Why are people so proud of Detroit? (Wayne, Beverly Hills: housing, condos)

[Tex?Il?]

It seems to me that one of the biggest problems is actually the opposite. For the most part people do not seem proud of Detroit. Some people do, but many are not.

Chicago faced the same problems in the 60s and 70s. Declining industry, white flight and riots, but there were was the right leadership and the uncompromising civic pride and boosterism, that didn't allow Chicago to decline without a fight. Fast forward to today, the two cities that were perhaps at one time more similar, have diverged to the point where they are like night and day.

If Detroiters bragged and advertised Belle Isle (which is quite large), as much as Chicago boasted Grant Park, Lincoln Park, Jackson Park, it probably would've seen more potential.

If business leaders in Detroit jumped on Motown in the 1960s and turned the city into a major music city, it would've been quite different. Detroit seemed to have so much potential, but blew every opportunity to become a world class city, which is a shame. All going back to a lack of pride.

I went to college in Michigan, and one time visited a friend in Plymouth, and I had a list of places; museums, etc. to go see, and he and other suburbanites were like "Oh theres really nothing worth seeing." Its a shame.

[Briolat21]

There is a lot worth seeing... the trouble is that its very typical in the "smaller" midwestern big cities to not notice them when you're there.

Greenfield Village (yes - it is in Dearborn, but the Detroit Metro area is tied to one another) is a WORLD CLASS tourist destination, if you go there you will often find a huge international contingent.

The DIA is a lovely museum with some fantastic exhibitions, but additionally also gets great touring events.

The river front is lovely... Harp Plaza (remember the freedom festival in the '80's), now the Winter Garden..

Belle Isle is a great resource, but unfortunatley due to the other infrastructure problems, has not been kept up..

That said - there just seems to be a difference in attitude between Detroiters and Chicagoans. A huge difference (lived in Chicago for two years) .. But Chicago also has a much more vibrant existant residential population...

I'm relocating out of MI, due to job losses (familiar story, eh), but I will always hope that someday, Detroit will actually be able to pull it together..

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by and the

You ever see where Henry Ford is buried??? Joy Road and Greenfield in Detroit....an area where I wouldn't be caught unarmed at night. He even has ghetto grates over his grave and that of his wife so it will be harder to steal his gold fillings. The guy who pretty much made Detroit in the 20th century is buried right in the ghetto, in a zip code that has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation.

Holy Devil's Night Batman! You can't seriously tell me they'd dig him up and pry the gold right out of his teeth would they?? Heck, maybe they'd just take the whole skull and we'd end up seeing it around some gangsta's neck on a chain in a rap video somewhere. That's horrible man. Mercy!

Sorry, from Chicago here. This isn't even something I can imagine.

[and the]

Holy Devil's Night Batman! You can't seriously tell me they'd dig him up and pry the gold right out of his teeth would they?? Heck, maybe they'd just take the whole skull and we'd end up seeing it around some gangsta's neck on a chain in a rap video somewhere. That's horrible man. Mercy!

Haa haa....Far from wearing his skull on a chain, the way Ford stock has plummeted, I'd take it down to the university, extract some DNA, clone the old man and put him back at the helm of the company that his offspring screwed up so bad.

[michiganirish]

Originally Posted by and the

Who's Berry Gordon?

You can't be serious. You're a Detroiter and you don't know who Berry Gordon is?

He's the man you founded Motown records.

[Detroit#1]

Originally Posted by michiganirish

You can't be serious. You're a Detroiter and you don't know who Berry Gordon is?

He's the man you founded Motown records.

Eh yeah, umm, I only know of a Berry Gordy who found Motown Records (remind you, no longer owns it), not a Berry Gordon

[Detroit#1]

Originally Posted by michiganirish

Automobile Industry? Not much to be proud of there..... And there won't be much of that industry left soon.

Motown? Even Barry Gordon packed up and left Detroit.

Vernors? Gone.

Sanders? Still in Michigan, but not in Detroit. (And is now owned by Morley)

Belle Isle? Zoo closed 2002, Detroit Boat Club closed, building abandoned and rotting, Historic Riding Stables rotting, not many activities go on. And I don't think you'd want to walk there alone.

The ORIGINAL Gold Cup races - okay I'll give you this one .

Johnny Weismuller practicing for the Olympics in the pool at the Detroit Boat Club. - The swimming pool is filled with stagnant rain water with barely a visible reminder of it's racing lanes.

