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Detroit, Michigan

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Detroit, Michigan
   Skyline of Detroit, Michigan

   Official flag of Detroit, Michigan

                                     Official seal of Detroit, Michigan
   Flag                              Seal
   Nickname: "Motor City, Motown"
   Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus"
   (Latin for, "We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes")
   Location in Wayne County, Michigan
   Location in Wayne County, Michigan
   Coordinates: 42°19′53.76″N, 83°2′51″W
   Country United States
   State Michigan
   County Wayne County
   Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
   Area
    - City 370.2 km²  (143.0  sq mi)
    - Land 359.4 km²  (138.8 sq mi)
    - Water 10.8 km² (4.2 sq mi)
    - Metro 9,453 km² (3,650 sq mi)
   Elevation 190 m  (623 ft)
   Population
    - City (2005) 886,675
    - Density 2,647/km² (6,856/sq mi)
    - Metro 4,488,335
   Time zone EST ( UTC-5)
    - Summer ( DST) EDT ( UTC-4)
   Website: http://www.detroitmi.gov/

   Detroit ( IPA: [dɪˈtʰɹɔɪt]) (French: Détroit, pronounced [detʁwa] ) is
   the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the seat of Wayne
   County.

   Founded in 1701 by French fur traders, it is a major port city, located
   north of Windsor, Ontario, on the Detroit River in the Midwest region
   of the United States. It is known as the world's traditional automotive
   centre and an important source of popular-music legacies, celebrated by
   the city's two familiar nicknames, Motor City and Motown. The city's
   name comes from the Detroit River (in French Rivière du Détroit),
   meaning "River of the Strait." The name alludes to the connection the
   river forms between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie.

   In 2005, Detroit ranked as the United States's 11th most populous city,
   with 886,675 residents; this number is less than half the peak
   population in 1950, and Detroit is among the leaders in the nation in
   terms of declining urban population over the past fifty years. It is
   the focal city of the nation's tenth-largest metropolitan area.

   Detroit's crime rate has brought it notoriety, while the city continues
   to struggle with the burdens of racial disharmony between itself and
   its suburban neighbors. The city has experienced budget shortfalls,
   leading to cuts in city services. Nevertheless, Detroit is currently
   experiencing a downtown revival with the construction of the Compuware
   headquarters, a recently renovated Renaissance Centre, three gambling
   casinos, new stadiums and the Detroit Riverwalk. The city serves as an
   entertainment hub for the metropolitan region.

   Residents are generally known as "Detroiters." The name Detroit is also
   sometimes used as shorthand for the entire Metro Detroit area, a
   sprawling region with a population of 4,488,335 for the Metropolitan
   Statistical Area and a population of 5,456,428 for the nine county
   Combined Statistical Area as of the 2005 Census Bureau estimates. If
   the adjacent Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario and its suburbs are
   counted, the area has a total population of about 6 million (see:
   Windsor-Detroit).

   The city was called the Paris of the West in the late 19th century due
   to its elegant architecture and public squares; in the mid-20th century
   it was called Rock City due to its association with the development of
   rock music. Today, local colloquialisms for the city include The D, The
   313 (its area code) and D City.

History

Early beginnings: Founded by the French

   Traveling up the Detroit River on the ship Le Griffon (previously
   captained by La Salle), Father Louis Hennepin noted the north bank of
   the river as an ideal location for a settlement. There, in 1701, French
   officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded a fort and settlement
   called Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, naming it after the comte de
   Pontchartrain, minister of marine under Louis XIV. The settlement
   prospered as a fur-trading centre, and the fort offered protection for
   French ships plying the Great Lakes.

   In 1760, during the French and Indian War, British troops gained
   control of the area and shortened the name of the settlement to
   Detroit. Local Native American tribes, many of whom had developed
   friendly relations with French colonists, became alarmed at this
   development. In 1763, several tribes led by Chief Pontiac, an Ottawa
   leader, launched what became known as Pontiac's Rebellion, which
   included a siege of Fort Detroit; they were ultimately defeated by the
   British. In 1796, Detroit passed to the United States under the Jay
   Treaty. In 1805, fire destroyed most of the settlement; a river
   warehouse and brick chimneys of the wooden homes were the sole
   structures to survive. Detroit's city flag reflects this French
   heritage. (See Flag of Detroit, Michigan.)

War of 1812: British rule Detroit

   From 1805 to 1847, Detroit was the capital of Michigan. As the city
   expanded, the street layout followed a plan developed by Augustus B.
   Woodward, Chief Justice of the Michigan territory. Detroit fell to
   British troops during the War of 1812 in the Siege of Detroit, was
   recaptured by the United States in 1813 and incorporated as a city in
   1815. Prior to the American Civil War, the city's access to the
   Canadian border made it a key stop along the underground railroad.

American Civil War

   Many Detroiters volunteered to fight during the American Civil War.
   Following the death of President Abraham Lincoln, George Armstrong
   Custer delivered a eulogy to the thousands gathered near Campus Martius
   Park. Custer had led the Michigan Brigade during the American Civil War
   and had called them the "Wolverines."

The Gilded Age and Industrialization

   Detroit's many Gilded Age mansions and buildings arose during the late
   1800s. The city was referred to as the "Paris of the West" for its fine
   architecture. Strategically located along the Great Lakes waterway,
   Detroit emerged as a transportation hub. The city had grown steadily
   from the 1830s with the rise of shipping, shipbuilding, and
   manufacturing industries. In 1896, a thriving carriage trade prompted
   Henry Ford to build his first automobile in a rented workshop on Mack
   Avenue, and in 1904, the Model T was produced. Ford's manufacturing—and
   those of automotive pioneers William C. Durant, the Dodge brothers, and
   Walter Chrysler reinforced Detroit's status as the world's automotive
   capital. The industry spurred the city's spectacular growth during the
   first half of the 20th century as it drew many new residents,
   particularly workers from the Southern United States. Strained racial
   relations were evident in the trial of Dr. Ossian Sweet, a black
   Detroit physician acquitted of murder after he shot into a large mob
   when he moved from the all-black part of the city to an all-white area.
   With the introduction of prohibition, the river was a major conduit for
   Canadian spirits, organized in large part by the notorious Purple Gang.

