History of Carstens Elementary School

Carstens was built in 1916 and was one of the earliest additions of schools in Detroit. The neighborhood around Carstens was old, mostly constructed in the early 1900s , as the now defunct car company, the Hudson Motor Car Company, was established in 1909 in the area. This neighborhood marked an early phase in the major expansion of Detroit. Carstens, built in 1916, followed the Arts and Crafts architectural style that gained massive popularity in the early 1900s before the emergence of Art Deco. Carstens underwent one major expansion three years later, in 1919. This makes Carstens one of the earliest schools built during the rise of Detroit. Notably, this school received all of its major expansions before most Detroit Public Schools were established, as most were built throughout the 1920s and 1930s . The 1919 expansion included a gymnasium and auditorium, along with some other minor additions. During the 1940s, the neighborhood reached its peak, with every block filled with rows of houses. Carstens was a staple of the community throughout this time. The staff went above and beyond, making Carstens one of the highest performing schools in Detroit. Staff often provided extra meals for students to take home on weekends outside of school hours. Additionally, when several students developed lead poisoning and were hospitalized, the school created an outreach program to educate parents about the dangers of lead paint found in older homes in the neighborhood. In 1957, Carstens was converted into a Girls Special Education School. Around this same time, many basement classrooms were added to the school's floor plan . The decline of Carstens can also be traced back to this period, as in 1960, the Hudson Motor Car Company was demolished after years of mergers and changes at the plant. This change, along with the aging housing stock in the neighborhood, the general decline of Detroit, and the 1967 Riots, all contributed to a steady decline in the Fox Creek neighborhood. By 2000 , 68% of the land was vacant in the neighborhood, and most of the remaining housing was rated as poor. By 2007, the school had lost half of its population in just nine years; from 1998 to 2007, the student population decreased from 776 to 339. The school was on the list for downsizing in Detroit in 2010, with a student population of only 199 by that time. The neighborhood fought to keep one of its last remaining anchors alive and succeeded. However, a year later, the school would be closed in 2011, citing $3 million in repairs needed for the building and declining enrollment. Until the end, the school maintained its successful program, which contributed to its longevity amid a sea of closures and downsizing in Detroit between 2007 and 2012. The school was sold to the land bank in 2015, and in 2025, it sits in anticipation of demolition, as a fence has gone up around the building, and early stages of demolition have begun.