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Dive into the heart of Detroit with Visit Detroit, your passport to the Detroit region, spanning Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Let the city's food, music, art, and history be your guide—plan your visit and discover the beat of the Motor City!
- Overview
- The city layout
- The people and economy
- Cultural life
Detroit, city, seat of Wayne county, southeastern Michigan, U.S. It is located on the Detroit River (connecting Lakes Erie and St. Clair) opposite Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1701 by a French trader, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who built a fort on the river and named it Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in honour of his patron (the Fr...
Detroit is situated on a broad, generally flat plain. The downtown area retains vestiges of a hexagonal street pattern laid out early in the 19th century that largely disappeared as the city expanded. Most of the city’s commercial and civic buildings are concentrated in the downtown area near the river and include the City-County Building; Cobo Hal...
Detroit’s population grew dramatically between 1850 and 1950. The city’s industrial growth was a magnet for migrants, at first chiefly European immigrants and later African Americans from the South. The population has declined steadily since the mid-1950s, however, in part because much of the white community moved to the suburbs and also because of the loss of industry. By the early 21st century, some four-fifths of the population was African American.
Detroit has a diversified manufacturing and shipping base, but the city’s economy remains unusually sensitive to the fortunes of the automotive industry. As a result, economic booms and depressions have been felt more heavily in Detroit than in most areas of the country. In addition to motor vehicles and automotive parts, the city’s factories produce machinery (including industrial robots), steel, and chemicals. The service sector has become increasingly important.
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Historical USA
Among the colleges and universities in the city are Wayne State University (1868) and the University of Detroit Mercy (1877). Important cultural institutions include Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills and the Detroit Institute of Arts. The Motown Historical Museum preserves the house where Berry Gordy, Jr., founded the Motown Record Corporation and tells the story of the creation of the classic soul music produced there. The Henry Ford Museum in suburban Dearborn holds an extensive collection of transportation equipment, while the adjoining Greenfield Village contains reconstructions of 19th-century American buildings and exhibits of traditional crafts. Since 1914 Detroit has maintained a symphony orchestra; summer concerts are presented at the Meadow Brook Music Festival in nearby Rochester. Belle Isle Park, in the Detroit River, has a botanical garden, a children’s zoo, and an aquarium. The city’s professional sports teams include the Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Tigers of Major League Baseball’s American League, the Lions of the National Football League, and the Red Wings, who have been such a dominant force in the National Hockey League that Detroit was dubbed “Hockeytown, U.S.A.”
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Explore Detroit's auto culture, arts, live music, cruises, family fun, outdoors, LGBTQ, shopping, entertainment, sports, spas and more. Find itineraries, events, food and drink, where to stay and how to plan your trip.
- One Campus Martius. Home of the largest indoor waterfall… Need I say more? With seventeen floors, One Campus Martius is an office building that has also become an attraction for the water feature in the lobby.
- Guardian Building. If you love architecture and history, then the Guardian Building is a must stop. Built in the 1920s, this building was known and still is known as the Cathedral of Finance.
- Z Parking Structure. Detroit has way more of an emerging arts community and culture than I realized. The Z Parking Structure combines functionality with an opportunity to also experience art.
- Belle Isle. A short drive from Downtown, Belle Isle is one of those places you just need to see. There’s a lot to see there including the James Scott Memorial Fountainand Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory.
Discover Detroit, the city of automotive heritage, Motown music, and cultural diversity. Find out what to do, where to stay, and how to plan your trip with the official travel guide and attractions.
Jan 31, 2022 · Explore the cultural, artistic and historical attractions of Detroit, from street art and jazz clubs to museums and parks. Discover the city's gems, from Eastern Market to the Heidelberg Project, and get inspired by its stories of resilience and innovation.