World War I and World War II

   A photograph of the Cadillac Motor Car Company Main Plant on Cass
   Avenue at Amsterdam Street in Detroit, circa 1910.
   Enlarge
   A photograph of the Cadillac Motor Car Company Main Plant on Cass
   Avenue at Amsterdam Street in Detroit, circa 1910.

   With the factories came high-profile labor strife, climaxing in the
   1930s as the United Auto Workers initiated bitter disputes with
   Detroit's auto manufacturers. The labor activism established during
   those years brought notoriety to hometown union leaders such as Jimmy
   Hoffa and Walter Reuther. The 1940s saw the construction of the world's
   first urban depressed freeway, the Davison and the industrial growth
   during World War II that led to Detroit's nickname as the Arsenal of
   Democracy.

1960s

   Detroit endured a painful decline during the 1960s and 1970s and was
   often held up as a symbol of urban blight. The 12th Street Riot in 1967
   and court-ordered busing accelerated white flight from the city. The
   percentage of black residents increased rapidly thereafter, as not only
   did the whites flee the city, but the migration of blacks from the
   south continued. The city's tax base began a steep decline as retailers
   and small business owners departed the city in the wake of the riots.
   Within a decade large numbers of buildings and homes were abandoned on
   the southeast side of the city, with many remaining for years in a
   state of decay. In 1973, the city elected its first black mayor,
   Coleman Young. Young's style during his record five terms in office was
   not well received by many whites.

1970s

   The gasoline crises of 1973 and 1979 shook the United States auto
   industry as Japanese and other foreign car makers of small cars made
   inroads into the traditional dominance of the Big Three automakers.
   High-paying manufacturing jobs became scarce and the city soon faced
   the acute heroin and crack cocaine epidemics which afflicted many U.S.
   cities at that time. Drug-related violence and property crimes rose
   steeply, while many abandoned homes were razed as they had become
   havens for drug dealers. Devil's Night, a Detroit-area tradition which
   occurs the night before Halloween, evolved from a night of pranks to a
   night of large-scale arson across the city. Sizeable tracts have
   reverted to nature, to become a form of urban prairie with wild animals
   spotted migrating into the city. "Renaissance" has been a perennial
   buzzword among city leaders since the 12th Street riot, reinforced by
   the construction of the Renaissance Centre in the late 1970s.

1980 - present

   In 1980, Detroit hosted the Republican National Convention which
   nominated Ronald Reagan to a successful bid for President of the United
   States. The city received limited positive notoriety for much of the
   rest of the decade, though, as its economy faltered badly and its crime
   rate gained national headlines; the city's reputation as a dangerous
   place was reinforced by rioting following the Detroit Tigers' 1984
   World Series title and the Detroit Pistons' second NBA championship, in
   1990.

   In the 1990s, the city began to enjoy a revival, much of it centered
   downtown. In 1994, Comerica Tower with its postmodern architecture and
   neo-gothic spires arose on the city skyline. In 1996 onwards, three
   casinos opened: MGM Grand Detroit, Motor City Casino, and Greektown
   Casino. In 2000, Comerica Park replaced historic Tiger Stadium as the
   home of the Detroit Tigers, and in 2002, Ford Field brought the NFL's
   Detroit Lions back into Detroit, from Pontiac. The 2004 opening of the
   Compuware Centre gave downtown Detroit its first significant new office
   building in a decade. The city hosted the 2005 MLB All-Star Game and
   Super Bowl XL in 2006, both of which prompted many improvements to the
   downtown area. Additionally, the first portions of the Detroit River
   Walk were laid down. In the summer of 2006, announcements came for the
   redevelopment of the abandoned Fort Shelby and Book-Cadillac Hotels. In
   the fall, The Detroit Tigers won the American League Pennant by
   shutting out the New York Yankees (who were only shut out five times in
   their regular season) in two games in a row. Detroit then hosted World
   Series games for the first time in 22 years (where the St. Louis
   Cardinals defeated the Tigers in five games).

Geography

Topography

   A simulated-color satellite image of Detroit, with Windsor across the
   river, taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite.
   Enlarge
   A simulated-colour satellite image of Detroit, with Windsor across the
   river, taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite.

   According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
   of 143.0 square miles (370.2 km²); of this, 138.8 square miles (359.4
   km²) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km²) is water. The highest
   elevation in Detroit is in the University District neighbourhood in
   northwestern Detroit, just west of Palmer Park sitting at a height of
   670 feet (204 m). Detroit's lowest elevation is along its riverfront,
   of course, sitting at a height of 579 feet (176 m). Detroit completely
   encircles the cities of Hamtramck and Highland Park. On its northeast
   border are the wealthy communities of Grosse Pointe. Oakland and Macomb
   counties lie to the north. Alter Road divides Detroit and Grosse Pointe
   Park. It divides one of the poorest and most crime-ridden communities
   in the United States from one of the most affluent, with multi-million
   dollar mansions on Lake Shore Drive in the Grosse Pointes.

   The city is crossed by three road systems: the original French
   template, radial roads from a Washington, D.C.-inspired system, and
   true north–south roads from the Northwest Ordinance township system. It
   sits atop a large salt mine and is north of Windsor, Ontario. Detroit
   is the only major city along the U.S.-Canadian border in which one
   travels south in order to cross into Canada. Detroit has four border
   crossings: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
   provides motor vehicle thoroughfare and the Michigan Central Railway
   Tunnel railroad access to and from Canada. The fourth border crossing
   is the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry, located near the Windsor Salt Mine
   and Zug Island.

