Alcoholism, Fort Detroit & the Michigan Territory
October 19th, 1853
Alcoholism, Fort Detroit & the Michigan Territory Alcoholism has always been a scourge in Detroit. One of the earliest articles we had found in a Detroit newspaper was in the Detroit…
The Evolution of the Dark World of Alcoholism
January 1st, 1900
Dr. Benjamin Rush’s Inquiry into the Effects of Ardent Spirits on the Human Mind and Body catalogues the consequence of chronic drunkenness and argues that this condition is a disease that…
July 30th, 1931
The Oxford Group And Detroit Connection The Oxford Group was a Christian organization founded by American Christian missionary Dr. Frank Buchman. Buchman was an American Lutheran minister of Swiss descent…
An Alcoholic Has a Vision of a Program of Recovery
December 11th, 1934
Bill Griffith Wilson Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Bill Griffith Wilson was born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont. His parents were Emily (née Griffith) and Gilman Barrows Wilson, …
The Co-founder of the Un-named Fellowship
June 10th, 1935
The Co-founder of the Un-named Fellowship Bob Smith was born and raised in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to Susan A. Holbrook and Walter Perrin Smith. His parents took him to religious…
THE FINAL PLACE FOR THE CHRONIC ALCOHOLIC
January 1st, 1937
Skid Row in Detroit Skid row or skid road is a shabby urban area with cheap taverns, dive bars, dilapidated hotels frequented by lowlifes, alcoholics, and itinerants. The term skid…
THE DAYS BEFORE – “AN INSTRUMENT OF GOD”
September 4th, 1938
There are many myths and urban legends about the first sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many views. In the late-1930s there…
Alcoholics Anonymous a.k.a. “The Big Book” is Born
April 10th, 1939
The process for creating our book, Alcoholics Anonymous The title of the book Bill Wilson wrote is Alcoholics Anonymous, but it is referred to by AA members as the “Big…
The Connection of the Serenity Prayer to Detroit, Michigan
July 1st, 1939
THE SERENITY PRAYER …its origin is traced… At long last the mystery of the Serenity Prayer has been solved! We have learned who wrote it, when it was written and…
July 10th, 1939
SARAH KLEIN-“ANGEL OF A.A.” There are many myths and urban legends about a non-alcoholic “member” of Alcoholics Anonymous in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many views. Sarah…
Tom Morrissey-Among The 1st Five Members
July 29th, 1939
Among the First Five Sober Tom Morrissey, who’s sobriety date was July 29, 1939, was a very humble member. Tom did not leave any photo or much other information behind….
An Auto Executive Spirals Out of Control
September 1st, 1939
H.R. “Mike” Eshleman-“AN INDUSTRIALIST” There are many myths and urban legends about the “second” sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many views….
September 30th, 1939
“Alcoholics And God” by Morris Markey Charles Towns, owner of Towns’ Hospital where Bill Wilson had sobered up, tried to get publicity for A.A. and finally succeeded. He had known…
October 1st, 1939
THE BENSONS-“FRIENDS OF AA” There are many myths and urban legends about the non-alcoholics who helped start AA in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many legends. The…
Salvation Army>Cap’t Tom>Harbor Light
October 7th, 1939
CAP’T TOM CROCKER>BIRTH OF HARBOR LIGHT There are many myths and urban legends about Harbor Light in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many views. Tom Crocker was…
October 21st, 1939
The Articles from the “Plain Dealer” Considered the 1st Pamphlet These articles appeared in the main Cleveland newspaper, the Plain Dealer, just five months after the first A.A. group was…
YPSILANTI STATE HOSPITAL-“FIRST TREATMENT CENTER”
December 1st, 1939
Mutual Aid Organization-for Alcoholics There are many myths and urban legends about the treatment center that help start AA in the metro-Detroit area. We hope this clears up many views….
Detroit>Downtown>Central Group #0001
February 14th, 1940
Detroit>Downtown>Central Group #0001 We were at first confused by the many names of groups that we were “digging” up, but finally come to realize they were names of the same…
June 22nd, 1940
First Public Announcement of Alcoholics Anonymous in Detroit Before this date little or nothing as known about this recovery program for drunks in Detroit. A dawn of a new era…
The First of Many New Year’s Celebrations
December 31st, 1940
December 31, 1940 New Year’s Gala This event would be the beginning of many sobriety celebrations. The very first major event held in Detroit was a New Year’s celebration on…
East>Eastside>Manistique Group #0002
February 1st, 1941
East>Eastside>Manistique Group #0002 The archive’s has many small notes and information on this group, much of it appeared to be inaccurate and confusing. We had to dissect the many notes…
March 1st, 1941
The Saturday Evening Post The History of How the Article Came To Be Jack Alexander of Saturday Evening Post Fame Thought A.A.s Were Pulling His Leg AA Grapevine, May, 1945…
The First News Article About the Success of AA in Detroit
August 3rd, 1941
The First News Article About the Success of AA in Detroit On August 3, 1941 a 2nd article about Alcoholics Anonymous appears in the Detroit Free Press. It has been…
Bill Wilson’s 1st Talk In Detroit
October 16, 1941
Bill Wilson’s 1st Talk In Detroit “Ex-Drunks Toast Freedom with Jokes And Ginger Ale”-Detroit News “Religious Cure For Alcoholism Told by Wilson”-Detroit Free Press “Mix science and religion,…
Westside>Northwest>Plymouth-Ilene Group #0003
October 16th, 1941
Westside>Northwest>Plymouth-Ilene Group #0003 The North-West Group of Alcoholics Anonymous of the City of Detroit was formed in 1941. It was the outgrowth of a separation. The original single group, then…
1943-12-25 Northwest Group Celebration
December 25, 1943
Around the Christmas of 1943, the group purchased a Fifth printing of the First edition of our beloved Big Book. It was sent to our co-founder Bill Wilson, for inscribing….
The Prayer Used to Open Major Events
January 1st, 1945
THE DETROIT PRAYER Our Heavenly Father, We ask Thy Blessings on this meeting. Please Bless the Spirit and purpose of this group. Give us strength to follow this program according…
THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF TODAY’S MARCH ROUNDUP
March 2nd, 1962
MARCH ROUNDUP Many unknown facts about the convention we now know as the March Roundup The March Roundup as we know it today had roots that go back to the…