The City of Detroit

I guess I will begin by briefly going over the history and background of the City of Detroit.  I actually took a History of Michigan course over the summer, so let’s just see how much I remember.  Detroit is the largest city in the state of Michigan.   The city was founded in 1701 by a French explorer who is known as Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac.  We can just call him Cadillac from now on.  The area of Detroit was an ideal place to settle then because its’ land was considered fertile and how the city was a port on the Detroit River was also an advantage.  The French thought the location of the city on the river would easily help them defeat the British.  The word Detroit actually originates from the French language as it means strait.  It is the strait that connects the river it sits on to the Great Lakes.  I forgot to mention the city at first was named Fort Ponchartrain du Detroit, by the French.  However, later on (during the French and Indian War) when the British took over the city, they shortened the name down to just Detroit.  Detroit was the capital of Michigan back in 1805 and in that same year a downfall had also occurred.  The fire of 1805 destroyed the city completely.   The fire took place when sparks from the pipe of the town’s baker fell into a pile of hay. The resulting fire spread quickly, and within a few hours only the fort, which was separated from the town by the parade ground, and a few large buildings along the Detroit River were left standing. Everything was constructed with wood back then, which meant everything was burned down.  People took shelter in the Detroit River, sitting in boats and canoes until the fire was put out.  However, Augustus Woodward played a prominent role in the planning and reconstruction of Detroit following a devastating fire.  Justice Augustus B. Woodward devised a plan similar to Washington, D.C.  design. Detroit's monumental avenues and traffic circles were to be fanned out in a baroque styled design.  If you have ever been down to D.C. you would see its’ design is very similar to Detroit’s.  Both cities are very confusing to get around, well to me they are!  But I am glad Woodward rebuilt the city, even though he made it confusing to get around.   Below is a picture of Woodward’s plan for the reconstruction of the city of Detroit. 

Image - http://shegetzguevara.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/old_map_1807_plan.jpg