Aerial photo of Mettetal Airport Canton (photo courtesy of Mettetal)
Mettetal Airport is a non-towered airport (ie: no control tower) that was founded in 1939 on 63 acres in Canton, Michigan. One of the hangars contains a rare resource in the form of Paulson Aviation Library.
John Maxfield, VP of EAA Chapter 113, graciously answered questions and provided a fascinating tour.
“We have about 3,500 volumes. The library was started in 2002 and is hyper-focused on all things aviation. Our main librarian is Barb Cook but she’s on vacation right now. And yes, this is a functional library, Dewey catalogued and everything.”
Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by Ryan M. Place)
“The library features mostly books. Non-fiction, biographical, military, reference & technical manuals. We also have vintage journals, flight manuals, various ephemera, photos, DVDs and VHS tapes.”
“Some classic standard books we have are Stick and Rudder (1944), We (1927) Lindbergh, and Carrying the Fire (1974). I’m currently looking for a decent copy of Sled Driver (1991) by Brian Schul.”
“The founder of our library, Robert Paulson, was a Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol. He was a CAP Chaplain, lived in Dearborn, and was parish priest at Church of the Holy Cross in Novi. He was also a book enthusiast and initially started this library by donating his own personal collection. He didn’t own an airplane, so this was his main project. And it’s grown over the years mostly via donations.”
“Mettetal Airport was started by Bob Mettetal. He was a bomber pilot in WWII. His brother Marv (Marvin) was also a pilot. The Mettetal family owned the land since 1920 when it was purchased by Bob’s dad Raphael (Ray) Mettetal. They had a greenhouse and decided to build an airport. Currently, Mettetal is mostly a recreation airport for enthusiasts, and it’s also used by corporations and air ambulances. It’s owned by MDOT Office of Aeronautics.”
Robert Mettetal @ Mettetal Airport Canton (photo courtesy of Google Archives)
“The State of Michigan has made a couple of incredible historic contributions to the field of aviation. In the 1920’s-30’s, Ford Motor Company invented commercial airline travel with the Ford-Trimotor Airplane. What is now Ford Proving Ground (Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn) used to be the Ford Airport, which had one of the world’s first paved runways. The Dearborn Inn across the street was one of the first air travel hotels. And the other contribution was of course the Willow Run Bomber Plant in Ypsilanti during World War Two.”
“Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is the world’s largest recreation sport aviation association. EAA Chapter 113 was founded here at Mettetal in 1961. Our nickname is the Backyard Eagles. Anyone from the general public can join. Legally, the chapter cannot own an airworthy airplane but flying clubs can form within. Our chapter has 4 flying clubs with 7 airplanes, mostly single-engine Cessnas.”
“We host interesting speakers monthly every 3rd Thursday. We’ve had authors, parachute riggers, aviation medics, astronauts, military personnel, etc. And our Young Eagles program offers free airplane rides for those aged 8-17. We do this four times per year.”
Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Donate your aviation books (they may possibly purchase exceptionally rare items)
[email protected]
Paulson Aviation Library is available by appointment and also during regular gatherings (3rd Thurs of the month, 7:30pm) and events (see calendar on their website).
