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Comments:
Laura - 2004-09-07 18:28:18 While I wandered the alleys behind N Huron St recently, I saw residents and evidence of residents living way-cool lives in downtown Ypsi. While their upstairs apartments may not be posh, their rents are relatively reasonable. When the cool-of-the-next-inhabitant-class remodels and takes over and poshes things up, where go those nice folks? Ah! Public Housing!* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-07 18:44:47 I'd never advocate gentrification. Just spiff up what in some cases appear to be unused spaces.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2004-09-07 18:46:35 and what could be more attractive than a pathway following the Huron from the islands in Ford Lake to Argo Park, or beyond? The Huron is one of the most under utilized and over abused waterways in, well, any vibrant, vital urban area that I've noticed lately.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-07 19:18:09 Well, as someone who bikes daily to AA, I dont bother with the path behind St. Joe's. They haven't finished the curb cuts, barels block the path at several curb cuts, and I don't feel like getting bounced around every 100 yards. Plus, at the part where an offroad path would be most useful--the death-defying stretch of Huron between St. Joe's and Dixboro Road, the path peters out completely so I'm forced onto the road where SUVs whiz past. Yes, I'd love to see a useable path connecting Ford Lake to AA--a different project from rejuvenating Riverside Park paths. But we're not there yet. Plus most people are too damn lazy to use a path to commute anyways. I stopped off at the gas station on the way home and surveyed the piles of cars clustered around the gas tanks, like so many ugly bloated butterflies sucking on poisoned flowers, with rueful disgust.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura again - 2004-09-07 19:19:36 Incidentally, raymond, although you're one of my all-time favorite commentors, and it's rare we disagree, I still value this discussion.* * * * * * * * * * * * Eric * - 2004-09-08 08:17:10 Since those buildings are not owned by the City, are you suggesting that the City give money to private individuals?* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 08:56:56 I'm suggesting the city come up with a creative way to develop those spaces.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-09-08 09:33:57 Laura, I can't help but fret a little bit about you biking in isolated areas alone. Please be careful! I haven't seen the paths behind the hospital, but just the phrase "behind the hospital" gives me the willies... (here's hoping for more fellow bike commuters to make things more safe for everyone).* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 09:40:45 Anna, I think it is very kind of you to even think about it--thank you for your consideration. It's a very big, visible, semi-recumbent bike, and the morning people are used to me I think. The path "behind the hospital" is one of the most peaceful & safe parts even though it sounds a tad booneyish. Huron by WCC is where I'm on high alert. Yes, I'd love to see more bike commuters...there are usually 3 (incl. me) heading to AA every day, that I see.* * * * * * * * * * * * Ypsidweller - 2004-09-08 09:48:57 Another good/secret hiking spot: The abandoned excersize path behind St. Joes power/transformer staion. Completed with vine-covered/rotting chin-up bars and obstacle course. Start at the fenced in transformer station on the North side of St. Joes. Walk directly North through a small mowed field till you get to a path at the woods edge. You will see like 18 old exersize stations long abandoned. Nice RR Tie steps going down to the river. Excellent spot* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 09:53:12 Yes! I've seen that on the way past in the morning and have been so curious about it! Great tip, Ypsidweller*--I'll be there this weekend for sure to check it out. Sounds weirdly picturesque. *(is there any square inch of off-road Ypsi you don't know about?--I so value your tips!)* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 09:59:47 You can also access at least one of the old exercise stations on a path off the new paved path that circles the hospital. There's a little feeder path that trails off, on the north side just after you pass the senior apartments past the stop sign, heading west. Deep in the gloom under the trees one can glimpse remnants of one of the stations. As someone who is attracted to urban ruins, I'm definitely going to check this out.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 10:06:42 The Harry Bennett House tops all ruins. Henry Fords security henceman. You can read all kinds of info on him by googling. Bad guy. Probably dumped many bodies in the Huron behind his house. Lion cages, lion tunnels, fake chimneys that look like trees. Little model houses decaying in the woods. Very cool. I want to secret the church house and restore it for my german shepard. Might have to float it down the river. The baothouse has old carribean paintings. A mosaic lion waterbowl built into the wall. Quite incredible if you like weird history* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 10:09:10 I love weird history and it's so funny you're talking about this--a history-minded friend was just telling me all about it, and walking his lion, and so forth--now that I hear such juicy details I am now dying to go there. OK, I wish it were the weekend, already.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 10:10:49 http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Ln2QBsZJVQkJ:www.detnews.com/2003/specialreport/0306/09/f07-186899.htm+%22Harry+bennett%22&hl=en Good luck finding it unless you have a canoe/kayak* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 10:16:31 If you can find the stone lighthouse you win the Ypsi explorer of the year award. Put on long pants and plenty of bug spray.