photo courtesy of Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
On July 24, 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his band of about fifty soldiers, artisans, and fur trappers landed on the banks of the Detroit River and build Fort Pontchartrain. For the next 100 years, the village of Detroit was the fur trading capital of North America.
In 1796. the British transferred command of the outpost to the United states. The city was a small village of about 1,000 people. In 1805, it burned to the ground & was rebuilt in 1825, & with the opening of the Erie Canal, Detroit and the Michigan territory began to grow.
By 1860 Detroit was the 19th largest city in the United States and the most important commercial center on the Great Lakes. It also was the destination for immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Canada, Great Britain and Italians, Irish from New York, others from New England and other parts of America seeking jobs /& a new life in Detroit.
In 1890 Detroit was the 14th largest city in the U.S. & the nations largest producer of railroad cars, ships & the world's largest producer of cast iron stoves. This opened opportunities for many skilled and unskilled workers in the industries in the city.
The automotive center in Detroit saw the 1st automobile in 1896--produced by the Detroit inventor Charles Brady King and Oliver Barthel, a German immigrant engineer, the "King car" was driven down Woodward Avenue at 11:00 p.m. on March 11, 1896. In June,1896, Henry Ford drove his first automobile on Bagley Avenue; he called this his "Quadricycle". The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903; with the advent of the advent of the assembly line in 1913 by Henry Ford..the rest we say "is History"
The Automobile History is closely tied to the History of the Labor Union development in Michigan.
Many books have been written on the subject & the relationship--stormy or smooth that continues today; the book referenced here is "Labor in Detroit--Working in the Motor City" by Mike Smith &Thomas Featherstone.
The reason for the above History lesson is twofold:
...the development of the City of Detroit into the Automotive Center in the World had impacted all the development that moved Northward & Westward to the downriver areas and the 'suburbs'
...Macomb County is one of those suburbs, that is sometimes lost in the news due to the fact that most stations are located West of Woodward Avenue and all of Macomb is East of Dequindre Road in Oakland County.
The roadways that we will take on our 'Road Trips' will be North of 8 Mile Road--AKA- Base Line. It is the main East - West corridor. Our roads were designed as spokes in a wheel shaped grid radiating out from the center of Detroit. Woodward Avenue is the South to North corridor--dissects the center of Grand Circus Park; all main N / S roads are laid out as spokes. The 'wheel shaped' grid is fascinating to see &is poignant now as we see that in less than 100 years Detroit is no longer the Car capital / center of the automotive world.
We will travel other East-West roads and some of the main South - North roadways. As Macomb County starts at the North side of 8 Mile Road to Bordman & County Line to the Northern end.
We will use photos as needed along the corridors we choose to travel; but in order to truly get to know this fine County of Macomb, you must actually come here.
Every County in Michigan will tout their area as Fine, Great, Best, or Wondrous, but we Believe that
Macomb County can hold a proud candle to any one of them.
We will begin our Macomb trip soon; see you on the Highways; get ready to be impressed.
Live, Love, Learn & always remember to Laugh
Barb & Sal
Comments(3)