Paulson Aviation Library @ Mettetal Airport
8550 N. Lilley Road
Canton, MI 48187
EAA Chapter 113 @ Mettetal Airport
https://chapters.eaa.org/eaa113
Young Eagles
https://www.yeday.org/
EAA Chapter 113 @ Mettetal Airport Canton (photo courtesy of EAA)
Mettetal Airport records @ Plymouth Historical Museum
https://plymouthhistory.org/cm/dpl/downloads/content/57/Mettetal_Airport_RG_5_.pdf
Genealogy info for Mettetal Family
https://www.oocities.org/heartland/hills/8073/tiny1.html
Directory of Michigan Airports
https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/mobility/aeronautics/airports
Col. Robert W. Paulson @ Mettetal Airport
Robert Paulson comments on NW Crash
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/08/17/Investigators-today-tentatively-ruled-out-sabotage-aboard-a-Northwest/1893556171200/
Robert Paulson obituary
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/detroitnews/name/robert-paulson-obituary?id=41424130
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83855512/robert-waldron-paulson
Some other interesting aviation libraries to check out:
- MI-Kzoo-WMU’s Waldo Library-flight simulator lab
- OH-Dayton-Museum of the USAF
- WashDC-Smithsonian Ntl Air and Space Museum library (40,000 volumes)
- WA-Seattle-Museum of Flight’s Bracklin Library (36,000 volumes)
- TX-UT Dallas-McDermott Lib-Aviation Archives
Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by Ryan M. Place)
Sonex 2012 airplane built by John Maxfield. 130 mph cruising speed (photo courtesy of John Maxfield)
Col. Robert W. Paulson
Paulson Aviation Library
Flight simulator @ Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport
Mettetal Airport (Canton, Michigan)
Barb Cook, librarian at Paulson Aviation Library @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport
John Maxfield, VP of EAA Chapter 113 @ Canton’s Mettetal Airport (photo by John Maxfield)
Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
John Maxfield @ Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Proposed airplane mechanics school @ Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Robert Mettetal @ Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Robert Mettetal @ Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Mettetal Airport Canton archives (courtesy of Google Archives)
Michigan State Police at Mettetal Airport Canton (photo courtesy of MSP)
Iconic photo of Detroit Bookfest taken by Debbie Maciolek in 2018 (Eastern Market, Shed 5, Detroit)
Native Detroiter, Debbie Maciolek, runs Debography, a local photography company. She expertly photographed some early incarnations of Bookfest for us in the past. And now, thankfully, she’s back!
The quality of her work is superb, and we are immensely fortunate to have her documenting the event.
You will see her running around at Detroit Bookfest taking photos. Please treat her with courtesy and respect.
Debbie Maciolek self-portrait (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Here’s Debbie:
“I’ve got lots of books to donate. I can’t throw out a book. It goes against everything I believe in.”
“My early years? Wow, well, I grew up on Detroit’s Upper Eastside. I lived on Lansdowne, between Yorkshire and Grayton and attended Guardian Angels at Kelly and Whittier and also Bishop Gallagher.”
“I attended Wayne State University, studying business and have my certificate of Photographic Arts from Macomb Community College.”
“For the past 28 years, my husband Bob and I have lived in Macomb. He’s a Colonel in the National Guard and we’ve owned a software business for 16 years now called Static Line Software.”
Abandoned Detroit building (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
“We have a son and a daughter, Blake and Claire, both finishing up college at Western Michigan and University of Michigan respectively and two furry kids. Our two dogs are Bella – a Lab-Pit mix, and Dexter – a Great Pyrenees-Siberian Husky mix.”
“I come from three generations of Detroit firefighters. My grandfather and father both retired as Chief of the city and my brother is a current Sergeant on the Eastside.”
“When I was young, my dad used to race stock outboard boats all over the state in short courses and marathons. This is actually how I started photography. To this day, I love photographing live sports, especially hockey, and capturing the raw in-the-moment action. Traveling frequently allowed us to camp all over the state. There is nothing like Michigan in the summer, the forests and lakes are incredible.”
“Debography was started November 2016. I was able to leave my job with a software services company and move into being a photographer full-time. I shoot senior photos, lifestyle, off the beaten path type stuff, abandoned buildings, nature photography, events, etc. Not weddings, never weddings.”
Detroit River photo (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
“My camera setup consists of a Canon 5D Mark IV and I use primarily Canon lenses, and Sigma Art lenses. My preferred editing software is Photoshop and I’ve found the absolutely best company for lighting supplies and support – Flashgear.net.”
“My advice for aspiring photographers is to understand the manual settings and remember that lighting is everything, it will always make or break your shots. Take the time to understand how light affects your subject.”