Climate

   Detroit and the rest of southeastern Michigan have a typically
   Midwestern temperate seasonal climate, which is influenced by the Great
   Lakes. Winters are cold with moderate snowfall; summers are warm. The
   earliest officially measurable snowfall in Detroit occurred on October
   12, 2006. The average high and low temperatures in July are 85° F (29°
   C) and 65°F (18°C) respectively, and in January 31°F (1°C) and
   20°F(-6°C). Summer temperatures can typically exceed 90°F (32°C).
   Winters are often cold but temperatures very rarely drop below 0°F
   (–17°C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from about two to five
   inches (50 to 130 mm), being heaviest in the summer months. Snowfall,
   which typically occurs from November to early April, ranges from 1 to
   10 inches (3 to 25 cm) a month. The highest recorded temperature was
   103.0°F (39.0°C) on June 25, 1988, while the lowest recorded
   temperature was –17.0°F (–27.0°C) on January 19, 1994.
   Weather averages for Detroit, Michigan
   Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
   Avg high °F 31 33 44 58 70 79 83 81 74 62 48 35 58
   Avg low °F 16 18 27 37 48 57 62 60 53 41 32 22 39
   Avg high °C -1 1 6 14 21 26 28 27 23 16 8 1 14
   Avg low °C -8 -7 -2 2 8 13 16 15 11 5 0 -5 3
   Precipitation (in) 1.9 1.7 2.4 3.0 2.9 3.6 3.1 3.4 2.8 2.2 2.7 2.5 32.3
   Precipitation (cm) 4 4 6 7 7 9 7 8 7 5 6 6 82
   Source: Weatherbase Nov 2006

Cityscape

   Penobscot Building at left. At right, the Dime Building, constructed in
   1912.
   Enlarge
   Penobscot Building at left. At right, the Dime Building, constructed in
   1912.

   The panoramic Detroit skyline shows a variety of architectural styles.
   The city has one of America's largest surviving collections of 1920's
   and 1930's skyscrapers and historic structures. The Art Deco style from
   this period is exemplified by the Guardian Building downtown as well as
   the Fisher Building and Cadillac Place in the New Centre adjacent to
   Wayne State University. Among the city's prominent structures are the
   nation's first Fox Theatre, the Detroit Opera House, and the Detroit
   Institute of Arts. These and other historic buildings mingle with the
   post modern neo-gothic Comerica Tower and the gleaming towers of the
   Renaissance Centre downtown near the Detroit River.

   While the downtown and New Centre areas contain high-rise buildings,
   the majority of the surrounding city consists of low-rise structures
   and single-family homes. In 2005, Detroit's architecture was heralded
   as some of America's finest; many of the city's architecturally
   significant buildings are listed by the National Trust for Historic
   Preservation as among America's most endangered landmarks.
   A view looking south down Brush Street at the Renaissance Center (rear
   left) and the Wayne County Building (right). The giant decal on the
   Renaissance Center was installed for the 2005 MLB All-Star Game. It is
   4,612 feet (1,375 m) from the home plate in Comerica Park to the main
   tower of the Renaissance Center
   Enlarge
   A view looking south down Brush Street at the Renaissance Centre (rear
   left) and the Wayne County Building (right). The giant decal on the
   Renaissance Centre was installed for the 2005 MLB All-Star Game. It is
   4,612 feet (1,375 m) from the home plate in Comerica Park to the main
   tower of the Renaissance Centre

   Detroit has an active community of professionals dedicated to urban
   design, historic preservation, architecture, and investment in the
   city. A number of downtown redevelopment projects — of which Campus
   Martius Park is one of the most notable — have revitalized parts of the
   city. In 2006, a state-of-the-art cruise ship dock was added to Hart
   Plaza. Grand Circus Park stands near the city's theatre district and
   Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Since the 1990s, there have
   been plans to redevelop the riverfront area from the Ambassador Bridge
   to Belle Isle (the largest island park in a U.S. city) with a
   combination of parks, residential buildings, and commercial areas.
   Other major parks include Palmer (north of Highland Park), River Rouge
   (in the southwest side), and Chene Park (on the Detroit River east of
   downtown).

   Detroit is constructing a riverfront promenade park similar to the one
   directly across the river in Windsor, Ontario. Windsor replaced acres
   of train tracks and some abandoned buildings with what is now 3 miles
   (5 km) of uninterrupted parkland. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is
   spearheading most of this development. A project includes the new
   Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbour, Michigan's first urban state
   park. Civic planners envision that the newly reclaimed riverfront with
   pedestrian parks will spur more residential development.

Culture

Contemporary life

   Metro Detroit suburbs are among the most affluent in the nation.
   Lifestyles for rising professionals in Detroit reflect those of other
   major cities. This dynamic is luring many younger professionals to the
   downtown. Luxury high rises such as the three Riverfront Towers have
   views of Hart Plaza and Canada. Examples abound with developments in
   the city's New Centre area. The Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel will include
   a number of luxury condos. The east river development plans include
   even more luxury condominium developments. A desire to be closer to the
   urban scene has attracted young professionals to take up residence
   among the mansions of Grosse Pointe just outside the city. Detroit's
   proximity to Windsor, Ontario provides for spectacular views and a
   dynamic nightlife, along with Ontario's 19-and-older drinking age.

Performing Arts

   Music has been the dominant feature of Detroit's nightlife since the
   late 1940s. The metropolitan area boasts two of the top live music
   venues in the United States: DTE Energy Music Theatre and The Palace of
   Auburn Hills The city's theatre district is the nation's second largest
   in terms of seats. Major theaters include the Fox Theatre, Masonic
   Temple Theatre, the Detroit Opera House, and the Fisher Theatre.
   Detroit's Orchestra Hall is the home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

   In the 1940's, Detroit had a bustling blues scene with the long-term
   residency of John Lee Hooker. During the 1950s, the city became a
   centre for jazz, in which stars of the era often came to the Black
   Bottom neighbourhood to perform. One highlight of Detroit's musical
   history was Motown Records' success during the 1960s and early 1970s.
   The label was founded in Detroit by Berry Gordy, Jr. and spawned acts
   such as The Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross & The
   Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. Gordy moved Motwon to Los
   Angles in 1970 to pursue film producing opportunities, but the company
   has since moved back to Detroit.