Emily Gail, with her pigtails and "Say nice things about Detroit" campaign. - Emily "Say nice things about Detroit" Gail, moved to Hawaii.

THE motor capital of the world. - A long time ago maybe but not anymore. Just ask all those unemployed auto workers what they think of our motor capital.

The Grand Prix being held downtown where the sounds would reverberate off the buildings -- AWESOME! - With the admission price starting at $30 for an adult I'll assume their isn't a whole lot of "Detroiters" watching this race.

Canada just a step across the Detroit River. - And that makes you proud of Detroit, because?

Indian Village, Boston-Edison district, Palmer Woods where some of the most beautiful homes can be found. - This is one thing I absolutely agree with you about. However, the neighbourhoods are all surround by the rest of the decaying city.


Can't see where these things would be a source of pride when nearly all of them are by gone. And we certainly have nothing to be proud of in some of the important things that make a city great... Good schools? No. Good police Department? No. Clean streets? No. Safe neighborhoods? No. Low crime? No.

We can be proud of our history, but how can you be proud of Detroit as it is today?

Judging from this close-minded post, I'm not surprised that you don't know who Berry Gordy is and how to spell his name. It's not that we have these things anymore, it's jsut the fact that these things wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Detroiters in Detroit. Also, it's because we're an itnernational border, and that's very important because when it comes to the US making trade-offs with Canada, we will be one of their main trading post, which is a definite plus for the region in the long run. About the Grand Prix, Detroit was a World Class City when the races were downtown, so of course the value to watch the races cost a whole lot more than they do today. Besides, we're still the Motor Capital because the corporate affairs for many auto companies were found and all take place here (not necessarily that we make the cars). When it comes to the pool comment, it's the same thing I mentioned with the Grand Prix races. Also, Morley's is still technically headquartered in Detroit if you think regionally (although people in SE Michigan never think regionally). So, there's no sense in getting technical on the situation with a close-mind.

Oh, let's not forget Better Made and Faygo.

[michiganirish]

Originally Posted by Detroit#1

Judging from this close-minded post, I'm not surprised that you don't know who Berry Gordy is and how to spell his name. It's not that we have these things anymore, it's jsut the fact that these things wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Detroiters in Detroit. Also, it's because we're an itnernational border, and that's very important because when it comes to the US making trade-offs with Canada, we will be one of their main trading post, which is a definite plus for the region in the long run. About the Grand Prix, Detroit was a World Class City when the races were downtown, so of course the value to watch the races cost a whole lot more than they do today. Besides, we're still the Motor Capital because the corporate affairs for many auto companies were found and all take place here (not necessarily that we make the cars). When it comes to the pool comment, it's the same thing I mentioned with the Grand Prix races. Also, Morley's is still technically headquartered in Detroit if you think regionally (although people in SE Michigan never think regionally). So, there's no sense in getting technical on the situation with a close-mind.
Oh, let's not forget Better Made and Faygo.

Excuuuse Me! I acknowledge that I got Berry Gordy's name incorrect. That really isn't very important though, is it? (BTW, it's not "close-mind" it's closed-mind.

I beg to differ with you though. Detroit hasn't been a world class city for a very long time. Certainly not when the Grand Prix was run downtown.

Pride in the things that were "born" in Detroit is fine, however as it stands today there is not much reason to be proud of Detroit. The city is on it's death bed and looking back at what is was isn't going to revive it.

Are you proud of Woodward Ave? The Michigan Central Railroad Station? The thousands of beautiful historic homes that have been abandoned and left to rot? The crime ridden streets? The drug problems? The Mayor?

C'mon get real. I don't consider myself closed minded. I'm being a realist. Living in Detroit's past is NOT going to give Detroit a future.

[and the]

Excuuuse Me! I acknowledge that I got Berry Gordy's name incorrect. That really isn't very important though, is it? (BTW, it's not "close-mind" it's closed-mind.

It is when you're trying to sound like you know what you're talking about vis a vis the City of Detroit. You may as well be a Washington DC resident trying to sound like you know what you're talking about when referring to President George Butch and Vice President Rick Laney. Although if you talked about Billary Crinton, we'd know you were an insider.

Detroit has a potentially great future. Just not in our lifetime.

[motown mary]

I love Detroit because my grandfather, the son of Irish immigrants, helped build the Ambassador Bridge & chose to raise his family here. It's home.