View of Campus Martius Area of Detroit, Michigan, 1883-1892

Artifact Overview

This is an aerial view of Campus Martius, the "point of origin" of Detroit's coordinate street system and site of the Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The structures resembling tall oil derricks are municipal lighting towers. Fitted with powerful electric arc lamps, these "moonlight towers" illuminated city streets at night. They were replaced by incandescent streetlamps in the 1910s.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

1920

Subject Date

1883-1892

Collection Title

Research Center General Photograph Collection

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

00.3.2364

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process
Toning (Photography)

Color

Brown

Dimensions

Height: 6.625 in
Width: 10 in

Keywords	United States, Michigan, Detroit, Campus Martius Photographic prints Panoramas Photographs Buildings (Structures) Detroit Opera House Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Detroit, Mich.) Central Market (Detroit, Mich.) Russell House (Detroit, Mich.) Cities and towns Electric lighting, Arc Horsecars Markets (Structures or spaces) Soldiers' monuments Street lighting Streetscapes