   Metro Detroit also spawned a high-energy rock scene in the late 1960s
   and 1970s centered around the Grande Ballroom with artists like Alice
   Cooper, Ted Nugent, Mitch Ryder, Rare Earth, Brownsville Station, Glenn
   Frey and Bob Seger. The group KISS captured the essence of Detroit's
   love for rock music in the song "Detroit Rock City." This rock scene is
   considered one of the precursors of the punk rock movement, with the
   MC5 and Iggy Pop's various projects (including The Stooges) being some
   of the foremost proto-punk bands.

   In addition, Detroit's garage rock scene of the 1990s rose to national
   attention with the success of bands such as The White Stripes, Von
   Bondies, the Dirtbombs, and Electric Six. Its hip hop scene also rose
   to prominence in the late nineties with the emergence of nationally
   renowned acts such as Eminem, Slum Village, D12, J Dilla, Obie Trice,
   Blade Icewood, Big Herk, and Royce Da 5'9.

   Several annual music events are held around the city, including the
   Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival, the Motor City Music
   Conference (MC2), the Concert of Colors, and the hip-hop Summer Jamz
   music festival.

Fashion

   The Renaissance Centre's Winter Garden is the site of the annual "Fash
   Bash", a major fashion event traditionally held in August. Coordinated
   by the Detroit Institute of Arts, the event features celebrities and
   models showcasing the latest fashion trends.

   In 1991, a cultural phenomenon began among hair salons which evolved
   into the Detroit Hair Wars. A showcase of fantastical hair piece
   creations, often using human hair as the main content, has since become
   a national trend among African-American hair-styling tours.

Tourism

   Entrance to the Detroit Institute of Arts located in the Cultural
   Center
   Enlarge
   Entrance to the Detroit Institute of Arts located in the Cultural
   Centre

   Many of Metro Detroit's museums are located in the Cultural Centre near
   Wayne State University. These museums include Detroit Institute of
   Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of
   African American History, Detroit Science Centre, and the main branch
   of the Detroit Public Library. Other cultural highlights include Motown
   Historical Museum, Tuskegee Airmen Museum, Fort Wayne, Dossin Great
   Lakes Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), and the
   Belle Isle Conservatory. Important history of Detroit and the
   surrounding area is exhihibited at the The Henry Ford, the nation's
   largest indoor-outdoor museum complex.
   Greektown Casino, one of three casinos in Detroit
   Enlarge
   Greektown Casino, one of three casinos in Detroit

   The Detroit Historical Society at the Detroit Historical Museum
   provides information about tours of Detroit area churches, skyscrapers,
   and mansions. Of the mansions built by the auto barons in the area,
   only the Fisher Mansion is in Detroit. The Eastern Market farmer's
   distribution centre is the largest open-air flowerbed market in the
   United States and has more than 150 foods and specialty businesses.
   Downtown Detroit buildings, the historic Art Deco Guardian Building is
   on the left, One Woodward Avenue is on the right
   Enlarge
   Downtown Detroit buildings, the historic Art Deco Guardian Building is
   on the left, One Woodward Avenue is on the right

   Hart Plaza, between the Renaissance Centre and Cobo Hall on the
   riverfront, is the site of many events including the Windsor-Detroit
   International Freedom Festival in late June with one of the nation's
   largest displays of fireworks and the Detroit Electronic Music
   Festival. Within downtown, Campus Martius Park hosts events such as the
   Motown Winter Blast. As the world's traditional automotive centre,
   Detroit hosts the North American International Auto Show. The America's
   Thanksgiving Parade — previously referred to as the Hudson's
   Thanksgiving Day Parade — is one of the nation's largest and has been
   held continuously since 1924.

   Other sites of interest are the Detroit Zoo, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb
   Conservatory, and the Belle Isle Aquarium. The aquarium on Belle Isle
   is currently closed. The J.W. Westcott II, which delivers mail to
   freighters on the Detroit River, is the world's only floating post
   office.

   The most important civic sculpture in Detroit is Marshall Fredericks' "
   Spirit of Detroit" at the Coleman Young Municipal Centre. The image is
   often used as a symbol of Detroit and the statue itself is occasionally
   dressed in sports jerseys to celebrate when a Detroit team is doing
   well. A memorial to Joe Louis at the intersection of Jefferson and
   Woodward Avenues was dedicated on October 16, 1986. The sculpture,
   commissioned by Sports Illustrated and executed by Robert Graham, is a
   24 foot (7.3 m) long arm with a fisted hand suspended by a pyramidal
   framework.

   Artist Tyree Guyton created the controversial street art exhibit known
   as the Heidelberg Project in the mid 1980s. The exhibit used junk and
   abandoned cars, clothing, shoes, vacuum cleaners, and other garbage
   Guyton found in the neighbourhood near and on Heidelberg Street on the
   near East Side of Detroit. Guyton painted polka dots and other symbols
   on several houses on Heidelberg Street. The city sued Guyton twice for
   creating a public nuisance, removed large parts of his art project, and
   tore down two vacant homes he had painted with various symbols.
   Nevertheless, much of the Heidelberg Project remains today.

Sports

   Detroit is home to professional teams representing the four major
   sports in North America. All but two play within the city of Detroit
   itself (basketball's Detroit Pistons and Detroit Shock play in suburban
   Auburn Hills). There are three active major sports venues within the
   city: Comerica Park (home of the baseball team Detroit Tigers), Ford
   Field (home of the football team Detroit Lions), and Joe Louis Arena
   (home of the ice hockey team Detroit Red Wings). Detroit is known for
   its avid hockey fans, earning the city the moniker of "Hockeytown."
   Ford Field is adjacent to Comerica Park.
   Enlarge
   Ford Field is adjacent to Comerica Park.

   In college sports, the University of Detroit Mercy has a NCAA Division
   I program, and Wayne State University has both NCAA Division I and II
   programs. The NCAA football Motor City Bowl is held at Ford Field each
   December.

