The city in the north of the United States is a place where the most interesting sights are concentrated. Over the 3 centuries of its history, it has changed from Canadian to American. The whole world knows what Detroit is - the focus of the automotive industry in America.
History of Detroit Michigan
Date of construction - 1701 Founder - Antoine Lome, who decided to create a trading post here specifically for the fur trade. Until the 19th century. the city was part of Canada. But to the question: Detroit - which state, the answer will come - American Michigan. It entered its structure in the form of a plot of land with a fence, but since then it has grown to an agglomeration, gaining fame as a "city of motors", thanks to the construction here of the country's largest auto-industrial enterprises.
Why Detroit is a ghost town
Due to the fact that large factories are located within the city limits, the ecological situation acquired a threatening character at the beginning of the 20th century. Gradually wealthy citizens left Detroit, followed by qualified specialists. In the second half of the XX century. there remained only low-paid workers and unemployed, who did not have the means to move.
The global economic crisis has aggravated the situation so much that entire areas have fallen into desolation and decline, but are not going to die out. Now the authorities, with varying success, are trying to bring people back here, but we have to admit that Detroit is partly an abandoned city. At the dawn of the development of the metropolis, few could have imagined that something like this could happen to it.
How to get there
The only quick way to get here from Russia is by plane to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus. It separates from the city center about 28 km... Flights depart from Moscow with 1-2 transfers in Amsterdam, Paris and the United Arab Emirates.
Note! The minimum travel time to the point where Detroit is located is 12 hours.
By train
The airport terminal itself is so large that the internal metro is used to deliver passengers to the desired point. Small trains with 2 carriages each take passengers to the desired location. Schedules are posted everywhere, and to avoid accidents, paths are laid along the top, where people do not walk.
By bus
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At the exit from the passenger terminal, on the right, there is an overground passage, from which one should move towards the post. There is a bus stop there.
Only SMART buses (inscription on the side), route number 261, go to Detroit from here. They work from 4.55 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.... The rest run on the territory of the airport.
The final stop for buses departing from the airport is on the outskirts of Detroit. From there, you should take the route to the desired point in the city, for example, to the Central Station. City flights stop at a special sign: Detroit City Limit.
Note! You do not need to buy a ticket for a city bus, it is enough to present a receipt from the SMART bus, which must be taken with you.
The SMART bus ticket sales point is located at the boarding point. Price - 2,5 $*... For this amount you can get to the city center. You will have to part with the ticket in public transport - the driver will pick it up.
By car
Detroit Airport has car rental and taxi counters. You can get to them on free shuttles scurrying around the territory.
Depending on whose services the passenger decided to use, a taxi ride to the main streets will cost about $ 35-45. The cost of renting a car depends on many factors: car brand, rental period, etc.
On a ferryboat
You cannot get from the airport by ferry to the city. But the water communication has been established with a large number of cities on the shores of the lakes. The Detroit River links Lake Erie with Huron, from where you can get to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. If there is an opportunity to visit Canada, then you should pay attention to this way of travel, vivid impressions are guaranteed.
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List of attractions in Detroit Michigan
Detroit is the capital of the auto industry in the country, which has left an imprint on its entire way of life and the composition of the most interesting places for tourists.
Note!It is impossible to cover all of them in one day, so it is worth choosing an excursion proportional to the available time.
Detroit Institute of the Arts
The City Art Museum was founded in 1883 and keeps a collection of 65 thousand art objects, including samples from the times of Ancient Egypt. The museum complex covers an area of 61,100 sq. m, offering visitors 100 rooms to view, making it the 6th largest in the United States. It is especially interesting that a cinema with 1,150 seats operates here.
Working hours:
- Tuesday Wednesday Thursday - from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm;
- Friday - from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm;
- Saturday Sunday - from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Monday is a day off.
Note! The ticket price depends on the selected excursion, time (from $ 11). You can purchase a subscription.
Motown Museum
The city's iconic landmark is the launch pad for Motown Records, which opened in 1960 (address: 2648 W Grand Blvd). The label worked in Detroit for 13 years, and then was transported to Los Angeles. The remaining building, which once recorded Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, became a museum. It is interesting to visit it as part of an excursion to listen to the unique sound of the discs recorded here.
Ford plant on Pickett Avenue
The Historic District of the city along Pickett Avenue is where the American auto industry was born. The first buildings of the Ford Motor Company, Studebaker, Cadillac, Dodge and Regal Motor Car factories were located here. Worked here 70 years ago more than 50 thousand workers, and now most of the houses are dead factory buildings, where the first diesel engines were once assembled. Many companies have gone bankrupt. Walking along the entire avenue will take a long time.
The three-story Ford factory is located in a brick building number 461. Here you can see vintage cars, as well as Henry Ford's study, where his personal belongings and tools are carefully preserved.
Historical Museum in Detroit
The museum's collection began with the historian Clarence M. Burton, who donated his collections to the city. Visitors can see reconstructions of the city's historic appearance, model railways, and dioramas with views of Detroit.
Ticket price: children - $ 6, adults - $ 10.
Note! The museum is open every day except Monday.
Schedule:
- Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - from 9.30 am to 4 pm;
- Thursday - from 9.30 am to 8.30 pm;
- Saturday - from 10.00 to 17.00;
- Sunday - from 13.00 to 17.00
Address: Woodward Avenue, 5401.
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Territory of 11 thousand sq. m is devoted to illustrating the historical role of blacks in the formation of the United States. Founded in 1965 by obstetrician-gynecologist Charles Wright. 7 exhibition halls showcase 30 thousand art objects, as well as interesting archaeological finds. Lectures are regularly held here, films are shown, and scientific discussions are held.
Address: East Warren Avenue, 315.
Henry Ford House
On Fair Lane Drive in Dearborn (a suburb of Detroit) there is a house where from 1915 until his death in 1947-1950. Henry Ford lived with his wife Clara. Today the estate has been turned into a museum. Here you can see an autonomous power plant, an artificial lake, a summer house, a vegetable garden, a greenhouse and much more. Despite the ongoing reconstruction, access to visitors is not closed.
Fort Wayne - Military History Museum
On the banks of the Detroit River, half a mile from Ontario, there is a real fort, consisting of 1848 limestone barracks. It is one of three created in the entire history of the city.The place was chosen due to the sources of fresh water available here. On 39 hectares, officers' houses, a rest house, shops, hospitals, etc. are located. Excursions are organized here by all city tourist bureaus.
Address: West Jefferson, 6325.
Belle Isle
Island on the Detroit River about 3 miles and 1 mile wide - evidence of the decline of the city. At the end of the 18th century. a park was laid out here, which fell into ruin as the well-being of the townspeople declined. The maintenance of this facility costs $ 6 million a year to the authorities. A way out was found in the creation of a minarchic enclave on the island, that is, the settlers will be able to live here autonomously from the state, paying about $ 2,000 a year to the city's treasury.
Note! A zoo, an aquarium, a museum, as well as scenic views of the water area are available to visitors.
Henry Ford Open Air Museum - Greenfield Village
The famous industrialist founded 2 exhibition complexes at once, dedicating them to himself. One is a museum that displays Lawrence George Stevenson's steam locomotive (1829), as well as more than 200 Ford vehicles, including the one in which John F. Kennedy was shot. An airplane on which Byrd flew over the North Pole in 1926 is also on display.
To the north of the museum is the Greenfield Village. About a hundred historical buildings of the 18th-19th centuries. were brought here from all over the United States, separated only by footpaths. There is the house where Henry Ford himself was born, a bicycle factory created by the Wright brothers, and Edison's laboratory.
Additional Information! Address: Oakwood Boulevard, 20900. Opening hours: from 9.30 am to 5 pm.
Comerica Park
The sports and entertainment complex includes an outdoor baseball stadium built in 2000 as the home site of the Detroit Tigers' team; and a baseball museum and theme park. The name of the stadium was given by the Comerica bank, which sponsored the construction. Tourists will love the theme rides, a spacious food court, sports shops, a Ferris wheel with baseball booths and much more.
Address: Woodward Avenue, 2100.
Renaissance GM Center
The tallest building in the city (222 m) on the banks of the Detroit River, surrounded by four towers of 159 m each, houses the headquarters of the General Motors concern, the 72-storey Marriott International hotel, an exhibition of the concern's novelties, and the Coach Insignia revolving restaurant. The premises of the complex, especially its lower floor, which unites all five towers, often became a film set for films.
Bakery ceramics
The factory of unique handmade ceramics of the Pewabic brand is one of the well-known attractions in the United States and beyond. Founded in 1903 Mary Chase Perry, together with Horace Colkins, she became famous for unusual technological solutions, for example, they were the first to create a metallized glaze that can look indistinguishable from metal. Today the factory operates as a museum and has its own online store with worldwide delivery: pewabic.org.
Address: East Jefferson Avenue, 10125.
Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (on Sundays from 12:00 to 16:00). On the spot, you can order an excursion with a master class - the cost for a group of 20 people is $ 100.
Detroit Public Library
The oldest library in the city founded in 1865 The original collection numbered only 5,000 editions. Today, the main department is located in a building listed on the US National Register of Historic Landmarks, and in addition to it, 22 other branches are scattered throughout the city. You can visit the library free of charge to walk around the building and admire its architecture and art on display. All kinds of events are regularly held here: exhibitions, master classes, concerts, competitions, etc.
Additional Information! Address: Woodward Avenue, 5201.
Opening hours: closed on Monday, on other days opening at 10-12 a.m., closing at 6-8 p.m. You can check the schedule on the library website: detroitpubliclibrary.org.
Detroit Masonic Temple
The world's largest Masonic temple is home to many Masonic social organizations. The 1939 neo-Gothic limestone building is 16 stories high (64 m) and contains 1,037 rooms. In addition to its direct purpose, the inner space of the huge complex is used to house theaters, sports complexes, offices, canteens; there is a hotel with 80 rooms.
Additional Information! Address: Temple Avenue, 500. Official site of the complex: themasonic.com.
Opening hours of Masonic organizations: daily on weekdays from 9.00 to 17.00.
Festivals and events
Some of the most famous events held annually in Detroit are the following:
- Festival Movement. It takes place at the end of May at the Hart-Plaza on the river bank. All concerts of American and European performers within the framework of the festival are held in the open air, and in total they become spectators every year about 100 thousand people... Popular genres: electronic music, techno, hip-hop.
- North American International Auto Show. The exhibition is 2 weeks long and is held in the second half of January. It takes place in the exhibition center named after the mayor of the city A.Yu. Cobo (Cobo Hall). New items from the automotive industry are demonstrated and sold here.
- Detroit Fall Beer Festival is a direct competitor to Oktoberfest. It is organized at the end of October at the Eastern Market, which can accommodate up to 45,000 visitors. Local and imported beers are exhibited here, and guests are offered a varied entertainment program.
Excursions
The selection of popular programs is huge, and most of them can be ordered from home using the aggregators of tour operators. The cost of a 2-hour excursion starts from 2000 rubles, and the duration is from 2 hours to 2 weeks. The only difficulty can arise with hiring Russian-speaking guides, as there are few Russians in Detroit.
Interesting facts
Asking Detroit what it is, you can hear different things: a ghost town, the center of the auto industry, the northern border of the United States, and also a place where the authorities are implementing various social experiments.
Since Detroit is a border city, the Ambassador Bridge over the river connects the United States and Canada, abutting its end at the Canadian Winsor. This attraction is worth seeing, because its length is 2286 m, and the length of the span itself is 564 m... A quarter of the trade turnover between the two countries passes through this point.
Note! When choosing a place to settle, albeit for a short period, you should avoid ghetto areas. Accommodation is very cheap here. A house with a plot can be bought for only $ 1000, but the areas will be populated by the unemployed, criminal elements, and many drug addicts.
Spending a vacation in Detroit is an atypical choice, but it is all the more interesting to see everything that, in the 20th century, created the glory of America as the leader of the automotive industry in the world. The cultural and entertainment program will not be poor, since the choice of attractions has several dozen options.
* Prices are valid for March 2021.
