Then-and-Now Photos of Abandoned Detroit School | Bored Panda First built to serve Redford Township, the city later annexed this region and integrated it with the Detroit Public Schools system. After years of abandonment, the decay of Cass Technical High School has reached the point where familiar parts of the building are no longer recognizable. Cass Tech was a proud educational landmark in downtown Detroit. In 2005 the main building was abandoned with the remaining students occupying an adjacent addition. Detroiturbex is attempting to bring attention to these ghostly remains through a photo project highlighting the city's abandoned buildings. [16] In 2021, U.S. News ranked Cass Tech 84th among Michigan high schools, and reported a 62.9% percentile score on the SAT. The brick and limestone Gothic building was large: eight stories fitting 4,400 students and 50 classrooms. The first class graduated in 1910 with only six or seven students, but by 1909 enrollment jumped to 700 students and a new wing was added to the Cass Union School to accommodate the increased enrollment. Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center - Newport (Newport, NH) White Mountains Regional High School (Whitefield, NH) Wilbur H. Palmer Vocational Technology Center (Hudson, NH) Windham Regional Career Center (Brattleboro, VT) Winnisquam Agricultural Programs (Tilton, NH) Portable Document Format (.pdf) . The Bishops Mansion, Detroits largest residence, sells for $2.7M. Despite the demolition of the old building, Cass Tech lives on in a new building. I was never fearful going to school because all of them respected Cass Tech as place of higher learning and knew that us kids came from miles away in the dark to go to school each day. From a bridge to Canada to a building that could change the skyline, here are the biggest development projects in the works in Detroit. Comedian, Theatrical producer, Television producer, Record producer, Television producer, Film Producer. Cooley High School was built for a growing Detroit population in Detroits northwest side. Back then, the Cass Corridor had a lot of homeless peopleyou would step over them just get to school. Cass Tech High: Then and Now Photos - ABC News An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. What doesnt appear in the images, however, is how the old Cass Tech, with its classic and imposing architecture, made high-schoolers feel like they belonged to something great. Yearbook photos of Diana Ross from Cass Technical High School Diana Ernestine Earle Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Photo Essay: Senior year in the age of COVID - Chalkbeat Detroit To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Detroit's March Toward Bankruptcy in 10 Pics, 'Destroying Detroit': 10,000 Homes to Bite Dust. Circa 1929. Detroits nighttime skyline as viewed from Windsor. [6][7] Departments in the 1922 building were grouped by floor; facilities included a foundry and machine shops that were used for training by Ford outside school hours, and the auditorium was used as a practice hall by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Prominent graduates from Cass Technical High School include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. The new building, designed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn, began construction in 1916 but, due to wartime shortages, was not completed until 1922 at a final cost of $3.93 million (approximately $50 million today). [17], In 1984, Cass Tech was honored by the U.S. Department of Education among 262 schools that should "shine as inspirational model for others," a list that included public and private schools. It played a pivotal role in our trajectory. RM 2HTHMAD - 1970's photograph of children queuing with baggage luggage for school coach trip, Sweden. Don't miss a beat. Sep 20, 2021 - Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery Historic Detroit. Cass Technical High School (2023 Ranking) - Detroit, MI Melded together, the kaleidoscopic photos of Detroit reveal a true ghost town. Yet there sat Detroit, perfectly situated as a trading point of goods from the first wave of the Industrial Revolution. [14] Cass Tech students' strong academic performances draw recruiters from across the country, including Ivy League representatives eager to attract the top minority applicants. They were beginning to integrate Redford when I started there. Demolition. RM JJJGNY - Benneckenstein, Germany. View all items related to Cass Technical High School, 2023 Detroit Historical Society. Advertisement Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery - Historic Detroit Our kids deserve the same or better. Remember the Balogh House? It was huge: eight stories with an elevator that been around for decades. 65.0% of the students are female.[1]. Richard L. LaVoie 06/10/1944 - 03/21/2023 Richard L. LaVoie was born in 1944 in Detroit, MI to parents, Harold and Stella LaVoie. Though Detroit Urbexs Cass Tech series failed to stop the schools demolition, it remains an important testimony of what the school used to be. Cass Technical High School - Wikipedia Old Cass Technical High School, Opened in 1922 In addition to being one of Detroit's highest performing schools, Cass Tech was also a historical landmark with an illustrious list of. It was an area that was like an island unto itself. Somehow this midcentury gem is still on the market. In 2017, when I came back, a piece of me died inside. Wow my high school is gone, they tore it down. Detroit Schools Superintendent Wales C. Martindale visited Europe to learn about their successful technical schools, deciding to adapt their educational model to the new high school in the Cass Union School building. While Detroit architecture and culture has indeed suffered, much remains, and there are many who work