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History Loves Company
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The Stories We Keep • Volume 17
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Built to Be Remembered — Guardian Building, Pontiac’s Theatres, and W.J. Moore
Season 3 keeps widening the lens.
This week we stepped inside Detroit’s Guardian Building — the Cathedral of Finance — and walked the sidewalks of Pontiac’s historic theaters: the Strand, Rialto, Eagle, and Oakland.
And from last week: Who Was W.J. Moore? — a reminder that behind every great home is a person who built like they expected it to last.
Preservation isn’t nostalgia.
It’s continuity.
Plus: Your comments are becoming the archive — keep the memories coming.
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Hi — Chris here.
This week felt like Michigan pride at full volume.
We stepped inside the Guardian Building — a skyscraper that didn’t just get built… it got believed in. Color, pattern, confidence. Detroit announcing itself to the world.
Then we came home and traced Pontiac’s theater era — the Strand, Rialto, Eagle, and Oakland — places where crowds once lined the sidewalks and Saturday night meant a glowing marquee.
And from last week: Who Was W.J. Moore? A reminder that behind every historic home is a person who built like permanence mattered.
If you’ve ever stood inside the Guardian… or remember going to the movies in Pontiac… hit reply and tell me what you remember.
That’s how the archive gets built.
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This Week’s Episodes
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Art Deco at its boldest.
Symbolism in every tile.
A skyscraper that announced Detroit to the world.
Watch Monday’s Episode →
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The Strand.
The Rialto.
The Eagle.
The Oakland.
Four theaters. One era of civic confidence.
We traced what remains — and what that says about Pontiac’s next chapter.
Watch Wednesday’s Episode →
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Now Live.
Behind every mansion is a decision.
W.J. Moore wasn’t just building a house in Caro.
He was building permanence.
Scale. Craftsmanship. Long-term thinking.
We explored the man behind the structure — and what his story tells us about ambition in Michigan’s early growth era.
Some homes survive by accident.
Others survive because they were built to.
Go to Homes of Michigan →
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The Stories We Keep Podcast
Demolition was just announced and is now underway in Highland Park — closing the chapter on a building that stood as a symbol of vacancy, danger, and lost momentum for years.
This episode tells the story of what Highland Towers was… and what it means when a city finally decides something has to come down so something else can rise.
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Market Moments
Market Snapshot — Metro Detroit (January/February 2026)
Prices are still rising even as activity cools:
Realcomp’s January highlights show the median sales price up to
$257,500 for residential homes, with days on market up and
months’ supply of inventory increasing — a sign of a calmer, more normal market.
Sales volume is down:
A January report noted Metro Detroit home sales fell nearly 14% year over year while prices still moved upward — especially in Wayne and Oakland counties.
Rates are sitting near ~6%:
Freddie Mac’s PMMS shows the average 30-year fixed at about
6.01% (mid-February), which is lower than this time last year but still keeps affordability tight.
What this means (plain English):
Buyers have more time and more choices than the frenzy years.
Sellers who price correctly and market hard still win — but “hope pricing” gets punished fast.
Historic homes:
The right story + the right pricing strategy matters more than ever — especially as restoration costs stay real and buyer pools get more selective.
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HLC Apparel
Wear the mission
If these stories mean something to you, the simplest way to support the work is to wear it.
The Foundation Collection is made for people who believe preservation matters.
Shop this crewneck →
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Reply Prompt
Where are you reading from?
Hit reply and tell me your city —
and one building/place you’ve got real memories tied to that deserves an episode.
Format it like this: “PLACE + CITY + why it matters.”
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