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MichiganVillage of Beverly HillsMy Old Neighborhood
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Introduction
The Village of Beverly Hills is located in southern Oakland County in Southfield Township. It is considered to be a major suburb of the Detroit area. This area developed as a group of separate subdivisions, including the Beverly Hills subdivision, which organized together in 1958 for the purpose of establishing an official village government. It incorporated first as the village of Westwood, with reference to its location west of Woodward Ave. A year later, the name was changed to Beverly Hills due to the area being know traditionally as the Beverly Hills Subdivisions.
Today, it remains primarily residential, but also includes several well-planned shopping areas.
While I resided in the village of Beverly Hills, our post office address was Birmingham.
Beverly Hills Department of Public Safety
New Building, Opened in 1999
18600 W. Thirteen Mile Road
Beverly Hills, MI 48025
(Source: http://www.beverlyhillspolice.com/)
I barely recognized this street corner, which is located very close to my old home. This shopping center is located on the northwest corner of 13 Mile Southfield Roads. Acacia Park Cemetery is located behind it. It used to be a grassy area, which I believe, was part of Acacia Park Cemetery.
Oakland County, Michigan
Oakland County, Michigan, is a mixture of big city, suburban, and rural lifestyles. A superior system of parks includes 6 state recreation areas, 3 state parks, and 2 metroparks providing Michigan's second largest population with an abundance of leisure opportunities. (Source:http://www.multimag.com/county/MI/oakland/) For a detailed map of Oakland County, please click here.
Where I Used to Bike Ride
Former Barnum Jr. High School, Birmingham
When I was a little girl, I used to take swim classes here on Saturday mornings. My sister Joni went to junior high here. Although I went to Berkshire Jr. High Joni, went to Barnum Jr. High as they had changed the boundary lines.
Wesley Drug Store, 14 Mile and Pierce
I used to ride my bike up to Wesleys from our old house, which is near 13 Mile and Pierce. Wesleys used to have a soda fountain--I remember my family going there for ice cream after one of my elementary school spring concerts.
Original Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Pierce
My best friend, Linda Carins, who lived next door to me, went to this church and its school. I remember going to mass with her. It's located on Pierce, several blocks south of 14 Mile Road. We lived about 3/4 mile away, down Pierce road.
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs School and Church
Greenfield Elementary School
31200 Fairfax St., Birmingham
The school was brand new when I entered the first grade. I went to Baldwin Elementary School for kindergarten. My favorite teacher was my 5th and 6th grader teacher, Mr. Farren (my class had two different teachers both in 5th and 6th grades--one in the morning and one in the afternoon).
A new media center has been built (on the side facing Greenfield Rd.), and there is a new front entry and lobby and an enclosed connector hallway to the kindergartens. For additional information, including a slide show of the new media center, please go to: http://www.webproze.com/bpsfacilityoperations/Greenfield.htm
Greenfield Elementary School
Every classroom faces a court yard. I remember the janitor, Mr. Shultz, cleaning the windows with a bucket full of a strong smelling ammonia solution.
Greenfield Elementary School
I think the room on the right was my 4th grade class room.
Greenfield Elementary School - Playground
This is the playground for the older grades. I remember playing a lot of kick-ball on this blacktop area.
Where "The Path" Used to Be
Across from Greenfield School
Where this house now stands, there used to be a path through the woods that we used to take get to school. When I was in first grade, they made us walk home for lunch, even in the bitter cold winters. I lived about 2/3rds mile from school.
Pine Cone Patch
Amherst and Fairfax St.
This small park is located down the road from Greenfield School. We used to climb some of these trees. As I recall, they had big limbs that were perfect for climbing.
My Home
16925 Madoline
Birmingham, Michigan
(Village of Beverly Hills)
This is the street where I grew up. I lived here from age 2 until I moved away after college. Our house is the first red brick house on the left. My best girlfriend, Linda Carins, lived next door, on the left (see black door garage). My mother moved to Richmond, Va., after my dad died in 1984.
My memories include lots of kids in the neighborhood, crowed sidewalks on Halloween, making snowmen and snow forts after huge snow falls, lots of kids playing ball in the street, sleeping outside in our backyard in the summer, riding our bikes all over Beverly Hills, and going to bed with the front door unlocked!
Beverly Hills Athletic Club
Beverly Hills Athletic Club
My family joined BHAC year it opened, which was the summer before I started 6th grade. We lived at the pool. I remember riding my bike to swim practice every morning. Swim meets were on Thursdays. Annual dues were $80--they are now $500.
Beverly Hills Athletic Club
There used to be a high diving board-- I remember doing swan dives off it and being scared stiff that I would change my mind in mid-dive and end up doing some type of belly flop. I also remember that a lot of us got severe sunburns--the kind that made your nose, shoulders, and back turn beet red. We never wore sunblocks back then. Now a lot of us are at high risk for melanoma!
Beverly Hills Athletic Club
When I was a member, girls were required to wear swim caps--we bought them at the Varsity Shop. And we never wore swim goggles don't think they were even invented back then. Many times by the end of the day my eyes were pink and burning from the chlorine. There were also those terrible scrapped toes we'd get from the bottom of the pool. Yet, despite of all this, those summers were the best!
Acacia Park Cemetery
My Dad's Grave, Acacia Park Cemetery, Beverly Hills
When I was a little kid, around 5th grade, my girl friend and I used to sneak into the cemetery, which is about 1/2 mile from where I used to live, and check out the quonset huts where the equipment was stored. We also used to play around the duck pond, which you can see in the distance.
Acacia Park Cemetery
My mom is decorating my dad's monument for Memorial Day. The seasonal flowers hadn't been planted yet. They get planted in front of the headstone every season. (No artificial flowers are allowed in the park.) I later bought two bushes that will be planted on either side of the headstone.
Me, Mom, and Joni
I think my Dad would think this picture is kind of funny. Too bad we couldn't find a larger flag. (We took this picture with a timed camera.)
Orchard Lake Middle School
Orchard Lake Middle School
6000 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield
My dad, Domenic Corgiat, was the principal of this school.
Abbott Middle School
3380 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield, Mi.
After my dad left the Detroit school system, in the late 1960s, he became the principal at Abbott Middle School. He was transferred to Orchard Lake Middle School, then transferred back to Abbott. He was still working there as a principal when he died at the age of 60, one month before his 61st birthday.
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
West Maple, Birmingham
This is where I was baptized, confirmed, and married.
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
I was married in a small chapel down the hall to the right.
Northwood Shopping Center
Beaumont Hospital
Northwood Shopping Center
13 Mile Road and Woodward Ave., Royal Oak
When I was a little girl, we used to go grocery shopping at Kroger--it was the only grocery store around this area in the early 1950s.
William Beaumont Hospital
3601 W. 13 Mile Road, Royal Oak
When I was in first grade, I got my tonsils out in Beaumont Hospital. It was a much smaller hospital then. If I remember correctly, Dr. Kavorkian practiced here.
Aerial View of Beaumont Hospital
(Source of photo:
http://www.beaumont.edu/directions/index.html)