Sometimes, history reaches out to make itself known. 

A historic preservationist was going through an old, forgotten truck when she discovered something extraordinary: decades old journals. 

As she began to read through them, she realized they held more than family memories, they held the words of her mother’s journey to the United States. The long forgotten journals revealed a surprising connection to one of Detroit’s most famous figures. 

During World War II, Albert Kahn, the legendary architect who shaped much of Detroit’s skyline, quietly helped support her family. 

Nancy Finegood is the former director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, preservation consultant and a board member of the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation Detroit. 

She joined The Metro and explained what she found and the unexpected ways the past can show up in our lives.

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Of all the architects in Detroit, one of the best known may be Albert Kahn. He designed some of the city’s most treasured buildings, including the Belle Isle Conservancy, the Fisher Building, and the Detroit Athletic Club. 

Even still, a lot of people don’t know that much about Kahn. They don’t know how or why his work changed architecture in Detroit, or any of his design preferences. 

Chris Meister is the author of the new book, “Albert Kahn’s Daylight: An Architect Reconsidered.” He spoke with The Metro’s Sam Corey about why much of Kahn’s work prioritized natural light.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro