Detroit, Michigan, History

With a population of over one million people, Detroit is a city that is trying hard to outlive its negative reputation. Located on the Detroit River, which runs between the United States and Canada, Detroit is the tenth largest city in this country. It is known as the “Motor City,” because it was, and remains to be, the automobile capital of the world. Because of its location, Detroit is the busiest international border crossing point in the United States, and one of the busiest in the world. There are two ways to get into Canada from the city of Detroit. First, there is the Ambassador Bridge. If one does not prefer to travel to Canada by bridge, they can take the Windsor Tunnel. Both are excellent choices to cross the international border.

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Detroit History continued...

Detroit was first settled in 1701 by the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. It was named after the narrow strait (d'etroit) that was nearby. This early settlement date makes Detroit the oldest city in the Midwestern United States. Detroit began as a trading post and remained a trading post in 1800. Then, all of that changed with the Industrial Revolution. Families with now-famous names began to establish automobile empires in Detroit. These families included: Ford, Olds, Chevrolet and Dodge. These names continue to be some of the world's top brands in the automobile industry. Another invention, the assembly line, ensured that Detroit would become the automobile capital of the world. While Detroit is mainly known for its production of cars, in the 1950's, the “Motown Sound” began to develop in Detroit. This new genre of music went on to become an entire new style of black music. With artists such as The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye paving the way, Motown became an important Detroit contribution. With Detroit's fast-paced expansion, came the development of vast ghettos in the downtown area. In the summer of 1967, tensions in the city finally boiled over, and a riot took place. The riot was the bloodiest in the history of the United States. Forty people lost their lives and over one thousand buildings were destroyed. Detroit today is experiencing what one might call a renaissance.

Detroit is home to many parks, museums and various other attractions. The Detroit Art Museum, the Detroit Historical Museum, the Museum of African-American History, the Detroit Science Museum, the Children's Museum, Orchestra Hall and the University Medical Center are all located downtown, within the Detroit Cultural Center. The Motown Museum is also a popular attraction. The museum is the original site of the Motown Studios where all of the Motown artists recorded their hits. The museum is the actual house that was modified into a music studio. Detroit boasts four major parks along the Detroit River. Belle Isle, an island park, covers two square miles. It is located in the middle of the Detroit River and contains a public golf course, a zoo, riding stables, an aquarium, boat docks, canoe rentals, swimming areas and spacious picnic areas. Chene Park is also located on the riverfront. Chene Park is an open air concert venue. Hart Plaza, which is the center for weekly summer ethnic festivals and concerts, is located nearby. Finally, Ambassador Park lies at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge. Downtown Detroit is also the home of three major casinos.

Some of the famous and noteworthy Americans that have called Detroit their home are: Madonna, Francis Ford Coppola, Sugar Ray Robinson and Diana Ross.

The city of Detroit is also the home to many professional sports teams. The Detroit Red Wings of the NHL and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA make their homes in the Motor City. The Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball play their home games in one of Detroit's two new stadiums, Comerica Park. The Detroit Lions of the NFL play their home games in the other new stadium, Ford Field.

In spite of all of this, Detroit remains a city that is trying to outlive its negative reputation. Its reputation of violence and crime is tragically exaggerated by the media. With its numerous parks and museums, attractions and professional sports teams, Detroit truly is a city that has it all.