Thursday, August 25, 2011

Checker Cabs and Disappearing Schools on the East Side


Sometimes you just see weird things in Flint. Here's an old Checker Cab that's for sale parked on the grassy divider of Broadway Blvd. In the background you can see — or not see — the spot where Homedale School used to reside. That's the abandoned Brown's Funeral Home in the distance.


2 comments:

  1. Actually, that's a Checker Marathon, but the civilian version with chromed bumpers and vinyl roof. Back in the 70's, our neighbors in Grand Blanc had two of them, which proved more reliable than the Jaguars which they replaced. This might be one of theirs.

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  2. I knew the family that owned a Checker (this Checker?) in the early '70s in Flint. Not sure if I can share their name, but all grew into successful adults. Unfortunately, all also left Flint for more promising venues.

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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.