Detroit's Oldest Bar Fights To Salvage A Piece of History

One of the Detroit’s oldest but under the radar gems is on the city’s chopping block, but it won’t go without a fight from the good folks at Detroit’s oldest bar, The Two Way Inn.

The Two Way staff and patrons of the pub are coming together to save the Norris House, one of the city’s architectural gems, from demolition and are throwing a BBQ to raise some restoration capital.

The home has reportedly been abandoned since the early 1990s. Though it was once the target of arson, the home of Detroit hero Philetus Norris has remained largely intact. The Victorian farmhouse was built in the early 1870s by Col. Philetus Norris, a Civil War veteran who cleared the land around what is now 17815 Mt. Elliot St. In addition to being credited for bringing business and infrastructure to the area, including streets and the railroad, Norris built the Two Way Inn, the oldest bar still operating in the city of Detroit.

You can help the good people of the Two Way bring this gem back to life by swinging by for the BBQ on Saturday from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Admission is $15 and covers entry and food. Funds will help restore the home’s chimney, which is one step in the overhaul of the structure.

If you can’t make the party but still want to donate, you can do so online by clicking here. You can also donate by sending a check to: Norris House Restoration, P.O. Box 34102 Detroit, MI 48234