Charles Hanneman School

Charles Hanneman School was built in 1916, serving a growing west side neighborhood of made up of US, Polish, German, and Czechoslovakian residents.

In 1922, Hanneman and other local schools were overcrowded, with a capacity of 865 and a student population of 1,103. Chadsey High School would later be built in 1931 to relieve some of the overcrowding.

Enrollment fell from 564 to in 1997 to 377 in 2006. With the loss of 21% of its students in six years, and the high cost of upgrading and maintaining the building, Hanneman was one of 27 schools closed in 2007.

The design of Hanneman is unusual in several regards: On the rear of the building is a large "porch," with doors that lead directly into the main office. Like others Detroit schools built between 1910 and 1919, Hanneman was designed without a large gymnasium or auditorium. Some schools, like Greenfield and Grayling had additions built onto them at a later date. But Hanneman was never expanded beyond its original plan, and up until closing the gym and cafeteria were located in the basement of the school.