The Nankin Township Historical Society

Detroit Free Press , March 28, 1890 If you don't want to hear a racist tale of a suburban namesake then close your eyes now.  As early as 1876 Frederick Soop had left his Belleville farm once again, having done a stint at the Hawkins House in Ypsilanti during the Civil War and the City Hotel in Detroit thereafter, and ventured off to Chatham, Ontario to run the Rutley Hotel , which was conducted as a Temperance House.  Detroit Free Press , August 17, 1879 In 1879 he was searching for a good restaurant or small hotel to operate. Eventually he ended up on Washington Avenue near State Street running a dining hall which he ran until around 1890. Detroit Free Press , April 16, 1890 It was in 1888 when the aforementioned racial incident occurred at his dining establishment. It was then that William H. Haynes, a black doctor, sat down with his former classmate S. W. Barkwell for dinner. The men ordered but when the food was served none was placed before Mr. Haynes who, ironically, ha...

Detroit Free Press , November 3, 1890 Halloween in the latter quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century was more of a mischief-making opportunity than a candy-gathering holiday. Boys and young men were prone to various forms of vandalism and pranks. A favorite past time in college towns was painting the facade of homes and businesses, re-working the painted signage, dislocating fence gates from their post and hanging them elsewhere, upsetting horseblocks and the classic hanging of cab bage heads. A practice which I may revitalize this year with the full knowledge that I'd likely be charge with a hate crime of some sort. Eh, stuff it, cabbage heads! In 1890 Ypsilanti had its share of autumnal revelry. Dr. F. K. Rexford had the front signage of his practiced changed to "Waiting and James" (whatever that means!). While Dr. James Houston (or Heaston?) had "New York" painted on his home front. Others suffering paint jobs were the Lad...