   Since 1904, the city has been home to the American Power Boat
   Association Gold Cup unlimited hydroplane boat race, held annually on
   the Detroit River near Belle Isle. Detroit was the former home of a
   round of the Formula One World Championship, which held the race on the
   streets of downtown Detroit from 1982 until 1988, after which the
   sanction moved from Formula One to Indycars until its final run in
   2001. In 2007, open-wheel racing will return to Belle Isle with both
   Indy Racing League and American Le Mans Series Racing.

City of Champions

   Detroit was given the name "City of Champions" in the 1930s for a
   series of successes both in individual and in team sport. Gar Wood (a
   native Detroiter) won the Harmsworth Trophy for unlimited powerboat
   racing on the Detroit River in 1931. In the next year, 1932, Eddie "The
   Midnight Express" Tolan, a black student from Detroit's Cass Technical
   High School, won the 100- and 200-meter races and two gold medals at
   the 1932 Olympics. Joe Louis won the heavyweight championship of the
   world in 1937. Also, surprisingly in 1935, the Detroit Lions won the
   National Football League championship. The Detroit Tigers won the
   American League pennant in 1934 and again in 1935. And the Tigers won
   the World Series in 1935, defeating the Chicago Cubs. The Detroit Red
   Wings won the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup in 1936 and 1937

   The Red Wings would go on to become Detroit's most successful sports
   team, winning the Stanley Cup again in 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955,
   1997, 1998, and 2002.

   The Detroit Pistons have also had eras of glory, with championships in
   1989, 1990, and 2004.

   Comerica Park hosted the MLB All-Star Game on July 12, 2005 and Ford
   Field hosted Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006. On December 13, 2003,
   the largest crowd in basketball history (78,129) packed Ford Field to
   watch the University of Kentucky defeat Michigan State University,
   79-74.

   The Detroit Tigers experienced a renaissance of their own in 2006,
   becoming an elite team again after decades of losing. After defeating
   the New York Yankees in the ALDS, and the Oakland Athletics in the
   ALCS, Comerica Park hosted games 1 and 2 of the 2006 World Series, as
   the Tigers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Economy

   The Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, is General Motors' world
   headquarters. Behind and to the left, is the smaller Cadillac Tower.
   Enlarge
   The Renaissance Centre in Detroit, Michigan, is General Motors' world
   headquarters. Behind and to the left, is the smaller Cadillac Tower.

   Detroit and the surrounding region constitute a manufacturing
   powerhouse, most notably as home to the Big Three automobile companies.
   The city is an important centre for global trade with large
   international law firms having their offices in both Detroit and
   Windsor. There are hundreds of offices and plants in the automotive
   support business: parts, electronics, and design suppliers. The
   domestic auto industry accounts directly and indirectly for one of
   every ten jobs in the U.S. The area is an important source of
   engineering job opportunities.

   With its dependence on the auto industry, Detroit is more acutely
   vulnerable to economic cycles than most large cities. A rise in
   automated manufacturing using robot technology, inexpensive labor in
   other parts of the world, and increased competition from foreign rivals
   have led to a steady decline in certain types of manufacturing jobs in
   the region. Other complications for the city include higher taxes than
   the nearby suburbs, with many unable to afford the cost of citizenship
   entailed by levies on property and income and a lack of city services.
   In February 2006, metropolitan Detroit's unemployment rate was 8.6%,
   topped only by communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In the
   city, the unemployment rate hovered around 15% at the end of 2005,
   leaving Detroit as the nation's poorest city with more than one-third
   of residents below the poverty line.
   Skaters at Compuware headquarters in Campus Martius Park.
   Enlarge
   Skaters at Compuware headquarters in Campus Martius Park.

   Some allege that the domestic auto industry's woes can be traced to its
   own history and devices. The Big Three automakers have collectively
   lost market share to foreign rivals which many had perceived as having
   higher quality. However, in 2003, Cadillac outscored Lexus in 2 of 3
   quality surveys by AutoPacific, Strategic Vision, and J.D. Power. The
   perception of quality from foreign rivals has been called into
   question, with Toyota experiencing quality issues in 2006. In 1994,
   with a boom in demand for sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks, the
   industry fought the Clinton administration's efforts to impose a 40%
   increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for many
   trucks and obtained Congress's approval to block the plan to develop
   stricter regulations. In the late 1990s, Detroit's Big Three automakers
   had gained market share and were enjoying record profits until the
   recession of 2000 and the subsequent September 11, 2001 attacks caused
   a severe decline in the stock market along with a pension and benefit
   funds crisis. Since 2001, losses and bankruptcy filings by some of the
   area's auto parts manufacturers exacerbated Detroit's economic
   situation.

   Initially, GM and Ford had sought to avoid or delay the introduction of
   unprofitable hybrids in favour of the all fuel cell vehicle; however,
   with rising gasoline prices and foreign rivals marketing hybrid cars,
   Detroit's auto makers responded by introducing hybrids amid criticism
   for the delay. In 2006, Ford announced a dramatic increase in
   production of its hybrid gas- electric models, as well as promote the
   use of existing technologies to equip vehicles with mixed ethanol and
   gasoline fuelled systems. General Motors has invested heavily in all
   fuel cell equipped vehicles, while Chrysler is focusing much of its
   research and development into biodiesel. Two days after the September
   11, 2001 attacks, GM announced it had developed the world's most
   powerful fuel cell stack capable of powering large commercial vehicles.
   In 2002, the state of Michigan established NextEnergy, a non-profit
   corporation whose purpose is to enable commercialization of various
   energy technologies, especially hydrogen fuel cells. Its main complex
   is located north of Wayne State University.

   With many new business in the suburbs, the region is very competitive
   in emerging technologies including biotechnology, nanotechnology,
   information technology, cognotechnology, and hydrogen fuel cell
   development. Detroit has made efforts to lure the region's growth
   companies downtown with advantages such as a wireless Internet zone,
   business tax incentives, entertainment, an International Riverfront,
   and residential high rises.

