that's all we know."
According to Joyce Garrett, then director of the city's Public Information Department, "...it wasn't worth the money.
Renovation would have cost a quarter of a million dollars," and added, "...Relocation was not feasible because of
the building's condition and (the) expense."
Ms. Garrett also added, "A new and 'much better boarding area' will be built on the east side of the roadway, near
the original shelter's location on East Jefferson."
The city's demolition of the Belle Isle Coach Station was part of a planned $11.5 million federally funded renovation
project. According to the Recreation Department Director, a newly configured roadway would cut through the location
on which the coach station sat, providing for easier access and egress to the island. Of course, by the time the
Island's newly remodeled bridge was dedicated in 1987, the ol' Belle Isle Coach Station was already history. The
replacement boarding area promised by the city turned out to be just an ordinary bus stop sign, without a shelter.
| This Detroit Free Press photo shows the old depot bus shelter after it had been razed by the city during the night of July 1, 1980. |
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: We at "DetroitTransitHistory.info" would like to thank the Friends
of Belle Isle Organization, who (back in 2005) supplied this site-owner with the numerous newspaper
clippings that were used for compiling much of the above information regarding the City of Detroit's former
Belle Isle Coach Station.
Information for the above article compiled from information obtained through numerous July 1980, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News
articles supplied by the Friends of Belle Isle, and from the S. Sycko Collection. Belle Isle transit info courtesy of various Jack E. Schramm
publications on the history of the DSR, and from artifacts gathered from this author's collection.
of Belle Isle Organization, who (back in 2005) supplied this site-owner with the numerous newspaper
clippings that were used for compiling much of the above information regarding the City of Detroit's former
Belle Isle Coach Station.
Information for the above article compiled from information obtained through numerous July 1980, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News
articles supplied by the Friends of Belle Isle, and from the S. Sycko Collection. Belle Isle transit info courtesy of various Jack E. Schramm
publications on the history of the DSR, and from artifacts gathered from this author's collection.
© 2007 – www.DetroitTransitHistory.info
Return to original version web-page: http://www.detroittransithistory.info/AroundDetroit/BelleIsleCoachStation.html