Historic Detroit

Every building in Detroit has a story — we're here to share it

Hudson's Department Store - Old photos

The train section in the toy department

One of the modernized elevators.

The renowned Hudson's flag on Woodward Avenue was seven stories tall.

The Broderick in the distance as Detroiters cross the street, possibly headed to Hudson's.

A Christmas tree of lights along Woodward in 1959.

Hudson's towers over Woodward in 1953.

A yet-to-be-expanded Hudson's in the background in 1915.

Hudson's had yet to grow to its final giant form in 1914.

Shoppers fill the floor at Hudson's

Shopping on the first floor in the later days of the building's life

Hudson's draped the largest American flag in the country along Woodward Avenue each year.

The Hudson's flag was a landmark almost as beloved as the store itself.

You can see Hudson's in the middle of this photo on the left side.

One of the modernized entrances in 1963 that replaced the familiar revolving doors.

The Hudson's store in early 1984, after it closed but still looking dignified

Hudson's undergoes one of several expansions in the late 1920s. The store grew as Detroit did.

Hudson's in 1934 with a banner celebrating the Detroit Tigers' World Series appearance that season.