Table of Contents
Author's Note 7
Preface 11
Acknowledgements 17
Introduction 21
The Lost Neighborhood: A History 27
Poletown: What's in a Name? 27
Safety in Numbers 30
Polish Traditions Practiced in Poletown 33
Neighborhood Landmarks 37
Dodge Main 37
St. Joseph's Hospital 39
Beth Olem Cemetery 40
Hervey C. Parke School 43
John F. Majeski School 44
Immaculate Conception 45
What the Children of Poletown Remember 51
Candy Kitchen 51
Home Theater and Iris Theater 53
Potato Chip Central 54
Roaming the Neighborhood 54
"Everybody Knew Everybody" 56
Choir Kids and Altar Boys at Immaculate Conception 60
The Beginning of the End 63
A Highway Runs Through It 63
The Riots of 1967 64
Holding onto the Roots of Polonia 66
What About the Churches? 68
St. John the Evangelist 71
Troubled Times at Immaculate Conception 73
The Powers-That-Be 77
Rumor or Truth? 77
General Motors and Coleman Young 80
Dollars and Cents 82
Eminent Domain in the Case of Poletown 87
Celebration for Hamtramck 89
Exodus 94
The Resistance 97
Looters and Arson 100
The Last Moments of Poletown 104
Farewell, Father Joe 116
Remnants of Detroit's Lost Poletown 118
On the Film Poletown Lives! 118
The Scholarly Book Poletown: Community Betrayed 119
The Bruce Harkness Photos 120
Pieces of Immaculate Conception 124
Epilogue 127
Notes 131
Index 141
About the Author 143
