Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 1, 2016

Perhaps the historical pictures on this website will help make sense of things. By the way, any references to 239 Woodward Avenue are for the well known 10-story Vernor's building that was completed in 1941 ...

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2016/06/detroit_historical_society_to.html

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 1, 2016

Vernor 33 Woodward Avenue date unknown.jpg

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 1, 2016

One more "weird thing" while I'm at it ...

It appears the 10-story Vernor's building located at 239 Woodward Avenue, that was completed in 1941, was also demolished when they reconstructed the water front. If the demolition/reconstruction took place between 1944 and 1949, it strikes me odd that they would tear down a building that was relatively new. I wonder what the story is on that?

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 1, 2016

Or did the 239 Woodward Avenue building survive the reconstruction/demolition?

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 1, 2016

Ah, ha ... More advanced reading!

Check out what I found in Keith Wunderlich's book about the 239 Woodward Avenue address. Plus a ton of other stuff and lots of pictures.

Start by scrolling to Page 26 ...

https://books.google.com/books?id=X... building 239 woodward avenue detroit&f=false

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 2, 2016

I haven't figured out the date and location for the 3-story tiled roof building I posted a picture of, but I did discover the following ...

Just prior to the onset of World War II, Vernors built a 230,000 square foot bottling plant and headquarters, encompassing an entire city block on Woodward Avenue, one block from the Detroit River. In the late 1950s, when the City of Detroit proposed construction of Cobo Hall and other riverfront projects, a land-swap was negotiated, and Vernors moved its bottling plant and headquarters to the location of the old civic exhibition hall at 4501 Woodward Avenue, incorporating many of the popular features of the old plant.

March 2, 1941

Notice where it says ...

"This will be the fourth building to be occupied by the Vernor Co. at this location."

June 17, 1941 ~ New Location 75th Anniversary

Vernor's 75th Anniversary June 17, 1941 (2).jpg

Vernor's 75th Anniversary June 17, 1941 (4).jpg

Vernor's 75th Anniversary June 17, 1941 (3).jpg

September 17, 1954 ~ New Location Open House ~ 4501 Woodward Avenue

Vernor New Building September 17, 1954 (2).jpg

Vernor New Building September 17, 1954.jpg

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 2, 2016

Based on my notes, this new timeline should be pretty accurate ...

1866 to 1896 = 30 Years @ 235 Woodward Avenue

(Southwest Corner of Woodward & Clifford)

1896 to 1941 = 45 Years @ 33 & 239 Woodward Avenue

(Building went through various changes and the address changed from 33 Woodward Avenue to 239 Woodward Avenue in the 1920s)

Vernor 33 Woodward Avenue circa 1900.jpg

1941 to 1954 = 13 Years @ 201-251 Woodward Avenue

(Same Location as above but building became a high-rise and address changed from 239 Woodward Avenue to 201-251 Woodward Avenue)

1954 to 1966 = 12 Years @ 4501 Woodward Avenue*

(Relocated from 201-251 Woodward Avenue to 4501 Woodward Avenue)

*This particular plant occupied over seven acres. On a daily basis it would produce 75,000 cases of Vernor's Ginger Ale. Which would be about 6,000,000 drinks per day.The plant was set up for public tours so one could watch the entire process taking place on any day. The Vernor Family sold out in 1966.

Vernor's Ginger Ale Plant 4501 Woodward Avenue.jpg

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 2, 2016

SODAPOPBOB said:
View attachment 172947

View attachment 172948

But I'm still not sure what the story is regarding this three-story tile roof building!

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 2, 2016

Reminder/Clue from the March 2, 1941 newspaper article ...

SODAPOPBOB · Jul 2, 2016

Questions of the day ...

1. Is the three-story tile roof building how it looked before it became a four-story building?

or ...

2. Is the three-story tile roof building how it looked after it was a four-story building and the fourth floor was removed?

Vernors Ginger Ale 150th B-Day

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