fiercely to protect it. Caria Taylor, a member of Cass Tech High School's Class of 2021, used the isolation of COVID as an opportunity to develop her hobbies: reading, writing, and photography. [6][30][31] At the time of demolition, the school building was approximately 830,000 square feet (77,000m2) and weighed more than 100,000 short tons (91,000t). Renovation was deemed impossible and the decision . The ruins of a similar first-wave industrial complex. Slate is published by The Slate History of Cass Tech High school from its founding to the present day. School photo 70s hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a magnet high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Old Cass Tech and Michigan Central Station. The Cass Tech auditorium in 1930. Confronting Satan in a Dark Spanish Castle. Learn more. The specter of Michigan Central Station has become emblematic of the dichotomy between Detroits past and present state. Media outlets have labeled the once thriving Motor City "a ghost town. Register as an alumni from Cass Technical High School and reunite with old friends and classmates. Photo from 1910-1920. . Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org The cafeteria in the 1980s addition Mark Hall for HistoricDetroit.org Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University. Scroll through the images below and let us know what you think of Detroiturbex's project in the comments section. Abandoned Detroit School Given Life Through Photos Lewis Cass Technical High School, demolished in 2011, was one of Detroit's largest high schools. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Cass Technical High School. Cass Technical High School | Detroit Historical Society Cass Tech Photos Of An Abandoned Detroit School (PHOTOS) Cass Tech High School (old) - Demolition photos gallery Historic Detroit R Rod kurowski 8 followers More information Cass Tech High School (old) - Demolition photos gallery Historic Detroit City Skyline Casino Hotel Wrecking Ball Demolition Photo Galleries High School Tech High School Tech More information . OC hosted a roundtable discussion about industry and workforce ready graduates. Caria leaned on organizations such as . Cass Tech High School (old) - Photos gallery Historic Detroit Cass Tech High School (old) - Photos Cass Tech High School (old) The massive machinery that drove Cass Tech's elevators. Its like a ghost town, right in the middle of what used to be life. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. See top plays & highlights of the best high school sports. The Main Building of the Detroit Public Library as it appears today. The rest of the story is familiar; mid-century found Detroit in full swing as Motor City USA, a modern metropolis, a shining light for the future of the midwest. [5], The school was founded in 1907 on the third floor of Cass Union School on Grand Union Avenue, subsequently moving to its own wing. As a result schools and homes which were quickly built to support a growing industry in the 20s and 30s have since been abandoned, subject to arson or demolished. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Redford High, before it was demolished. See. Historic Briggs mansion in Boston-Edison lists for just over $1M. The incredible Stone Hedge mansion, built for Detroit Tigers owner Walter O. Briggs, is listing for $1,050,000. Detroits 10 best social media accounts for architecture and homes, Locations in Detroit with ties to Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, Pope designates Ste. It was mostly white when us blacks started to come inthey began to leave soon after. Paul Hitz (www.paulhitzphotography.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. 1900-1915. casstechnicalhighschool photos on Flickr | Flickr In 2007, a large fire broke out in the old Cass Tech building and it was finally demolished in 2011. By Emily Badger 3 minute Read. [20], The concert band program rose to prominence under the direction of Harry Begian, who led the Cass Tech bands from 1947 through 1964. Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress best known for her roles in films of the 1970s, such as The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, and Alice Doesn't Live .more #29 of 77 The Best Actresses to Ever Win Oscars for Best Actress #7 of 100 The Best Living Actresses Over 80 #47 of 76 The Best Oscar Hosts Ever In the words of the inimitableLL Cool J: Dont call it a comeback. OCTECHS / Homepage - Ector County Independent School District Photo from 1910-1920. Applications continued to surge until finally the City Council was able to find the money for a new building for Cass Tech. In 2017, the building suffered severe damage from a fire in its auditorium. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----. Detroit Urbex: Using photomontage to compare the history of Cass Tech [25], A new campus opened in May 2005 in an adjacent lot on Grand River Avenue to the north of the original building. One of its recent projects focuses on Cass Technical High School, a building damaged by a fire in 2007 and later demolished in 2011. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. It was ultimately demolished in 2012. As a child, he proved himself an apt learner . Pinterest. We regret the error. Nearly every classroom in the school was left filled with desks, supplies and equipment. Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery - Pinterest [1], Of the students attending Cass Technical High School in 202122, 1,832 (76.2%) of them are Black, 277 (11.5%) are Hispanic, 223 (9.3%) are Hispanic, 57 (2,4%) are White, 6 (0.2%) are American Indian or Alaska Native, and 9 (0.4%) are multi-racial. I got along with everyone. By 2000 over a million people had moved elsewhere, leaving the city up to 60% vacant by some estimates. I had an opportunity to see the new building in 2015. Entrance is based on test scores and middle school grades. