I have updated and am reposting this information about Therese Remine’s house in Detroit (new info in italics):
Harold Remine’s sister Therese lived a double life, you might say. For most of her life, and with homes in both cities, she switched off between Kalamazoo and Detroit. Therese worked as a teacher in Detroit. I found information in a 1930 city directory that Therese worked at Campbell School / Webster Hall (uncertain of this exact meaning, but there was a Campbell School and a Webster Hall). Then I was aided by my friend José who can found at his blog Enhanced News Archive. He discovered a 1957 city directory which gave important information about the house, but also mentioned that she worked as a teacher at Von Steuben School. I find it interesting that census reports give occupations and the industry the occupation is in, but not specifics of school names or company names.
Although we usually visited her at her home in Kalamazoo (by the time I knew Therese, she was retired), I do remember traveling to Detroit, entering her home, and some of our time spent chatting with her. This is her house:
The house seems to be on Haverhill, although the cross street is not visible. Doesn’t it look here as if the front door faces Haverhill? I checked out the 1940 census, and both Haverhill and Evanston residents are on the page with Therese. Her house number is not given, so I can’t be sure which street she was on. Any ideas on this census for Therese’s address? These questions are answered below!
The back of the photo gives another clue to the location of Therese’s house.
The neighbor who took the photo kindly left his (and her) name and address. Oskar and Jolanda Mlejnek, 16003 Evanston. I love that the date was given, too: Winter 1959.
According to information I found about Oskar Mlejnek on Ancestry, he ended up moving to Grosse Pointe. These were beautiful houses on Evanston and Haverhill, straight out of 1930s and 40s movie “casting,” but the neighborhood changed over the years. According to what I see on Google maps many of the older houses are still there, but the vegetation is overgrown. It’s not even possible to see what 16003 Evanston looks like, although the upper level has been for sale, because the yard is so overgrown.
Where was Therese’s beautiful home?
I was able to pinpoint the location of Therese’s house, thanks to my outstanding blogger buddies: Karen MacArthur Grizzard, Amy, and José at Enhanced News Archive. Karen first noticed that on the 1940 census, the two women listed above Therese appeared to be lodgers who rented from Therese who clearly owned the house. This gave me the address for the house: 15941 Evanston. Amy confirmed that she also read it the same way Karen did. And José did more research where he found the 1957 city directory which did, in fact, verify that the house was located at that address.
From there, José located the correct address on the contemporary Google map. The house has been torn down, the yard is overgrown with vegetation, but as José point out to me, the other houses on the block are still there as he lined up the roof peaks from the old photo above with the new Google image.
Thanks to these smart and experienced researchers, I now know the address of Therese’s house and that it no longer exists, although the other houses do.
The Family Kalamazoo 
Is it me but with all that snow and cold, the house looks so warm and inviting. Sometimes when I am in an old home how I wish the walls could talk.
Oh, I know. It really does! What a lovely comment!
Love this house! I believe the address is 15941 Evanston (perhaps the mailbox was at the side of the house?) I believe Therese was renting rooms to Anne and Lola.
I find that an intriguing idea!!! Thanks, Karen, for opening my mind to new possibilities. I’m not sure b/c it says that Anne is “head” of household, too, but you are probably right because it says renters for those two–and why wouldn’t there be a house # for Therese otherwise? I bet you are right!!! WOW!
With your initial reading of the census report, Amy’s confirmation, and Jose’s further research, it does look like you are absolutely right. Sadly it also looks like the house has been torn down, but that the house next to it is still there. Thanks, Karen!
I agree with Karen—that Therese was one household, the owner, and the other two were a different household, renters in Therese’s home. It’s would be the same as if two different apartment were in the same building.
Were there any directories that might have listed Therese?
I had looked and found one from before she lived on Evanston, but Jose looked further and found one from 1957 which shows her living at the very address Karen wrote above. So Karen is right. You are right. And Jose did a lot of research to substantiate the whole thing. Woohoo!! You all rock.
So glad you found an answer. Since I do so much research of city dwellers where there are multiple households (hundreds) at the same address, that’s what I saw when I saw this listing.
Yes, I am not very familiar with it. I’ve done it a bit for my paternal grandmother, but the Michigan research has mainly been Kalamazoo, etc. I have to learn to keep more of an open mind in the research.
Also, although it looks like the house fronts on Haverhill, there is some kind of little covered entryway on the side of the house, so perhaps that was the real front door? We did have a house in our old neighborhood like that.
Sadly, the house is now gone, according to Google maps. Kind of a heart breaker.
I understand that pain. The house I lived in during high school was torn down by someone who wanted to build a McMansion. 😦
Ugh so hard to get over that. All the houses I’ve lived in are still around, although I don’t know about when I was under age one.
U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
Detroit, Michigan, City Directory, 1957
Therese Remine
15941 Evanston Av
Haverhill rd intersects
I am sending you the screen print of the 1957 city directory.
Nice write up and photo. I love the fact that the guy stamped his name on back. I wonder if he took photos like this for a living?
Jose, you are a wonderful researcher. Thank you so much for the information you discovered and for confirming what Karen suspected from her reading of the census report. I sent you an email a few minutes ago!
Karen MacArthur Grizzard and Amy are right in their comments. If you look at the 1940 census page you see “O” and “R” next to names one is owner the other is renter also the $ value; one is $65 Renter $3500 Owner. Also the front door would be the one that has the protection; side panels lattice while the side door does not and the front door is on Evanston as the 1957 City Dir shows.
I have set ideas for researching that I need to set aside. One of them was that Therese would show up under her name Therese, but so often she is “Theresa.” Another is that i thought the owner of the house who lives in said house would come first in the census listing. But now I know better. That I need to look ABOVE the line as well as below.
Thanks for the mention, Luanne! That’s one thing I love about the genealogy community—we all try and help each other. You’ve certainly helped me many times!
Haha, I doubt that, but thanks for saying so anyway ;). I am always the one needing help!
I just love that the genealogy community is so generous with talent and time. And glad you have an answer to your question Luanne. 🙂
I love it, too, Su! I feel very blessed to get so much help from the genealogy community. I wouldn’t know much of anything without everyone’s help!
Such great team work! Wonderful sleuthing on everyone’s part!
So true, Laura! That’s what Nancy Drew could have used–a whole online group of sleuths!!!
What a wonderful find.
I know, right?! So excited to have this info and so many thanks are owed!
Great detective work!
I guess it takes a village of genealogists to get the work done! Or a committee? Seriously, each one of them was correct, and I am so grateful.
Great collaboration!
Great story.
Thank you for stopping by!
Just wondering have you heard of The Great Detroit documentary? Its got a lot of photos of Detroit neighborhoods and so much more. Available on amazon
Thanks for letting me know about it!