Hidden in Plain Sight

Oct. 20, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois explores the story behind Detroit’s iconic Renaissance Center, the towering riverfront complex that has defined the city’s skyline for nearly half a century. Often viewed as a symbol of Detroit’s comeback ambitions, the RenCen was conceived during a period of economic uncertainty and urban change, envisioned as a bold c...

Oct. 6, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois uncovers the fascinating history behind Montcalm Street, a familiar downtown Detroit roadway that many pass on their way to Comerica Park without ever considering its origins. What appears to be just another street sign actually connects Detroit to the dramatic struggle between France and Great Britain for control of Nor...

Sept. 22, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s riverfront and the Gateway to Freedom International Memorial, a powerful tribute to those who journeyed along the Underground Railroad in search of freedom. Standing at the foot of Woodward Avenue near Hart Plaza, the memorial commemorates “Midnight,” the code name for the final stop before...

Sept. 8, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s west side and the legendary Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, a historic jazz club located on Livernois Avenue at the gateway to the Avenue of Fashion. Originally opened as a neighborhood restaurant in the 1930s, Baker’s evolved into one of the nation’s most celebrated jazz venues, earning a reputati...

Aug. 25, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s legendary Motown Studios, better known as Hitsville U.S.A., the modest West Grand Boulevard house where Barry Gordy Jr. launched Motown Records in 1959. What began as a small independent label grew into a cultural phenomenon that transformed American popular music, introducing the world to i...

Aug. 11, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois visits The Schvitz, Detroit’s historic bathhouse tucked away on the city’s near west side. Founded in 1910 by Jewish immigrants who brought the bathhouse traditions of Eastern Europe to a rapidly growing Detroit, The Schvitz has served for more than a century as a place of relaxation, connection, and community. Once a m...

July 28, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s Dakota Inn Rathskeller, a beloved German restaurant and tavern that has been fostering community and tradition since 1933. Founded by German immigrant Karl Kurz in a former Chinese hand laundry on John R Street, the Dakota Inn grew from a small neighborhood gathering place into one of Detroi...

July 14, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s Greektown, where a modest brick church on a busy downtown corner holds an extraordinary story. At first glance, Second Baptist Church appears to be an unassuming neighborhood landmark, but behind its simple façade lies a powerful legacy as the oldest Black-founded church in the Midwest and o...

June 17, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois takes listeners to Detroit’s east side and inside the storied walls of Harpo’s Concert Theatre, a venue where decades of sound and history collide. Originally opened in 1939 as the Harper Theater, this sleek Art Moderne movie house once welcomed families seeking Hollywood escape beneath glowing lights and painted murals...

June 2, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois brings listeners to the heart of downtown Detroit, where the long‑gone J.L. Hudson’s department store once transformed Woodward Avenue into a powerful stage for patriotism. Towering above the city, a massive American flag would unfurl from the building’s roof, cascading down its façade in a breathtaking display that brou...

May 26, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois transports listeners to Detroit’s east side to uncover the forgotten legacy of Water Works Park. Once a sprawling 110‑acre civic treasure along Jefferson Avenue, the park featured lush landscapes, recreational amenities, and its iconic water tower—an early symbol of the city’s skyline and ambition. Livernois traces the p...

May 12, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois looks up—way up—along Washington Boulevard in downtown Detroit to reveal the storied past of the Book Tower. Opened in 1926 and once the tallest building in the city, the Italian Renaissance landmark embodied Detroit’s roaring‑twenties confidence, rising in limestone and terracotta as a bold declaration of ambition. The...

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...

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...

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 nea...

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 con...

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...

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...

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 decade...

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 Detr...

Jan. 27, 2026 ~ What do a scarred wooden bar, a maze of hidden tunnels, and Detroit’s most notorious mobsters have in common? A whole lot more than you’d ever guess. In this episode, we head into Corktown’s legendary Tommy’s Bar & Grill—an unassuming neighborhood joint that has quietly witnessed the city’s most turbulent eras. From whispers of Underground Railroad escape routes weaving beneath its...

Jan. 20, 2026 ~ What do Art Deco mosaics, secret currency plates, and experimental microwave relays have in common? A whole lot more than you'd ever guess. In this episode, we step inside Detroit’s Guardian Building — the towering “Cathedral of Finance” whose brilliant tiles, soaring arches, and quiet mysteries have watched over the city for nearly a century. It’s a witness, a keeper of secrets, a...

June 17, 2025 ~ What do community gardens, streetcar fares, and a Civil War shoemaker have in common? A whole lot more than you'd think! In this episode, we uncover the legacy of Hazen Pingree – the man immortalized in bronze at Grand Circus Park – whose bold ideas and relentless drive helped shape the Detroit we know today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for...

April 15, 2025 ~ In the debut episode of "Hidden in Plain Sight," Dr. Robert Livernois uncovers the surprising origins of the massive Uniroyal Tire in Allen Park, Michigan. Discover how this iconic roadside attraction started as a Ferris wheel at the 1964 New York World's Fair and learn about its journey to becoming a beloved symbol of Detroit's automotive heritage. Tune in to find out the fascina...

June 10, 2025 ~ What do secret ballrooms, Motown legends, and Jack White have in common? They are all a part of the history of Detroit’s Masonic Temple! This towering, mysterious monument hides stories of music, resilience, and rock ‘n’ roll salvation. Listen in to uncover how this architectural giant became the heartbeat of a city’s soul, hidden in plain sight. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co...