Last vestige of Prohibition comes to a close
The long-awaited end of a troubling era in Wyandotte history came to a close 24 years after the end of Prohibition nationwide. In February 1957, the News-Herald reported the last functioning moonshine operation still in the city (1214 10th St., modern house shown on property in 2026 view) was demolished by federal agents and local police officials. The site had been watched for some time: word had gotten out about the location only because Archie Budah’s customers would take his drinks to work with them, and therefore became aware by the companies’ managements.
If there was a silver lining to this story to be realized at all, the quality of Budah’s moonshine so closely resembled the professional breweries, that a chemist almost could not decipher a difference between them. Cited in an editorial from the February 25, 1957 edition of the News-Herald:
“We have often said that Wyandotte is known nationwide for many wonderful local achievements, but we never dreamed we would one day write a story about moonshine made right here on Tenth street that is darn near perfect. Right about now those experts across the river at Seagram’s must be quaking in their boots!”
Lincoln Park, Southgate shopping choices go viral
Perhaps not content to rest on its laurels for bringing the first modern-day shopping center to Downriver, Lincoln Park would be the recipient of one better with the 1957 opening of Sears Lincoln Park shopping center at Dix-Toledo and Southfield Roads. With this, the intersection had its first major development that would bring the traffic jams that location is still known for, even today.
This would mark the Sears, Roebuck & Co’s second store Downriver (joining the Wyandotte outlet store), and the first full-sized store edition in metropolitan Detroit.
Attached to the stately two-story department store was room for 36 individual shops at the mall, giving it the ability to more than double the capacity and potential of the Lincoln Park Plaza opened two years before. And as seen above, a celebratory parade with a herd of elephants didn’t hurt their cause.
Downriver’s third shopping center would open as the Southgate Shopping Center in October, 1957, from which the future incorporated city would receive its name. Wrigley Supermarket was the first open tenant, observed at a grand ceremony which featured a ribbon cutting by Ecorse Township Supervisor Thomas Anderson, music by a German Polka band, and radio coverage by WKMH disc jockey Robin Seymour (best known for his helming of the “Swingin’ Time” program).
Included as advertised would be a Federal department store which originally anchored the 36 other tenants; the eventual long-time anchor – Montgomery Ward – would not open for another year.
- Google Maps image (10th St.)
- Mellus Newspapers (Sears Center)
- Historic Images (Southgate Center)