The setting is the Woodward Avenue Pier on the Detroit River which provided ferry service to Belle Island. The “Belle Island Ferry” highlighted is the steamer “Garland”, one of several ferries that provided frequent service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the summer to Belle Island Park.
The almost 1,000-acre recreational park in the Detroit River between Michigan and Ontario, still open today, had family activities during the day and music concerts in the evening. An Aquarium and Conservatory were added to the park in 1904. By today’s standards, the fine clothes everyone wears to spend a day or evening in a recreational park seem out of place.
The “Garland”, owned by Detroit and Winsor Ferry Company, was the first steamer on the Great Lakes to have electric lighting, but included back-up gas lights just in case. The lack of lifesaving equipment for a passenger ferry at that time is clearly evident. After 2 months in service she mistakenly ran down a steam yacht killing 17 passengers, was auctioned off after the tragedy to satisfy unpaid bills, and was finally scrapped in 1946 after a 1945 sinking.
The near setting sun in the early evening sky casts long shadows and interesting highlights on the pier, wind-swept water, and various elements of the scene. The relaxed atmosphere of city people on the pier enjoying a summer evening near the cool water adds some emotion, strengthened by a man walking his dog in the foreground…in this case an alert dachshund with its paw up ready to chase something.
The setting is the Woodward Avenue Pier on the Detroit River which provided ferry service to Belle Island. The “Belle Island Ferry” highlighted is the steamer “Garland”, one of several ferries that provided frequent service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the summer to Belle Island Park.
The almost 1,000-acre recreational park in the Detroit River between Michigan and Ontario, still open today, had family activities during the day and music concerts in the evening. An Aquarium and Conservatory were added to the park in 1904. By today’s standards, the fine clothes everyone wears to spend a day or evening in a recreational park seem out of place.
The “Garland”, owned by Detroit and Winsor Ferry Company, was the first steamer on the Great Lakes to have electric lighting, but included back-up gas lights just in case. The lack of lifesaving equipment for a passenger ferry at that time is clearly evident. After 2 months in service she mistakenly ran down a steam yacht killing 17 passengers, was auctioned off after the tragedy to satisfy unpaid bills, and was finally scrapped in 1946 after a 1945 sinking.
The near setting sun in the early evening sky casts long shadows and interesting highlights on the pier, wind-swept water, and various elements of the scene. The relaxed atmosphere of city people on the pier enjoying a summer evening near the cool water adds some emotion, strengthened by a man walking his dog in the foreground…in this case an alert dachshund with its paw up ready to chase something.