Sunday, November 6, 2016

LINK: Detroit funeral home where Houdini was embalmed is neglected

The blog Motor City Muckraker takes a look at the condition of the former W. R. Hamilton and Company Funeral Home on Cass Avenue where Houdini was embalmed. The news isn't good. Looks like we need to add this to the list of endangered Houdini landmarks.

Photo by Steve Neavling.
Sadly, the funeral home and the adjacent building, which was built as a mortuary space in 1930, have been neglected and abandoned for years. Lightning struck the funeral home on Oct. 1, causing a fire and creating a hole in the roof.

Struck by lightning? Click the headline to read the full post at Motor City Muckraker.

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4 comments:

  1. Leo HeviaNovember 6, 2016 at 10:36 AM

    Harry may have picked the wrong city to bow out. Detroit doesn't appear to be in any shape economically to preserve landmarks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John CoxNovember 6, 2016 at 11:50 AM

      I went and saw this when I was in Detroit (it's only a few blocks from the site of Grace hospital). The area is pretty desolate.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 10, 2016 at 1:55 PM

    It is not abandoned. The person who owns it, rents out the
    garage to people storing cars.
    When the original owner died he left it to ho son who cares for the building but not the funds to make repairs
    Jon Oliver

    ReplyDelete
  3. Devi DetroitApril 11, 2018 at 2:39 AM

    When I was there a few years back, on a night tour, the whole front part of the building on Cass Ave. was empty. I took a lot of photos into the actual windows, and there was nothing in there but curtains and some wire hangers. The very long side of 3957 Cass Ave., on W. Alexandrine, does have 2 garage doors next to an alley, followed by an active fire station. I'm not sure who would want to rent out this location? There is plenty of free street parking all around, if you want to park in the very dangerous Cass Corridor ghetto, that is.

    ReplyDelete