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Several years after the original Cass Tech High School in downtown Detroit was abandoned, a local photographer sifting through the ruins found decades of the school . Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. We had hoped to provoke substantive discussion about the school, its past, and its future., Dismantling Cass Tech was a controversial decision. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. [citation needed] In 2013 CTMB went to the 2013 inauguration for President Barack Obama. 2023 Atlas Obscura. (source), In the foreground, the desintegrating old Cass Tech High School that is often featured in media reports on Detroit, eclipsing the snazzy new Cass Tech located immediately next door. In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7. All Rights Reserved. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking news. The police never bothered us. In the Spring of 2006 the new Cass Tech High School, being built next door (out of view to the right side of this photograph) opened its doors. Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer and producer. Richard L. LaVoie. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The city was splendid before the advent of the automobile, and later set an example for the nation (if not the world) on how to stoke an economic and social boom. The venerable Second Avenue facade of Cass Tech High School. [citation needed]. Explore. They may have planned to take everything when the school was going to be demolished, added Duce, but after the demolition got pushed back months, and then years, the items left behind lost all value and werent worth salvaging.. Photo by Dan Austin of HistoricDetroit.org. In the Cass Tech project, images Duce took of the destroyed school were layered with photos from the 1980s and 1990s that came from a box of negatives found in the old yearbook room. The fight over an iconic high school may be coming to a head in Detroit: Cass Technical High School was closed six years ago after a new school was built next door, but the old. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Crumbling Houses Show the Sad Decline of Detroit. Cass Technical High School Alumni, Class Reunions, Yearbooks, Technicians Classmates, and more! Looking north up Grand River on April 17, 2009, at Cass Tech and its 1980s addition. Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? She graduated in Home Economics with the January class of 1962 from Cass Technical High School in Detriot, Michigan. In 1950 Detroit was the city of tomorrow. [7] The 1922 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2011. The massive machinery that drove Cass Tech's elevators. The original swimming pool, which was closed after the addition was added in the 1980s. The hallway would be packed, the lunchroom would be packed, but you loved it. Today. The Detroit skyline and boats on the Detroit River as seen from Windsor, during the heyday of rum-running. Detroiturbex.com is a website and photo project which documents a changing Detroit. Cass Technical High School Opened in 1907, the original Cass Technical High School, commonly referred to as Cass Tech, was located at 2501 Second Avenue in Detroit. 163 Cass Technical High School Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 163 Cass Technical High School Premium High Res Photos The largest residence in Wayne County is now the most expensive sale in Detroit this year. In March 2000, Detroit Public Schools announced plans to build an entirely new building directly north of Cass Tech. Architecturally, I thought it was beautiful. In addition to being one of Detroits highest performing schools, Cass Tech was also a historical landmark with an illustrious list of famous alumni like Alice Coltrane, Diana Ross, David Alan Grier, and Big Sean to name a few. Luckily it was not only a place of tranquility and learning, but a safe zone. Cass Tech, on the left, was connected via a bridge to the High School of Commerce, right, which had served as the previous home of Cass Tech. In addition to a specialized curriculum, Cass Tech offers college pathway courses in arts and communication, business management, marketing and technology, engineering, manufacturing and technology, health sciences, natural resources and agriscience, and human services. Cass Tech (Detroit, MI) High School Sports - Football, Basketball Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. It was designed by Malcolmson & Higginbotham with additional architectural support from Albert Kahn. Named in honor of Lewis Cass, the school was located on the top floor of the old Cass Union School, a three-story brick building built in 1861 on a farm donated by Lewis Cass. Check out photos of the building at Detroiturbex.com. [24] Tolan came to be known as the "Midnight Express". ALUMNI Registration [3] It was established in 1907 and is part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District. 20th July, 2017. Cass Tech Lives. Cass Tech won the 2011, 2012 and 2016 MHSAA Division I state championships. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, Detroit Lives: Part 2 - Music, Motown and Mansions. Detroit, MI. Cass Tech High School (old) - Photos gallery Historic Detroit When you went through the second set of double doors, the school opened into many different hallways. Pep band makes their way through a crowd. Translate Language. Its just not that clear-cut. The Triangle Society is committed to maintaining that legacy by providing financial support to Clubs, organizations, athletic and academic programs at Cass. I remember us hanging out at the police station across the street from school. