Episodes

  • The Vanity Ballroom: Detroit’s Lost Temple of Rhythm

    The Vanity Ballroom: Detroit’s Lost Temple of Rhythm
    Apr 28 2026
    April 28, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes us to Detroit’s east side to uncover the fading grandeur of the Vanity Ballroom, an Art Deco landmark along Jefferson Avenue whose quiet exterior still echoes with nearly a century of music and motion. Designed by renowned architect Charles N. Agree and opened in 1929, the Vanity rose as a beacon of optimism just before the Great Depression—its geometric façade and pastel details promising escape and celebration in uncertain times. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    6 mins
  • The Quiet Mayor of Grand Circus Park

    The Quiet Mayor of Grand Circus Park
    Apr 14 2026
    April 14, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois turns our attention to a quiet figure seated in bronze near the heart of downtown Detroit—the statue of William Cotter Maybury in Grand Circus Park. Just steps from Comerica Park and surrounded by the energy of Woodward Avenue, the monument depicts a composed, almost contemplative mayor whose legacy is easy to overlook amid the city’s larger‑than‑life history. Unveiled in 1912 and intentionally modest in design, Maybury’s statue sits directly across from Pingree’s, the two former rivals facing one another in silent dialogue. Today, Maybury remains a symbol of steady leadership, measured governance, and the kind of civic patience that helped shape Detroit’s industrial future. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    7 mins
  • The Sacred Survivor of Greektown: Old St. Mary’s Church

    The Sacred Survivor of Greektown: Old St. Mary’s Church
    Mar 31 2026
    March 31, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois journeys into the enduring presence of Old St. Mary’s Church, a red‑brick landmark standing at the edge of Detroit’s Greektown, where Monroe Street meets the I‑375 Expressway. Amid neon lights, casinos, and bustling restaurants, the church remains a quiet spiritual anchor—one that has watched the city transform for nearly two centuries. Still hosting daily Mass today, Old St. Mary’s stands as a rare constant in a rapidly changing neighborhood—a sacred survivor, rich with history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • Echoes from Engine House No. 18

    Echoes from Engine House No. 18
    Mar 17 2026
    March 17, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois steps into the long shadow of Engine House No. 18, a red‑brick sentinel on Mount Elliott Avenue whose arched doors and hose‑drying tower have watched Detroit evolve for more than 130 years. Listeners are carried back to the 1890s, when a rapidly expanding city of factories, streetcars, and wood‑framed homes faced a constant threat from fire—and when a single spark could erase an entire neighborhood. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • The Cadillac Chronicles: Uncovering the History of Detroit’s Limestone Giant

    The Cadillac Chronicles: Uncovering the History of Detroit’s Limestone Giant
    Mar 3 2026
    March 3, 2026 — In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois steps into the shadow of Detroit’s monumental Cadillac Place, a limestone giant on West Grand Boulevard whose walls have witnessed more than a century of ambition, innovation, and reinvention. Listeners will journey back to the 1910s, when General Motors—expanding at breakneck speed—chose this very block in the emerging New Center area to build a headquarters worthy of its growing empire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    6 mins
  • The First Drive: Charles Brady King and Detroit’s Quiet Beginning

    The First Drive: Charles Brady King and Detroit’s Quiet Beginning
    Feb 18 2026
    Feb. 18, 2026 — In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois journeys back to a frosty morning on Belle Isle in 1896, where Charles Brady King quietly made history. Listeners will discover how King—an engineer, artist, and inventor—became the first person to drive an automobile in Detroit, guiding his handmade machine across the island’s empty roads while a curious onlooker named Henry Ford watched from the sidelines. It’s a story of imagination, grit, and the spark that ignited the Motor City long before assembly lines and mass production reshaped the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • The Legacy Behind Detroit’s United Sound Systems

    The Legacy Behind Detroit’s United Sound Systems
    Feb 10 2026
    Feb. 10, 2026 — This episode of Hidden in Plain Sight with Dr. Robert Livernois traces the rich history of Detroit’s United Sound Systems, exploring how the unassuming brick house on Second Avenue became a recording hub for artists from John Lee Hooker to Aretha Franklin. Listeners will hear how this landmark studio shaped generations of music and preserved Detroit’s creative spirit through decades of change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    7 mins
  • Edgewater Park: Detroit’s Lost Playground

    Edgewater Park: Detroit’s Lost Playground
    Feb 3 2026
    Feb. 3, 2026 ~ Step back in time to a forgotten playground of Detroit’s West Side. In this episode, we uncover the magic of Edgewater Park, the 23‑acre amusement park that once brought joy, music, and escape to Seven Mile Road. From its roaring‑’20s debut and Depression‑era dime rides to the thunder of the Wild Beast roller coaster and Motown legends lighting up the stage, Edgewater was where Detroit came to play. Though the rides are gone and the gates long closed, the laughter, screams, and soul of the park still linger. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins