Overview
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Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. The city was founded in 1701 by the Frenchman Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. It was once the 4th largest city at its peak in 1950. But the population has shrunk by half since then with the exodus to the suburbs. There are around 900,000 people there now. It's a major port center on the Detroit River connecting Great Lakes. It's known for being the center of the auto industry and a major influence in the music industry. Henry Ford built his first car here and started the Ford Motor Company in 1904. The city grew and gained workers from the immigrant population and African Americans who moved there from the south. Racial tensions grew over the years. Labor disputes in the 1930's made Jimmy Hoffa a household name. As the automobile industry began to consolidate and freeways were built, people had to compete more for jobs. And people began to leave the city and live in the suburbs. As racial tensions got worse, and drugs became more of a problem in the 1960's and 70's, more people left the city, taking jobs with them, and crime got worse. However, despite the problems, the music industry flourished here. The DTE Energy Theatre and The Palace of Auburn Hills are prominent venues. Other venues included the Fox Theatre, Orchestra Hall, the Detroit Opera House, and Fisher Theatre. Duke Ellington, Count Basie,Aretha Fanklin, The Jackson 5, and Stevie Wonder are just a few of the musicians who came out of Detroit. Even though Motown Records moved to Los Angeles in the 1970's, Detroit is still a center for American music.
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Detroit has a rich history and an important place in American culture and business. In the 1890's, it was known as the Paris of the West because of the beautiful architecture and prosperity that came with the shipping industry. However, the homes of that time period have been seriously neglected. Their decay is a visual reminder of how this great city has deteriorated over the years. As people and jobs went out to the suburbs, the city descended into despair. It has bounced back with their professional sports teams, universities, and investments in downtown. There are trendy condos that people can actually afford as opposed to other cities. The crime rate is not nearly as bad as the horrible days of the 1980's. However, there are more than 22,000 abandoned buildings in Detroit. Housing values have dropped and unemployment is worse than most places in the country. There are signs of life with new restaurants in midtown and the energy of young people at Wayne State University. The music and arts scene is very much alive. Also, CNN Money Magazine voted Detroit as the best city for retirement because of the improvements and the inexpensive housing downtown. But there is much work to be done.
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