St. Clair Shores Post Office

In 1926, local druggist Chester McAchern suggested to the Kiwanis Club that they “…foster the establishment of a post office…” according to a 1934 history from the postmaster in St. Clair Shores.

Prior to this, the Village of St. Clair Shores was served by two different post offices: one out of East Detroit, known as Halfway, for the residents and businesses in the southern part of the Shores and East Detroit. The northern half of the Shores received postal service from Mt. Clemens.

The Kiwanis did undertake the project and working with their congressman, the Post Office established an office in the village of St. Clair Shores, effective March 8, 1927.

Two postal inspectors established the location for the new office: it was to be located on Nine Mile Road, near Mack. Russel Swhier was appointed postmaster and Georgina Barber was the clerk. A building was leased in the Gerlach block at the corner of Nine Mile Road. At the time, it was rated a fourth class office and had one rural carrier serving about half the Village. Due to a large volume of business, the office was “…relegated to the third class and one more rural carrier added to the force. Now the entire village was being served by its own post office.” This took effect at the end of 1927.

In 1928 the post office moved to the Bidigare block on Nine Mile Road. By 1931, the office was raised to second class status, again because of the increased volume of business. In August, the office moved again, this time to 22406 Nine Mile Road. By the 1940s, 11 postal routes served the Village of St. Clair Shores, and five clerks worked in the now first class office.

The building pictured here (in a photo taken March, 1978) has been the U.S. Post Office in St. Clair Shores since its dedication on October 25, 1958. The address is 23125 Greater Mack, near 9 Mile Road. When the office opened in this building, it had 34 clerks, 95 mail carriers, two special delivery messengers, two mail handlers, and three custodians.

Taken from the 1923 booklet produced for the opening of the Detroit Masonic Country Club (DMCC), this image of the water slide at the DMCC shows one of the many outdoor activities provided for members. Members could also enjoy tennis, a quarter-mile race track, horse riding, an open-air dance pavilion, baseball diamonds and golf, on two courses.

Located on Masonic Boulevard, at Lake St. Clair, the club only operated until 1932. Damage from storms and financial hardship from the stock market crash forced the club to close. By 1942, the Village of St. Clair Shores received the land in lieu of back taxes. In 1944, the club building (seen in the image background) had suffered fire damage and was torn down.

On August 24, 1945 Memorial Park (now Veteran’s Memorial Park) opened at the location of the DMCC club house. The St. Clair Shores Country Club now operates at the location of the DMCC north golf course.

Miller Marina, St. Clair Shores

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In the early 1930s, William C. Miller was running a small motor repair shop in St. Clair Shores. He soon turned to selling outboard motors and acquiring land. In 1934 he opened Miller Marina, building a dock with 2 x 4’s and planks and renting out fishing boats. He constructed a seawall across the outer end of the harbor and got truckers who were hauling rubble from Detroit to bring it to the harbor. “Rubble from elimination of street car tracks in Detroit, the old city hall and Hudson Motor Co. soon became seawalls of the St. Clair Shores harbors…” according to a 1969 newspaper article on Miller.

When Miller died in 1969, suggestions were solicited for a proper memorial. In 1971 a navigation light was first illuminated on the top of the 28-story Shore Club apartments building. Named the William C. Miller Memorial Beacon, it honors the man who opened the first marina in St. Clair Shores.

The Miller family also operated Shore Boat Harbor and still runs Miller Marina today, at 24770 Jefferson Avenue.

This undated photograph from the marina shows lakeside cabins and a wooden boat.

Established in 1935 by the women who were members of the St. Clair Shores Study Club, the St. Clair Shores Public Library spent its first years in a single room in the Municipal Building.

In addition to collecting and buying the initial 500 books that were the circulating and reference collection, Study Club members staffed the Library. The women volunteered their time so that the Library could be open for four hours each Monday and Friday.

In 1937, the Study Club turned over the operation of the Library to the Village of St. Clair Shores. Four years later, it was determined that the Library needed its own space. The Lake Shore Presbyterian Church building on Grove Point was purchased for $300. The wood structure was moved to the corner of Eleven Mile Road and Jefferson Avenue. The “new” Library opened to the public on May 2, 1943. It is pictured here in 1952.

By 1955, the Library’s book collection had grown to over 18,000 volumes and a bookmobile service was offered to residents. The building was used as the public library until 1959 when a newly built Library opened just west of the old. That “new” building continues to serve the residents of St. Clair Shores today.

PLAY BALL!

In this undated image, three two-person ice boats of the Racing 60s class are getting ready for competition on Lake St. Clair. Ice boating was popular on Lake St. Clair, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s (likely when this photo was taken) and into the middle part of the 20th century.

The first US ice boat was built in 1790 by Oliver Booth in Poughkeepsie, NY for use on the Hudson River. Later boats were designed with the steering runner at the front, a direct result of a 1937 Detroit News sponsored home-buildable ice boat contest. The winning design gave rise to a new class of boats known as the International DN. These boats can achieve 55-65 miles per hour while racing; the older boats sometimes approached 90 mph. There are no brakes on an ice boat; the operator steers into the wind to stop.

The “Belt of Ice Boating” is around 40˚ North latitude and includes Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire and Ohio, as well as some Canadian provinces. The best ice for the sport is the black ice found in this band: smooth and without snow, with a reliable breeze blowing.

World championships alternate each year between Europe and the US. About 150 competitors participate in the DN class.