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 10:20:38 That News story is quite interesting--thank you yd. Boy, does he look thuggish and sinister--I got a start when his picture came up. Caption says "the three decades between Bennett's hiring and firing is a dark chapter in Henry Ford's history." That's one long chapter, I'd say. Wow--a lighthouse too? Oh, I've got to poke around out there and am now afire with curiosity. Thank you so much for the tips, yd.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura again - 2004-09-08 10:23:16 (I think the Ypsi Explorer of the Year award has already been won & is jointly held by raymond, re-discoverer of the long-lost Independence Island, and the intrepid and knowledgeable Ypsidweller).* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 10:53:00 http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/harry2_20030602.htm* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 10:56:34 That is such a good story--what a weird and sinister character! Thanks for linking to that, yd. Quite interesting. Bennett was an Ann Arbor native, I note.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 10:57:09 His principal property was the "Castle" on Geddes Road in Ann Arbor. Fit for the kind of caricature he had become by the 1930s, the Castle was more a fortress, with towers, secret passages and tunnels that led to lion cages. Bennett raised many lions. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 11:08:12 The Lions of Ypsilanti. That is wild. One does wonder about those "tunnels to the lion cages"--something ominous about that.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 11:27:34 The tunnels are quite muddy, dark and filled with west nile mosquitos.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 11:29:10 this sounds better and spookier than the paper mill was, which is hard to imagine--I'm totally curious.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-09-08 12:20:34 Shiver..."Abandoned" "tangled" "bodies dumped" -- please go together to these places, not alone! Ack!* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 12:29:16 there's an idea. you are right on, Anna; urban exploration should never be done alone. I've been told by one more experienced than me that 3 is ideal, so if 1 conks out, the other 2 can haul him out. * * * * * * * * * * * * Jane Irwin - 2004-09-08 14:32:56 Rar! Anyone know if Bennett's Castle still exists? I wasn't able to find any specific information on it with the usual avenues.* * * * * * * * * * * * Jane Irwin - 2004-09-08 14:35:50 Waitaminit... is it that fenced-off field on Geddes with the masoned-stone pillars that lead to nowhere? Between Superior and Dixboro? * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 14:37:28 It sounds, from Ypsidweller's description, that it's all still there, and to some degree explorable.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 14:39:24 oops, your comment beat mine. Hey--waitaminute, indeed--that's *got* to be it--I've seen that, but never thought twice about it! (Talk about a good backdrop for a new Vogelein story.)* * * * * * * * * * * * Jane Irwin - 2004-09-08 15:08:01 Anybody who gets me pix of this gets to be in a Vogelein book someday. This rocks. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 15:11:40 woo-hoo! you're on! wowie!* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-09-08 15:13:11 The house is a multimillion dollar mansion that for one reason or another seems to go up for sale every five years. It has been featured in the sunday aa news real estate section many times. The last time an Indian couple was living there. The house is NOT vacant, and I doubt they would enjoy people creeping around. But a proper introduction might get you in the house. Most of the explorable stuff is around the river, a few hundred yards downhill of the house. Someone has recently built a gazebo near the old boathouse, which is the giveaway where all this stuff generally is. I have never had a problem when I kayaked up to the boathouse and explored for a little while. One time their two dogs came down and smelled me, that was it.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 15:16:07 Oops. I'd stupidly thought it was vacant--thanks ypsidweller. Live and learn. Still, even a peek from across the river would be fun.* * * * * * * * * * * * Jane Irwin - 2004-09-08 15:22:05 The offer still stands. You had me at the words "Lion Tunnel". Kudos to YD for being a proper explorer. Manners will take you very far. Oh, and as an aside, (having utterly hijacked this thread already) if you'd like to meet Jim Ottaviani and (surely) most of the other local small-press comics illuminati, we'll be at Uber-prof Richard Rubenfeld's EMU comics show: http://www.emich.edu/fordgallery/holeymoley.html http://www.comicartville.com/holymoley.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 15:27:28 Yes, I admire Ypsidweller's adventurousness (who knew there was a Lion Tunnel in Ypsi?)* * * * * * * * * * * * Jane Irwin - 2004-09-08 16:11:48 One of the best things I learned from hitchhiking through Ireland was the value of asking permission. Most of the best hiking trails went right through someone's sheep pasture. Ask permission, and you get the grand tour. Trespass without asking, and you get the Gardai called. So like I said, way to go, YD. You're setting a good example. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 16:18:55 that sounds like the prudent (and polite) way to do it.* * * * * * * * * * * * Iss - 2004-09-08 21:51:56 Ditto Anna's concerns and now I can say for myself it is worth the $.99 to get a wrist can of pepper spray for people who know your exact path every day, hint hint. Family talkin'. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-08 21:56:54 That is sweet of you to say, dear sis. Thanks for the comment. You are right. Harry's Army Surplus has pepper spray, which would be an ideal accoutrement to the resolutely self-reliant Ypsidixit.* * * * * * * * * * * * Vince - 2005-11-09 15:19:30 It still exists, we saw it today but you are prevented from getting close to it by a guard service. The turrets are no longer there and a few other changes have been made. It is a private residence.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |