I worked in the health club that was in the basement of the Colonial Hotel after my sophomore year at Mt. Clemens High School (1974). I used to walk around the place but never had the nerve to try to go into the abandoned areas were the baths must have been. I obviously regret that today, particularly since it probably would have been easy to find somebody to take me around the place.
This is the high school. However, it is not the high school that was built in the 20's or the addition from approximately 1968. So, I am guessing this one was torn down around the time the "new" school was built in the 20's. I wonder where it was. Sure looks similar to the old Wilson and Lincoln schools.
Arethusa 1916 Here is a brief history of the Arethusa.
The hotel burned in a spectacular fire in 1976. I was there watching the fire. I have recently learned that the father of my high school friend Rob Peters was also there taking photographs. I will see if I can't get copies of some of those photos. (Am I beginning to sound like Forest Gump?)
Cass Avenue 1907
Allenel Hotel and Sanitarium
Park Hotel 1910
Water Works Plant
Murphy Clementine. Well, I have memories of going inside of this hotel when it was opened up to sell items before it was torn down. I am guessing this was either in 1970 or 72. (I am dating it because I used to go downtown frequently when I had two different paper routes.) I remember it just being full of junk. I do remember an old wheelchair that looked pretty cool. (Hmm, if I am not mistaken the building on the right was already torn down when I would have seen the hotel. I think there was a parking lot between the hotel and the Macomb theatre. (My memory could be bad on this.)
Here is a photo taken by my father of a Bicentennial parade in 1976. Notice the Colonial Hotel in the background. I guess I had no reason to think that it would not be there forever, although I always wondered how the place stayed open.
