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Detroit MI
is located in the southeastern part of the state and is the largest city in the state, the 10th largest city and the eighth largest metropolitan area in the United States. It has a fascinating history. For centuries, the area that is now Detroit was so important to commerce between Native American tribes that only traders were allowed in the territory. Finally around 1701, a French explorer by the name of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac landed on the banks of the Detroit River and established a fort. In 1760, French rule gave way to the British and in 1796 the United States took over Detroit as a result of Jay’s Treaty. Finally, in 1815 Detroit was incorporated as a city and in the decades leading up to the Civil War, the city was the final stop on the Underground Railroad. The “automobile manufacturing capital of the world” actually first became well known for the manufacturing of cigars and kitchen ranges. In 1896, Henry Ford built his first car in Detroit, and later devised the “moving assembly line,” which put the world on wheels and paved the way for the city of Detroit, as we know it today. A former autoworker by the name of Berry Gordy Jr. started a record company in 1957 with an $800 family loan and launched another famous Detroit contribution – Motown. Stars such as Diana Ross, the Temptations, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye either grew up in Detroit or first became famous there.
Today, the City of Detroit is a vibrant, diverse and cultural city with much to offer visitors. There are exciting attractions for the whole family, such as museums, festivals and other special events, nightlife, restaurants, family entertainment and outdoor fun. The Detroit Zoo, Great Lakes Crossings, the Motown Museum, the Henry Ford Museum (called America’s Greatest History Attraction) and the Museum of African-American History is just the start of all there is to see and do in this exciting city. A couple of fun, and little known, facts about Detroit are that it has more theater seats than any other city east of the Mississippi, outside of New York City. It also is home to the country’s largest island park within a city – Belle Isle Park, which also houses the nation’s oldest freshwater aquarium. Greenfield Village in Detroit is a wonderful learning experience for families, where 300 years of America’s past comes to life. At the Village, you can ride an authentic Model T, look inside Edison’s Laboratory, attend a historic baseball game, or watch skilled artisans practice their craft. Detroit Tigers fans will want to catch a game at Comerica Park. It’s all here, plus restaurants that range from fast food to five star, a plethora of accommodations and shopping that includes unique specialty stores, an antiques mall, and a 100-store discount mall. For outdoor recreation enthusiasts, one of the area’s largest parks is located along the banks of Lake St. Clair and has a great beach, a swimming pool, hiking trail, miniature golf, canoe rentals and much more.
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