“As for hobbies, I love traveling, seeking out new adventures, experiencing off the beaten path type stuff. I’m an avid reader, mostly mysteries. I belong to a book club that’s…really more of a wine club, but hey, it’s fun. I’ve also been getting back into running, I’ve completed four half marathons and am looking to fit in a fifth one.”
“Michigan is a wonderful state, we love it here; there is always something new to do. My husband and I have a cottage in Gladwin on Secord Lake and have made some fabulous friends up there. I grew up going to Burt Lake and Indian River, which are about a half hour south of Mackinaw City, and will always be one of my favorite spots. The State Park is great and the swimming and hiking can’t be beat. Locally, we love spending time outdoors at Stony Creek Metropark and Dodge Park. Favorite restaurants near our house include Da Francesco’s Ristorante for Italian food and Golden Fleece in Greektown for Greek food.”
“Outside of Michigan, my favorite spot hands down is Ireland. Stunningly beautiful country. I recommend renting a car and driving around southern Ireland, especially the Killarney area. And yes, for some reason, the Guinness really does taste better over there, the rumors are true! It tastes like Irish Magic.”
Castle in Ireland (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Contact (hire Debbie for gigs here)
[email protected]
Homepage
https://debographyphoto.com/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DebographyPics/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/debographyphotography/
Photo Art IG
https://www.instagram.com/debographyphotoart/
Owl in the trees (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Nature photo (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Fire hydrant encased by tree (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Photo of a Horse (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
Capturing the Sunset (photo by Debbie Maciolek)
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
“I’m just tryna add sauce to the world.”-DJ Seven Whales
Detroit Bookfest wouldn’t be Detroit Bookfest without the power of music. It helps transform and enhance the event into something visceral and multi-dimensional.
We especially like the funk, the whole funk and almost nothing but the funk. Our deep love o’ great gobs of funk music was initially inspired by attending Frank Raines monthly Funk Night parties in Detroit where one discovers you can levitate without actually levitating.
For years, DJ Zig-Zag (Jason Ratcliffe) graciously spun for us since the beginning of Bookfest but life has taken him beyond the Motor City. We thank Zig-Zag for his support and will miss his vibes at Bookfest. After his departure, the first great DJ whose named popped into my cabeza was Seven Whales.
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales, real name JR Jones, is a native Detroiter and an eminently creative individual. He is also Market Operations Analyst @ Eastern Market and has been a treasured member of the Detroit Bookfest Committee since our inception.
Born November 30, 1989 on Detroit’s Northwest side, JR graduated Mumford High School (off Wyoming and McNichols) and went on to graduate from Specs Howard School of Media Arts with a degree in graphic design.
But most of all, JR hails from a highly creative family.
The Creative Lineage of Seven Whales
DJ Seven Whales & DJ Sam Morykwas (photo by George Gregory Clothing)
“I’m into all types of music, rock, rap, whatever. I just love music.”
“Growing up, everybody in my family was listening to music all the time. My dad is a big jazz and funk fan. Two of his favorites are Grover Washington Jr. and Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson. My mom loves soul, especially Erykah Badu and Sade.”
“My dad was born in Detroit and played piano when he was younger. My mom is from White Castle, Louisiana near Baton Rouge and was a painter. And me, being a kid growing up in the 90’s, I was influenced by their natural creativity and all the great music coming out at that time.”
Eastern Market: pull out a map and mark it
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
JR started working at Eastern Market Partnership in February 2014.
“Initially, I was working security. We call it CSS, which stands for Customer Support Service. Then I was promoted to Market Operations Analyst.”
“I love the Eastern Market community. Our neighborhood is a great mix of young to old, artists to nutritionists, it’s very diverse. I also just love the art community in Detroit in general.”
