#hudson's

[detroitlib]

View of a display window at the J.L. Hudson Company department store featuring model airplanes. Two mannequins of boys are posing with model airplanes and replicas of buildings. Artwork of airplanes in clouds displayed in background. Sign in foreground reads: "Flyin' Fool Air Circus. Have fun and learn the elements of aviation with scientifically constructed apparatus. Toy Dept. 12th floor, Farmer." Printed on front: "Davis B. Hillmer." 1941.

Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library

[detroithistoricalsociety]

June 11th marks the anniversary of the Great Fire of 1805--a blaze that consumed most of Detroit’s buildings.  The diorama pictured on this postcard was originally installed in the downtown Hudson’s location, along with 13 other scenes, to commemorate Detroit’s 250th anniversary in 1951.  After their initial display period, Hudson’s donated the dioramas to the Detroit Historical Museum.

View the entire series of diorama postcards in our online collection.

[vintage-michigan]

Christmas at Hudson's Building, Detroit, Michigan, 1962

(courtesy of Bentley Historical Library at University of Michigan)

[detroitlib]

View of crowd crossing street in front of J.L. Hudson Company building. Sign on building reads: "It's Christmas time at Hudson's."

Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library

[detroitlib]

View of a window display of Detroit Jewel deluxe gas ranges at the J.L. Hudson Company department store. Mannequin of a woman poses with a Jewel gas range. Sign in background reads: "Detroit Jewel deluxe gas ranges." Ribbons attach to placards which read: "Robertshaw control, folding cover top, Insta-flame, cool pendant handles, mechanical boiler, simply turn the button, lights oven or top." Sign in foreground reads: "Made in Detroit, Detroit Michigan stove company gas ranges. National demonstration week, May 18 to 25. 10th floor, Farmer." Printed on front: "Davis B. Hillmer."

Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library

[detroithistoricalsociety]

This Hudson’s/Motown advertising poster highlights some of the label’s releases for 1966 and 1967 and answers some basic questions about the company, including “Where, when and how did the Detroit sound begin?” and “What does it mean to Detroit?”

[detroithistoricalsociety]

Trade cards generally featured eye-catching art that would draw attention to the often-unrelated business advertisements on their reverse.  This c. 1912 J.L. Hudson Company card goes to particularly unusual unusual lengths by featuring a fairly typical winter scene... framed within a tambourine... that’s being held by a dog.

The copy on the rear of the card notes the downtown Hudson’s store’s nine floors, and that the building provides “the finest view of the city” conveniently made available thanks to the building’s elevator.

In the years after this trade card’s printing, the company’s flagship store in downtown Detroit would undergo a series of renovations and additions, ultimately standing 25 floors high, and containing a network of 76 passenger and service elevators.  The building was demolished in 1998.

Click here to see more of our collection of Detroit trade cards.