   Other Fortune 500 companies headquartered around Detroit include auto
   parts maker American Axle & Manufacturing, Comerica, and DTE Energy.
   Detroit is home to Compuware and the national pizza chain Little
   Caesars. Downtown Detroit also has major offices for Electronic Data
   Systems, Visteon, Delphi, Ford Motor Company, Ernst & Young, the Jeep
   and Dodge Truck arm of DaimlerChrysler and GM's OnStar. Quicken Loans
   is reportedly considering a consolidation of its suburban offices into
   a new downtown Detroit headquarters. Some major industries include
   advertising, law, finance, chemicals, and computer software.
   Compuware's new headquarters, GM's move to the Renaissance Centre, and
   the State of Michigan's redevelopment of Cadillac Place in the New
   Centre district have provided new synergies for the redevelopment of
   downtown.

   Urbanists such as James Howard Kunstler have suggested that if Detroit
   is to survive as a city, it will have to continue to diversify its
   economy. Kunstler charged in his book "The Geography of Nowhere" that
   the changes in American urbanism wrought by the automobile were
   probably no greater and more destructive than in the American
   automobile industry's chief city of operations. He noted that Detroit
   was one of the first cities in the United States to build expressways
   through its core, blighting neighborhoods, and the city's overreliance
   on automobile manufacturing caused Detroit to fail when its economy
   failed with it. Kunstler further argued, and has argued since, that the
   auto industry in the United States commenced a death in 1973 that is
   still in progress, and, like the city's politicians, he is no fan of
   the ring of suburban communities that were spawned in the postwar
   years. Kunstler sees these suburban areas of Detroit sapping the city's
   lifeblood, just as suburban communities do to other cities in America.
   Detroit, Kunstler believes, is the best argument for saving cities and
   against the greater development of suburbia.

   Casino gaming plays a major economic role, with Detroit currently the
   largest city in the United States to offer major casino hotels. Casino
   Windsor, Canada's largest, complements the MGM Grand Detroit, Motor
   City Casino, and Greektown Casino in Detroit. The casinos have brought
   new tax revenue to the city. In 2006, downtown Detroit reported $1.3
   billion in restorations and new developments which increased the number
   of construction jobs in the city. Medical service providers such as the
   Detroit Medical Centre and Henry Ford Hospital are major employers in
   the city.

Demographics

                   Population and rank among US cities, 1840–2000 censuses

   Detroit's population increased more than sixfold during the first half
   of the 20th century, fed largely by an influx of Eastern European and
   Southern migrants — both white and black — who came to work in the
   burgeoning automobile industry. As of the 2000 census ^2, there were
   951,270 people, 336,428 households, and 218,341 families residing in
   the city. The population density was 6,855.1 people per square mile
   (2,646.7/km²). There were 375,096 housing units at an average density
   of 2,703.0 people per square mile (1,043.6/km²). As of 2005, Detroit's
   population has dwindled to 886,675, representing a 6.8% loss from the
   2000 Census population.

                                                    Historical populations
                                                           Census Pop. %±
     __________________________________________________________________

                                                                1820 1,422

                                     —

                                                          1830 2,222 56.0%
                                                         1840 9,102 309.6%
                                                        1850 21,019 130.9%
                                                        1860 45,619 117.0%
                                                         1870 79,577 74.4%
                                                        1880 116,340 46.2%
                                                        1890 205,876 80.0%
                                                        1900 285,704 38.8%
                                                        1910 465,766 63.0%
                                                       1920 993,678 113.3%
                                                      1930 1,568,662 36.7%
                                                       1940 1,623,452 3.5%
                                                      1950 1,849,568 13.9%
                                                      1960 1,670,144 -9.7%
                                                      1970 1,514,063 -9.3%
                                                     1980 1,203,368 -20.5%
                                                     1990 1,027,974 -14.6%
                                                        2000 951,270 -7.5%

   Detroit in the 1880s.
   Enlarge
   Detroit in the 1880s.

   The Detroit suburbs in Oakland County and Macomb County are primarily
   white. Oakland County is among the most affluent counties in the
   nation. The suburbs of Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield Hills are filled
   with grandiose mansions. As of 2001, the city of Detroit was 81.55%
   Black ( African American). Metro Detroit has a higher percentage of
   blacks than any other northern U.S. metropolitan area — roughly one
   quarter of the area population. More than one million African-Americans
   live in the metropolitan area, with about 80% living within the Detroit
   city limits. With the suburban outflux, Metro Detroit is among the
   nation's most racially segregated regions. Within the city limits there
   are 81.55% African American, 12.26% of residents are White & Middle
   Eastern 0.33% Native American, 0.97% Asian 0.03% Pacific Islander,
   2.54% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. 4.96% of the
   population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. The city's foreign-born
   population stood at 4.8%, one of the lowest percentages of the 50
   largest cities in the country.

   Metro Detroit's ethnic communities are diverse and include descendants
   of the French founders, as well as Germans, Poles, Irish, Italians,
   Scots, Armenians and Greeks who settled during the city's early 20th
   century industrial boom. Metro Detroit has the largest concentration of
   Belgians outside of Belgium. In Detroit and the Metro area, there is a
   large Chaldean population and the country's largest concentration of
   Arab Americans resides in Dearborn. Mexicantown, on the southwest side
   of the city of Detroit, is the historical centre of a small Chicano
   community.

   There were 336,428 households out of which 33.9% have children under
   the age of 18 living with them, 26.7% were married couples living
   together, 31.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and
   35.1% were non-families. Some 72% of all Detroit children are born to
   single mothers. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and
   9.2% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The
   average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.45.

   There is a wide age distribution in the city, with 31.1% under the age
   of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64,
   and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31
   years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100
   females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

   The median household income in the city was $29,526, and the median
   income for a family was $33,853. Males had a median income of $33,381
   versus $26,749 for females. The per capita income for the city was
   $14,717. 26.1% of the population and 21.7% of families were below the
   poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.5% of those under the age
   of 18 and 18.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty
   line.