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
“I work at the Market with the infamous Lonni Thomas. She’s great, we have a lot of fun together. My favorite Lonni Thomas story is one time we were closing up after a Sunday Holiday Market. We were carrying stuff down to the basement and I fell slowly down the stairs and Lonni just watched me. She did help me up afterward though. It was one of those funny slow-motion can’t stop from falling falls with her just staring at me.” (laughs)
“I love Detroit Bookfest at Eastern Market. It brings out the diversity, everyone, buying amazing books and materials. It’s especially impressive during an age in history where everything is mad digital. It’s also far from what you think of when you think of a typical book event. Reminds me more like an all-inclusive community block party. It makes the concept of reading and collecting books fun, especially for younger people. It’s a one-of-a-kind event, honestly. I look forward to it every year. And now I’m excited to be DJ’ing it.”
“My favorite book is ‘The Tao of Wu’ (2009) by Wu Tang’s RZA. It’s a philosophy book about the many paths to enlightenment. RZA has a unique mind, the way he puts different concepts together is interesting.”
Tao of Wu-RZA
JR Jones becomes DJ Seven Whales
DJ Seven Whales (Photo by Doug @wndrlstmedia)
JR has been DJ’ing since March 2019.
“When I spin, I like to create a vibe. I spin with emotion and energy.”
“I’ve had a lifelong love of music and always wanted to DJ. My uncle took me to Guitar Center one day and showed me a DJ controller and I was hooked.”
“I gotta give a shout out to my man Sam. Sam Morykwas is the senior marketing manager here at Eastern Market and he’s also a great DJ. He taught me a lot about the craft and even gave me some equipment to help get me started.”
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
“Mainly, I’m a house party DJ, spinnin’ the dopeness, but I love DJ’ing all types of events.”
“Don’t have one particular style of music. I try to spin stuff the world would love to hear, whether they know it or not. I’m tryna hit y’all with things you don’t know. The idea is to put you onto good music.”
“My DJ name Seven Whales came from two sources. One is the book ‘The Legend of the Seven Whales of Ngai Tahu Matawhaiti’ (1988). It’s an African legend about a tohunga transforming seven whales into seven hills.”
The Legend of the Seven Whales of Ngai Tahu Matawhaiti
“Another influence was a song in which Sir Michael Rocks talks about saving the whales. We misheard it as seven whales. The song is called ‘What do you Do’.”
“My favorite DJ’s are Kaytranada, Joe K, Detroit’s own PBH (Problematic Black Hottie), and honestly my man Sam Morykwas. My goal is to learn, not copy, but learn from other DJ’s.”
The Fun Stuff
Island Jerk Ribs w/ Guava BBQ Sauce @ Coop Caribbean Fusion Detroit (photo by: Coop)
“Favorite eateries in Detroit? Man, how much time we got? Could be here a while, there’s so many. At this particular moment in time, my top three are:”
Coop Caribbean fusion inside Detroit Shipping Company (474 Peterboro St, Detroit) “this is my guilty pleasure place”
Bash Izakaya (5069 Trumbull, Detroit)
Fat Salmon Sushi (11411 Joseph Campau Ave, Hamtramck)
“When I’m not DJ’ing or exploring the rich culinary scene in Metro Detroit, I’m usually exploring different ways to be creative.”
“Ink drawings, photography, watercolor painting, etc. I also like cruising the city on my bike. You can see me riding my Fuji Absolute around town.”
Upcoming Developments
Wednesday Night Vibes Detroit
“Sam and I spin Wednesday Night Vibes every week on Zoom from 8pm-11pm. You can find the link on IG @djsevenwhales.”
“We also did a commercial for the Detroit Tigers and one for George Gregory Clothing and we have some more things in the works.”
“I’m a sneakerhead, a cool nerdy kid from Detroit. You’ll see me at events. I’m just tryna add sauce to the world.”
Contact
DJ Seven Whales is available for gigs. Book him for your next event!
[email protected]
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/djsevenwhales/
Soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/user-627124274
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/seven.whales.73
Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-jones-7799a3bb
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales Detroit (photo by: Ryan M. Place)
DJ Seven Whales (photo by Nefertitti)
DJ Seven Whales (photo by Eastern Market)
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