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The Detroit Museum of Artwas demolished in 1960 for the Hastings Expressway. From stand out skyscrapers to incredible lobbies, heres your guide to the seeing as much of the best downtown architecture possible. Everything from Diana Ross to Lily Tomlin is included on this list. Under his baton, the concert band performed twice at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic, and played literature at a level far beyond that normally performed by a public high school band[according to whom? [10][11], In 2008, due to declining enrollment, teacher staffing was reduced and some classes that were not very popular with students were removed. Cass Tech Apparel - Cass Tech Shop [4], Until 1977, Cass was Detroit's only magnet school and the only non-neighborhood enrollment school in Detroit. A 1,000-seat auditorium was added in 1930. Explore and purchase photos of your local teams. The swimming pool in the 1980s addition was supposed to be Olympic-size - but contractors used English measurement instead of metric. There were all these different areasgym, showers, other facilities. History is cyclical, and its affect on Detroit will be no exception. Cass Technical High School Alumni, Class Reunions, Yearbooks When Detroits Cass Technical High School was closed in 2005 in order to move to a new building next door, the city was scheduled to lose one of its unofficial landmarks. A new building nearby on Second Avenue was designed in Collegiate Gothic style by Malcolmson and Higginbotham with Albert Kahn as construction architect; construction began in 1916,[6] the cornerstone was laid in 1917,[7] and after delays caused by World War I austerity measures, the building opened in September 1922. The building is there but its dilapidated, its burned down. This list of distinguished Cass Technical High School alumni is loosely ordered by relevance, so the most recognizable celebrities who attended Cass Technical High School are at the top of the list. A lot of people felt it was overwhelming with that many people. Media outlets have labeled the once thriving Motor City "a ghost town," referencing the dilapidated ruins of buildings that remain untouched in parts of Michigan's largest city. After that school was mostly destroyed by a fire, a building for Cass Tech was built on the site and opened in October 1912, but was soon overcrowded. The group sifted through old photographs of the school's peak years, finding images of the vibrant community that occupied the classrooms throughout the 20th century. . Don't Call It a Comeback: Detroit's History in Photos Now Detroit and its citizens are boldly setting the standard for reinvention, showing how a city can be changed not just for the better but for the different, considering the previous ideal didnt pan out so well. Also, many of these schools were architectural gems designed by some of the citys most renowned firms and designers. Student Life. Jumping out the windows to get out of the classrooms, since it wasnt that far down. Extraordinary photos combine teenage life from a bygone era with More information The Detroit Boat Club as it appears today. Many locally and nationally known figures are counted among its graduates including Diana Ross, John DeLorean, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Anderson (aka Big Sean), Lily Tomlin, Peter Karmanos, and David Alan Grier. (source), The remnants of a beauty parlor. A fire swept through its floors in 2007, devastating abandoned rooms once filled with life. [citation needed] He was the first African-American to receive the title of the "world's fastest human" after winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. All rights reserved. In 2008, the band performed at Texas Southern University. Its just sad to see. Unless otherwise noted, all images in this post are used courtesy of theLibrary of Congress Digital Collection. I have memories of running down the halls and writing my name on the walls. Even so, we loved it. Areas of study include among others arts and communication, business management and marketing, engineering and manufacturing, human services, and science and arts. Odessa Career & Technical Early College High School ECISD Home. Cass Tech's band practices on the auditorium stage. The Now/Then section about Cass Tech was started back in 2010, before demolition work had begun, a Detroit Urbex contributor who goes by the name Albert Duce explained. Taken between 1900 and 1920, this photo shows the reading room in the Detroit Public Library. [21], Cass Tech's track and field history goes back to 1926 when Eddie Tolan and his teammate Loving won the interscholastic track meet at Northwestern University. OCTECHS Top Ten 2023. Photo from the Detroit Free Press archives. Cass students in one of the school's gyms. At that time, we were the only school with a gymnastics program so I got very involved with that. Cass Tech. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. Cass Technical High School placed in the top 50% of all schools in Michigan for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is top 20%) for the 2020-21 school year. Architecture. In the foreground, the desintegrating old Cass Tech High School that is often featured in media reports on Detroit, eclipsing the snazzy new Cass Tech located immediately . At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the automobile hadnt been invented. Photo Galleries. In 2000, the Detroit Public School District announced plans for construction of the current modern Cass Tech building, which was built in 2004. First, they photographed every room the old Detroit school, which was abandoned after a 2007 fire. Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer, actress, and record producer. Reminiscing with alumni about gorgeous former Detroit high schools