Ludington Magent Middle School
19351 Edinborough Rd, Detroit, MI 48219
-Abandoned 2012
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History of the Ludington Magnet Middle School
The original building of what is now Ludington Middle School was built in 1924 under the name Mettetal Elementary School. It served the community of O' Hare Park as an elementary school until it received a massive expansion in 1954-1955 when it was selected as part of a previous 1949 millage vote as the City of Detroit reached its peak population of almost 2 million residents. Detroit Public Schools used the millage, which provided $50,000,000 to the Detroit Board of Education, to update and expand its facilities to support a projected enrollment increase of 40,000 students between 1955 and 1963. During this building campaign, the Detroit Board of Education erected 119 new school buildings and additions to existing buildings, including a large addition to Mettetal in 1954-1955. This expansion officially marked the transition of the elementary school into a middle school. It would include the additions of a 22-classroom layout, a gymnasium, a kitchen, an auditorium, and various offices. This expansion also made the new middle school a total of 45,000 sq ft. Around 1970, the school was renamed Ivan Ludington Middle School. During its time as a middle school, the original kindergarten room was transformed into the school's music classroom. Other programs and clubs at Ludington included Robotics, Chess, Dance, Glee Club, Honor Society, Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer. The school served grades 5 through 8. Into the 2000s, Ludington continued being a very academical successful. It also was very diverse due to its magnet status as a school, In June 2012, the school was closed when it was chosen to merge with the Langston Academy, to provide a better education experience for local students located about 2 miles from the site of the now old Ludington Middle School. Since being closed, the merged school has taken on the name of Ludington and remains in operation to this day. As for the old Ludington, it remains in far better shape than many schools like it.
Recollection from the author
Ludington was a very interesting school, due to its condition it still showed its former glory very well. Many things not typically found in Detroit School were still intact including clocks, exit signs, and nearly every locker. The boiler room of Ludington was a very unique section of the school, and its layout compared to other Detroit schools built around the same time. As mentioned Ludington had lots of character and you could see it was expanded on until the end. From dry erase boards possibly very early smart boards introduced about the same time Ludington closed, also of note was the Auditorium with very minimal graffiti, overall a very great school and a great opportunity to explore.
One of the main entrances to the school
1st floor hallway shot 1
1 floor hallway shot 2 (Note the clock still intact, uncommon in Detroit Public Schools)
1st floor hallway shot 3 (Note the doors leading to the original 1924 wing)
1st floor hallway shot 4
Clay mural on the 1st floor
That same clay mural
Information board on the 1st floor
A banner on the 1st floor
Auditorium as seen from on top of the projection booth
Auditorium shot 2
Auditorium shot 3 (Note the projection booth)
Auditorium shot 4
Auditorium shot 5
Auditorium shot 6
Auditorium shot 7
Auditorium shot 8 (Stage)
Backstage
Auditorium entrance to the school
Gymnasium shot 1
Gymnasium shot 2
The original kindergarten room later used as music room in its middle school days of operation
note the bay window used as a kindergarten room in almost all Detroit Elementary Schools of the 1920s-40s (Note the destroyed floor due to water damage from the wood construction above the room)
Library shot 1
Library shot 2
Library shot 3
Library shot 4
Library shot 5 (small posters line a small portion of the library telling students of Black Authors of the 20 century)
Office space
Poster in the back of office space
1st floor classroom in original wing (note the ceiling damage not found in the 1955 wing of the school commonly)
Map with black mold on it of the United States in full in the same classroom as the last shot
Many CRT TVs remain intact in the school this classroom is also in the 1924 wing with damage to the ceiling noted
A more modern room in the 1955 wing (Note the condition difference)
A 1950s build staircase in the 1955 wing
Display case on the 1st floor
Flooded section of the basement (Note this school is one of few that doesn't have a fully flooded basement throughout)
Flooded boiler room next to Gymnasium
On the platform of the boiler room directly next to the gymnasium
2nd floor staircase a unboarded window remains in perfect shape and lets in plenty of natural light
2nd floor hallway shot 1
2nd floor hallway shot 2
2nd floor hallway shot 3
2nd floor hallway shot 4
Room 213 with a still intact plaque of a teacher
2nd floor classroom in the 1955 wing (Note the 1955 wing is the only section of the school to feature a 2 floor)
Another 2nd floor classroom with typical 1950s glass block architecture
2nd floor staircase more natural light is let in from the right
Another staircase with a perfectly intact window
Survival supplies from efforts of the US goverment throughout the 1950s and 60s to prepare for a nuclear attack