On Nov. 6, 1918, Detroit went ahead with its plan to lift the closure order and gathering ban effective. Theater owners were particularly thrilled, and lost no time in readying their businesses for patrons.

The prior day, Health Commissioner James W. Inches announced that he had received permission from to remove the closure order in Detroit. He immediately convened the Board of Health, which voted unanimously to reopen Detroit the next day. Finally, Detroiters would have their entertainments back.

The epidemic was still raging in many other parts of the state, and, according to state Attorney-General Alexander J. Groesbeck, giving Detroit special consideration would be illegal. Grand Rapids, Bay City, Saginaw, and several other cities lodged formal protests with the governor’s office against Detroit being allowed to open ahead of the rest of the state.