   The National Institute for Literacy declared in 1998 that 47% of
   Detroiters were " functionally illiterate."

   Detroit was ranked the most Liberal city in America by the Bay Area
   Centre for Voting Research.

Law and government

   The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, housing the Detroit and Wayne
   County governments
   Enlarge
   The Coleman A. Young Municipal Centre, housing the Detroit and Wayne
   County governments

   The city government is run by a mayor and nine-member city council and
   clerk elected on an at-large nonpartisan ballot. Since voters approved
   the city's charter in 1974, Detroit has had a " strong mayoral" system,
   with the mayor approving departmental appointments. The council
   approves budgets but the mayor is not obligated to adhere to any
   earmarking. City ordinances and substantially large contracts must be
   approved by the council. The city clerk supervises elections and is
   formally charged with the maintenance of municipal records. Municipal
   elections for mayor, city council and city clerk are held at four-year
   intervals, in the year after presidential elections (so that there are
   Detroit elections scheduled in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, etc.).

   Politically, the city consistently supports the Democratic Party in
   local and national elections. Suburb baiting is another common feature
   in Detroit politics. In his 1974 inaugural address, former Mayor
   Coleman Young told the city's criminals to "hit Eight Mile Road" (the
   most prominent dividing line between Detroit and northern suburbs).
   When Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick found himself behind in the polls in the
   2005 election, his campaign tried to draw attention to the support his
   opponent, Freman Hendrix, received in the suburbs. During one debate,
   Kilpatrick spoke of higher illegal drug use in the suburbs compared to
   Detroit. Many opponents have criticized Kilpatrick on the basis that
   many of his policies facilitate the gentrification taking place in the
   city.

   With a decreasing population and decline in the automotive industry,
   the city's finances have been adversely affected. Detroit has cut its
   workforce and closed operations, including recreational facilities, to
   avoid state-ordered receivership. In addition, Detroit has demanded pay
   cuts and other dramatic "give backs" from the municipal unions that
   represent city employees. In the 2000s, Detroit has fought off
   legislative efforts to turn control of the city-owned Water and Sewer
   system to the suburbs.

   Detroit's courts are all state-administered and elections are
   nonpartisan. The Probate Court for Wayne County are located in the
   Coleman A. Young Municipal Centre in downtown Detroit. The Circuit
   Court is located across Gratiot Ave. in the Frank Murphy Hall of
   Justice, also in downtown Detroit. The city is also home to the 36th
   District Court, as well as the 1st District of the Michigan Court of
   Appeals' and the United States District Court for the Eastern District
   of Michigan.

   Detroit has several sister cities, including Chongqing (People's
   Republic of China), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Kitwe (Zambia), Minsk
   (Belarus), Nassau, Bahamas, Toyota (Japan), and Turin (Italy).

Crime

   2004 Crime statistics
   (per 100,000)
     __________________________________________________________________

   Crime USA Detroit
   Rape 32 81
   Robbery 137 611
   Assault 291 1,049
   Burglary 730 1,368
   Larceny 2,366 2,314
   Auto Theft 421 2,755

   According to a 2005 study, crime in downtown Detroit is much lower than
   national, state and metro averages. The analysis of crime in downtown
   Detroit by the Michigan Metropolitan Information Centre at Wayne State
   University found crime rates in the central city lower than rates for
   the entire nation, state and other large Michigan metro areas - and
   improving. Detroit includes a number of prosperous neighborhoods in
   which crime is less prevalent than in impoverished areas.

   The city's crime-ridden sections have brought it notoriety. Detroit's
   crime figures are often among the highest in the U.S. The city is
   currently listed as the most dangerous city with a population over
   500,000 by the Morgan Quitno's statistics, but comes after St. Louis,
   Missouri overall. Detroit is consistently in the top five for homicide
   rates. Murders peaked at 714 in 1974 (garnering Detroit the nickname
   "Murder City", a play on "Motor City") though the highest murder rate
   was recorded in 1991, when there were 615 homicides and the city's
   population was just over a million, which factors into a murder rate of
   roughly 60 per 100,000. In 2003, there were 361 homicides, the lowest
   count in recent years.

   Many of these problems are blamed on the widespread white flight (which
   has contributed greatly to urban decay), poverty, de facto segregation
   of the region, and unemployment. Some credit years of divisive,
   racially polarized government under Coleman Young with accelerating
   this flight; during the administration of Dennis Archer, who succeeded
   Young, Detroit saw middle-class residents moving into the city, and a
   large growth in residential and commercial development.

   Abandoned and burned out shells of buildings are a frequent sight, with
   some 16,037 empty houses recorded in 1999. The city lacks funding to
   demolish the properties and the homes are often used for the
   production, sale, and use of illicit drugs, with drug gangs such as
   Young Boys Inc..
   Abandoned buildings are often left to the elements with the city
   government having no funds for restoration or removal.
   Enlarge
   Abandoned buildings are often left to the elements with the city
   government having no funds for restoration or removal.

   The city has faced hundreds of arsons, often in the city's many
   abandoned homes, each year on Devil's Night, the evening before
   Halloween. The Angel's Night campaign, launched in the late 1990s,
   draws many volunteers to patrol the streets during Halloween week. The
   effort has reduced arson: while there were 810 fires set in 1984, this
   was reduced to 142 in 1996.

   Brutality and the failure to ensure the rights of suspects has caused
   problems within the Detroit Police Department. In 2004, following
   scandals and multiple adverse legal decisions, a court-ordered
   reorganization of the Detroit Police Department was implemented under
   the supervision of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

   From 2005 to 2006, the Detroit Police Department has more recently
   undergone large scale cuts and reorganization, cutting the number of
   precincts from 12 to 6 "districts." While the stated purpose of this
   reorganization was to improve services, it has resulted in widespread
   dissatisfaction within the Detroit Police Department, where members
   cite such problems as overcrowding, overwork, greatly increased
   response times, and constant change in the administrative structure of
   the department as senior officers are moved, promoted, and replaced.

