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You Call This Hot, Sonny?

by oldnews

On Wednesday, July 8, 1936, the temperature in Ann Arbor reached 100 degrees. Thursday no relief was in sight so the kids took to the water. By Friday area residents were being felled by the high temperatures. On Saturday, July 11, the weatherman forecast a break in the weather, but he was wrong. The next day temperatures again reached 100. On Tuesday the weatherman again forecast a break in the weather and Wednesday, July 15, relief finally arrived. The two consecutive days of 100+ degrees set a record for Ann Arbor. The high temperature record, however, had been set in July, 1934, 105.2 degrees.

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AADL Talks To Herb David

by oldnews

On April 12, 1962, the Herb David Guitar Studio opened in a basement on South State and one of the great success stories in Ann Arbor and the music business began. AADL talked to Herb David shortly after the closing of his landmark studio on East Liberty, almost 51 years to the day the studio opened. Herb's influence extends beyond the students he taught to love music, the musicians who bought his handmade instruments, the local bands he nurtured and promoted, to the top musicians that visited his studio to talk "shop" and discovered David's wide range of interests in philosophy, cultures and travel. Herb's genuine concern for his community and the power of music to transform lives as well as his great sense of humor shine through in this podcast.

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AADL_Talks_To-Herb_David.mp3 18.4 MB

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Karl Pohrt, Owner of Shaman Drum Bookshop

by oldnews

Old News has digitized Ann Arbor News articles on Karl Pohrt (obituary), owner of Shaman Drum Bookshop.

He is remembered warmly as a community leader who took an active role in organizations such as Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, State Street Area Association, American Booksellers Association, and the Great Lakes Booksellers Association. He was also a founding member of the Ann Arbor Book Festival.

Read Dave Askins' tribute to Karl Pohrt in The Ann Arbor Chronicle.

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Opening Night Concert at the Bandshell

by amy

Wednesday, June 19, 2013, marks the opening concert for the Ann Arbor Civic Band summer season! All performances will take place in the West Park bandshell. As you can see from this 1943 photograph of the old bandshell, lounging in the grass before this A2 landmark is a summer tradition that goes back many years. Read about the history of West Park in Oldnews, and catch some of the recent photographs we've posted detailing the construction of the original bandshell in 1938.

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AADL Talks to Steve Amick

by aadl staff

Author Steve Amick’s second novel Nothing But a Smile (2009) is a delightful love story of a man and a woman who choose an unconventional way to redefine themselves during and after World War II.

Called "kinetic and clever slice of 1940s cheesecake" by reviewers, it is set in 1944 Chicago when Wink Dutton, a former illustrator for Yank and Stars and Stripes (newspaper), discharged from the Service with an injury, rented a room above the camera shop run by Sal Chesterton, and became a willing collaborator once he discovered her astonishing secret enterprise.

Recently, Steve sat down with us and discussed why he picked the subject of the pin-up industry for the novel, the person very dear to him who inspired it, and how Argus Camera came to be a prominent element in the story. He also talked about growing up in Ann Arbor and being nurtured by a middle school teacher to write.

He shared his thoughts about living and working in Michigan (and his secret hideaway up north), favorite authors, parenting, and his choices for bedtime stories for his young son. We were surprised to learn that Steve is also a musician. Listen to this interview, and find out more about Steve from his website.

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AADL_Talks_To-Steve_Amick.mp3 21.6 MB

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AADL Talks to Rhonda Gilpin

by oldnews

One of Ann Arbor’s Heritage Businesses, The Caravan Shop has been an anchor in the historic Nickels Arcade for over 80 years. Opened in 1927 by Frank and Jean Karpp, it is known for its eclectic merchandize with an international flavor.

Recently, its current owner Rhonda Gilpin talked with us about the history of the shop, how she came to own it and her goal of keeping it a family business. She talked about the pleasures and challenges of doing business in a college town. Rhonda is also the owner of Arcadian Antiques and Collectibles located in the Nickels Arcade. She credits the "Think Local" initiative and the nice mix of new businesses for the improved retail climate in Ann Arbor.

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AADL_Talks_To-Rhonda_Gilpin.mp3 9.7 MB

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Hill Auditorium ~ One Hundred Years of History

by oldnews

On June 25, 1913, Hill Auditorium was officially opened to the University and the community with the mission to bring the world to Ann Arbor. Grace Shackman's Old News feature tells the story of Hill and the thousands of performers, speakers, events and controversies that have made Albert Kahn's gorgeous building so central to Ann Arbor's history. Old News has published hundreds of Ann Arbor News articles and photographs that chronicle the history-makers, the premiere performers, the celebrations and the one-of-a-kind.

In collaboration with the University Musical Society, the complete UMS Concert Program Archives have been digitized. The program notes offer some of the best music criticism written. In keeping with a long-held Town & Gown tradition, UMS will celebrate Hill's 100th with a big Community Sing of Verdi's Requiem on May 14th, one hundred years to the day that they did the Requium in 1913. Come, sing and be a part of the continuing history of Hill Auditorium.

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AADL Talks to Cynthia Shevel

by oldnews

In this episode AADL talks to Cynthia Shevel, owner of Middle Earth Gift Shop on South University. Middle Earth came on the scene in 1967 as the first “head shop” in Ann Arbor. The store began as a one-room, 2nd-floor walk-up on Liberty Street. The motto of Middle Earth is “harming only the humorless.” Long-time TreeTowners will remember the great ads Middle Earth ran in The Sun, our contribution to the underground newspaper movement. We talked to Cynthia about the move to South U and the changes over time to the merchandise, the customers and the crew at Middle Earth.

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AADL_Talks_To-Cynthia_Shevel.mp3 12.7 MB

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Argus Camera - The Story Behind the Stories

by Debbie G.

Old News has obtained two promotional videos produced by Argus Camera around 1945 and 1953. Argus Eyes For Victory recounts the "miracle of production" that earned Argus several E Awards for excellence in design and manufacture of World War II-related materiel from the U.S. War Department. The video captures the post-war economic optimism while paying tribute to the soldiers, inventors and labor that became known as the Greatest Generation.

In Fine Cameras and How They Are Made, the Argus C-Four takes center stage. The narrator intones, "It takes three things to make a fine camera . . ." and with that the film launches into a highly technical and detailed description of every step in the camera-manufacturing process at Argus Cameras of Ann Arbor. Scenes of the scientists and craftsmen creating the Argus C-Four are interwoven with scenes of customers using the camera to take family photos and outdoor shots. Visit AADL's Argus Camera online exhibit and take a walk over to the Argus Museum for even more Argus history.

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Elizabeth R. Dean Day

by oldnews

On March 24, 1981, Ann Arbor City Council declared April 7th being Elizabeth R. Dean Day in memory of the woman who left her estate of nearly $2 million upon her death to the City for the care of her trees.

Elizabeth Russell Dean was born in Ann Arbor on Christmas Eve,1884 to Sedgwick and Elizabeth Strong Dean. Sedgwick and his brother Henry S. operated Dean & Co. on Main Street since 1861. Miss Dean died on April 7th, 1964 at the age of 79.

Next time you stroll down Main Street and admire the lovely trees along the Elizabeth R. Dean Promenade, know that the Elizabeth R. Dean Fund is still at work keeping our trees healthy and bringing beauty and shade to "The City of Trees".