A beautiful, tropical floral scent
You'll think you're in Hawaii smelling the plumerias.

As the auto industry began to flourish in the early part of the 20th century, African-Americans, along with workers from around the world, were attracted to the jobs being offered in Detroit. Many African-Americans settled in an area just east of downtown known as Black Bottom-named for the rich, black soil which attracted early settlers and farmers. As the community grew, scores of black-owned businesses sprang up. In addition to the grocers and tailors and physicians and lawyers, the area also became home to numerous clubs.

By the mid 1930s, the center of this activity was Hastings Street, and the area became known as Paradise Valley. Why, nobody knows for sure, but one story claims the name came from the Asian "Paradise" tree. Recently introduced to the Detroit area, it  grew well along fences in the area.

In addition to the clubs in Paradise Valley, Orchestra Hall, which was originally built as the home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1919, reopened as the Paradise Theatre in 1941. All the best jazz artists came here: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Dinah Washington, and many more. There were three shows a day and four on weekends. For 50 cents you could get in and stay all day.

The Paradise Theatre thrived for 10 years. But eventually, competition from other venues drew customers away. Television and changing tastes were the final blow. Orchestra Hall was abandoned for years. But a dedicated group of preservationists saved this historic theatre - literally at the last minute - from the wrecking ball. Now, Orchestra Hall has been restored and expanded and is once again home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and an annual series of jazz concerts appropriately titled:  The Paradise Jazz Series.

Paradise Valley and much of the Black Bottom were destroyed by the construction of I-75 and the first efforts at urban renewal. Lafayette Park was one of those projects. Today, with it's rich diversity, distinctive architecture and broad socioeconomic population, Lafayette Park is one of Detroit's most desirable places to live.


Read more:

Paradise Valley Days
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