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Detroit, 1929. "Skyline and boats on the Detroit River as seen from Windsor, Ontario." Gelatin silver print, Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Collection. View full size.
I was wondering just what the good citizens of Windsor could "wear like a pig's nose" -- some Canadian delicacy? A frostbite-preventing schnozzola-warmer? Turns out that it was a sign advertising Finck's Overalls... "Wear Like a Pig's Nose." "Try a pair. The Man Who Thinks Invests in Finck's."
When I embigulate these photos I either play with the size to get it to fit entirely within my screen or leave it ultra-large and slide it around to view the meat or heart of the photo (which can vary with mood). With cityscapes, I usually take the scene up to the top of the tallest buildings and let the foreground fill in. But look at the sky in this picture! On account of having to look at those majestic clouds, there simply isn’t any room for Windsor in my embiggened view.
I live in Windsor and have been here all my life. The view has changed a lot. The Ambassador Bridge linking the two cities was opened in this year, and in 1930 the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel opened. Prior to that the only way between the two cities was by ferry, thus the proliferation of boats on both sides of the border. Locals have always called the river "The Ditch."
Windsor is not technically "South Detroit", but it's the closest thing there is to such a place.
My great-uncle and aunt moved to Detroit in 1939 to run a Lendzion's 5 and 10 cent store in Hamtramck. They prospered there until 1965 when the shopping centers put them out of business, forcing them to move back to Ohio.
However, Uncle Clarence had only fond memories of living there and still drank nothing but Old Dutch Beer, smoked local Detroit brand cigars and always had Vernor's ginger ale for us kids when we visited.
Detroit is the only place in the U.S. where you can look south into Canada. At least that's one of those geographical facts they taught us in grade school.
Another surprising fact that has stayed with me: the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal is west of the Pacific end.
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