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Know Your Hats: A Quick History of Men’s Hats 1790 to Present

Posted July 2, 2020 by Jeremy Dimick

 

The Detroit Historical Society Collection is home to approximately 1,800 hats: Men’s, women’s, children’s, winter, summer, military, formal, casual, etc. These function as a critical part of the larger Costume and Textile collection which, at 20,000 artifacts strong, is the single largest grouping of objects in our holdings. A good chunk of the 1,800 hats were sold from Detroit department stores or were created by local designers, but the majority of them were collected to serve as representatives of certain periods and styles. 

Pandemic: Detroit’s Deadly History

Posted April 28, 2020 by Joel Stone

The latest virulent health threat affecting our world seems new to most of us. The Ebola, SARS and MERS outbreaks were recent, but distant. Flu scares never cut this deep. So, in our collective memory, the mass closure of all public spaces is unique. “Novel” you might say. Among Detroit’s many, many stories there are tragic tales of devastating epidemics, mass self-isolation, unintended misinformation, poor preparedness and fantastic fatality rates.

Lions, Bears, the Red Grange Trophy, and a Thanksgiving Football Mystery

Posted November 26, 2019 by Jeremy Dimick

This time of year the Detroit-centric internet is full of Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Game facts. Here are some more:

Elizabeth O'Sullivan and the 1935 Detroit Tigers

Posted February 28, 2019 by Jeremy Dimick
"Take me Out to the Ball Game" Lyrics by Jack Norworth, 1908

 

Red Star: Help the Horse to Save the Soldier

Posted October 22, 2018 by Bill Pringle

World War I was an unprecedented conflict. At the intersection of dramatic new weapons of war, a shrinking globe, automobiles, aviation, and more hallmarks of innovation, the world was changing – for both soldier and civilian. Before the emergence of television or even commercial radio, governments needed a widespread and effective method of delivering wartime information to their population. This led to many countries using the already popular advertising medium of posters to broadcast messages during the war.

Downtown’s Forgotten Resort

Posted September 24, 2018 by Brendan Roney
In addition to the original structure, and the Wayne Gardens, this c. 1915 postcard shows a planned six-story addition to the complex, which was to follow the construction of the two-story mineral baths.

 

Bill Kennedy at the Movies

Posted August 13, 2018 by Eric Dalton
Heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Louis, with Kennedy in 1961.

 

Top o’ the World, Ma!

Posted July 13, 2018 by Joel Stone

Imagine that you are fourteen years old in 1911, and your dad is into the latest transportation fad—not automobiles, but aeroplanes!

100 Years Young

Posted May 24, 2018 by Cathy Moeller

I’ll Be There For You, When You Can’t Find the Door?

Posted May 18, 2018 by Brendan Roney

Nestled within the archives of the Detroit Historical Society are a pair of surprising pop culture artifacts--copies of the draft lyrics for both the theme song of the 90s T.V.

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