Education

   The city is served by the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) district,
   various charters and privates schools, and parochial Roman Catholic
   schools run by the Archdiocese of Detroit. In the early 1970s, the
   federal courts ordered busing to desegregate the system, which helped
   to accelerate the white flight that had been ongoing in the city. As of
   2004, Detroit schools were 91% African-American.
   Wayne State University's Hilberry Theatre
   Enlarge
   Wayne State University's Hilberry Theatre

   In the mid-to-late 1990s, the Michigan Legislature removed the locally
   elected board of education amid allegations of mismanagement and
   replaced it with a reform board appointed by the mayor and governor.
   The elected board of education returned following a city referendum in
   2005. The first election of the new eleven member board of education
   occurred on November 8, 2005. Due to rapidly declining enrollment,
   Detroit Public Schools has projected the closure of 95 schools by 2009.
   Detroit Public Schools has closed 29 schools, and the state mandated
   deficit reduction plan calls for the closure of a total of 110 schools.

   The Detroit area has several universities and colleges. Wayne State
   University is a national research university with medical and law
   schools in the Midtown area. Other institutes of higher education
   include the University of Detroit Mercy with its schools of Law and
   Dentistry, the College for Creative Studies, Lewis College of Business,
   Marygrove College, and Wayne County Community College, Lawrence
   Technological University in Southfield, Henry Ford Community College in
   Dearborn, Oakland University and Rochester College in Rochester, and
   Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, and Ave Maria School of Law in Ann
   Arbor. The Detroit College of Law, now affiliated with Michigan State
   University, was founded in the city in 1891 and remained there until
   1997, when it relocated to East Lansing. The University of Michigan in
   Ann Arbor has campuses in Flint and Dearborn.

Infrastructure

   Emergency entrance to Detroit Receiving Hospital
   Enlarge
   Emergency entrance to Detroit Receiving Hospital

Medicine

   The city of Detroit has three major medical systems: the Detroit
   Medical Centre (DMC), Henry Ford Health System, and the St. John
   Hospitals. The DMC, a regional Level I trauma centre, consists of
   Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health Centre, Children's
   Hospital of Michigan, Harper University Hospital, Hutzel Women's
   Hospital, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Sinai-Grace Hospital,
   and the Karmanos Cancer Institute. The DMC has more than 2,000 licensed
   beds and 3,000 affiliated physicians. The centre is staffed by
   physicians from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the
   largest single-campus medical school in the United States. The Metro
   Detroit area has many other medical facilities.

Transportation

   Because of its proximity to Canada and its industrial facilities, major
   highways, rail connections and international airport, Detroit has been
   an important transportation hub. There are three international border
   crossings at the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and Michigan
   Central Railway Tunnel, linking Detroit to Windsor, Ontario. Some 35%
   of U.S. trade with Canada passes through Detroit. The Ambassador Bridge
   is the nation's busiest border crossing, carrying 25% of the total
   trade between the U.S. and Canada.

   Detroit is also connected via Interstate 94 to Kings Highway 402 and to
   major Southern Ontario cities such as London, Ontario and the Greater
   Toronto Area along Highway 401. Upon construction and completion of a
   third border crossing, Detroit and the surrounding area would have a
   third direct link to the 400-Series freeway network, and have a direct
   connection to Kings Highway 401, eliminating (or greatly diminishing)
   the traffic jams that plague the Ambassador Bridge, and the
   Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
   A Detroit Department of Transportation bus along Woodward Avenue.
   Enlarge
   A Detroit Department of Transportation bus along Woodward Avenue.

   Detroit is the crossroads for three Interstate Highways: I-94 ( Edsel
   Ford Freeway), I-96 ( Jeffries Freeway) and I-75 (Fisher and Chrysler
   Freeways). I-696 ( Walter Reuther Freeway) serves the northern suburbs,
   while I-275 serves the western suburbs and I-375 is a short extension
   of the Chrysler Freeway. Other major routes are the John C. Lodge
   Freeway ( M-10), the Southfield Freeway (M-39) and the Davison Freeway
   (M-8). Detroit and surrounding close suburbs are also served by a
   square grid network of major arterial roads.
   A Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) bus
   traveling along Woodward Avenue
   Enlarge
   A Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) bus
   traveling along Woodward Avenue

   Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET), previously called Detroit
   City Airport, is on Detroit's northeast side. Although Southwest
   Airlines once flew from the airport, there is currently only charter
   service. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), the area's
   principal airport, is located in nearby Romulus and is a hub for
   Northwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines. Toledo Express Airport in
   Toledo, Ohio, is a secondary commercial passenger airport. Willow Run
   Airport, in far-western Wayne County near Ypsilanti is a general
   aviation and cargo airport.

   Mass transit in the city functions in two separate spheres of
   influence. Bus services are provided by the Detroit Department of
   Transportation (DDOT), which terminates at the outer edges of the
   suburbs. Services in the suburbs are provided by the Suburban Mobility
   Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). Combining the systems
   has been problematic and tainted by the racial politics that has
   affected all aspects of city–suburban relationships. Cross border
   service between the downtown areas of Windsor and Detroit is provided
   by Transit Windsor via the Tunnel Bus.

   An automated guideway transit system known as the People Mover provides
   a 2.9 mile (4.6 km) loop in the downtown area and usually operates
   daily. Amtrak provides service to Detroit, operating its Wolverine
   service between Chicago, Illinois, and Pontiac. The current passenger
   facility north of downtown replaced the presently unused Michigan
   Central Station, which was opened in 1913 and vacated in 1988.

   Currently, a study is underway to investigate the feasibility of a
   Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter line, which would service the nearly 100,000
   daily commuters between the two regional hubs. The proposed system
   would be funded by a $100 million federal grant that is secured based
   on the results of the study. Recently, the city also announced it would
   begin studies for mass transit on a greater scale for the entire
   metropolitian area.

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