The J.L. Hudson Department Store Collection
J.L. Hudson’s downtown Detroit department store was, in a word: gargantuan. The store had more than 2 million square feet spread out over 32 floors and in addition to everything one would expect from a department store, downtown Hudson’s featured 705 fitting rooms, 76 elevators, three of its own electrical transformers (said to be able to power a city the size of Ferndale) and an auditorium on its 12th floor large enough for fashion shows and a three story “living dollhouse.”
An unintended consequence of an operation of that size what that it produced a lot of historical artifacts, almost 4,000 of which are preserved in the Society’s permanent collection.
While the Society’s Hudson’s collection contains everything from a nail from the steeple of the church that was demolished to make way for store construction to shopping bags and credit cards, designer clothing and pieces of the iconic building itself, what follows is a cross-section of this uniquely Detroit collection. Explore selections from the collection below, or check out the collection available online at detroithistorical.org.
Hudson's Holidays at the Detroit Historical Museum
The sheer fact that so many artifacts, so varied in both subject matter and date, and gifted to the museum by hundreds of individual donors is a testament to the enormous place Hudson’s held in Detroit’s heart.
Visit the Detroit Historical Museum this holiday season to see Hudson's Holidays, an immersive, Museum-wide exhibition celebration the legacy of Hudson's. Plan your visit to the museum at detroithistorical.org.
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Black and white photographic print of a life-size three-story doll house displayed in the auditorium at The J.L. Hudson Company Department Store, 1953.
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Elevator signal from Hudson's downtown Detroit department store, 1925.
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One section of a cast iron architectural decoration from the marquee on the Farmer Street side of the J. L. Hudson Company store in downtown Detroit, 1928.
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One Santa Bear stuffed animal which was sold as a promotional item by the Dayton Hudson Company as part of their 1985 Christmas holiday marketing campaign, 1985.
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One lady's dress and jacket ensemble. The dress is made of a navy rayon crepe fabric that is printed with small clusters of pink roses and green leaves, 1950s.
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Black and white photographic print of an interior view of the Children's Barbershop, located inside The J.L. Hudson Company Department Store on the Fourth Floor of the Farmer Building, 1920s.
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Sepia-toned photographic print of the interior of a restaurant at the J.L. Hudson Company Department Store, 1955.
