39-41 East Cross Street

Each day, many passenger trains stopped in Depot Town. Many hotels were built to accommodate the number of travelers stopping in the area. The building, known then as the Carr Hotel was built in the 1870s. It later became The Neat House, Lewis House and Dad's Tavern.

When Oliver Westfall purchased it, he renamed it Oliver House. Business prospered when he opened a tavern on the first floor and an upstairs dining room to compliment the sleeping rooms. When the sun is shining just right, you can see evidence of the name on the front of the building, along with the words "Buffet" and "Lunch" visible on the side. During the 1920s with the passage of the National Prohibition Act banning alcohol sales, the building became an ice cream parlor.

When the young men came home from World War I, they were greeted by a sign which read, "Welcome Home." During World War II and the post war period, the business was well-known as Ken's Bar. The soldiers returning to the Ypsilanti Depot and the employees of the Willow Run Bomber Plant frequented Depot Town resulting in a thriving business that led to waitresses on roller skates. It became the Alibi Bar in the 1960s.

Also...
In Michigan: In 1913, Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line in Highland Park, Michigan. The introduction revolutionized
automobile production by significantly reducing assembly time per vehicle, thus lowering costs. The first drinking & driving law was passed in 1910.

American Events: In 1914, World War I began in Europe, the United States entered the war in 1917. World War I, "the war to end all wars," ended in 1919.

Donated by Bill & Sandee French - 1998

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Show me all markers in:  Ypsilanti, MI  |  Washtenaw County  |  48198  |  Michigan  |  United States of America

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The Real McCoy
Michigan Central Railroad Gardens
Michigan Central Railroad Depot
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Ypsilanti Woolen Mill Company Historical
Early Days in Depot Town Historical
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