Quick vote...what is our ugliest city? (Detroit, Flint: house, rent)

[famlife]

well, when a certain cities overpowering quality is beauty, then that is the focus in conversation.. when it's extreme ugliness... at least it gives us all something to gawk at...

[Bluefly]

Clarkston: All those strip malls, Generica subdivisions that just keep moving further out, outlet malls ... blech.

I'll take the fascinating post-industrial grit of a city like Detroit anyday, where you always have the potential of stumbling upon an incredible art gallery, a beautiful loft, or a pulsing club hidden behind the seemingly ugly facade of abandoned warehouses.

I think there's a remarkable beauty in that.

[TwoSticks]

Hazel Park

[famlife]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Clarkston: All those strip malls, Generica subdivisions that just keep moving further out, outlet malls ... blech.

I'll take the fascinating post-industrial grit of a city like Detroit anyday, where you always have the potential of stumbling upon an incredible art gallery, a beautiful loft, or a pulsing club hidden behind the seemingly ugly facade of abandoned warehouses.

I think there's a remarkable beauty in that.

i can certaintly appreciate that, Bluefly... i'm just sick of having to search for beauty deep down... after living if Flint half my life.. i just kinda want beauty to jump out and smack me in the face...

[Coldjensens]

whatever city contains Zug Island is the ugliest area that I have seen. Most suburbs are not ugly or pretty, they are just sprawl. Do you call endless matching subdivisions and strip malls ugly or pretty? Geographically Rochester Hills is very pretty. geographically the flat areas like Monroe are really ugly. Monroe itself is an ok city, but the area is awful. Flat and dull.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Angel Bear

I spend lots of time in Orange County, CA now, so I probably shouldn't answer this thread! LOL

I myself think it is sad to see the ugliness of our towns and cities, wherever they are in the world. It just shows that more work needs to be done on our parts, etc. I also think beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I think parts of Detroit are beautiful, especially by the riverfront.

Having lived in Orange County for 18 years and still work there about a third of each year, I think it is clear that almost anywhere in Michigan is prettier than almost anywhere in OC. Look out your airplane window when you land sometime. Brown brown brown. There are a few exceptions, but OC is mostly brown grass, brown, sand, brown air, the only green is artifically planted grass and a very few trees sprouting amongst acres and acres of concrete. Rivers have no water in them most of the time, and many of the rivers are now lined with concrete. There are no lakes, only man made ponds, labeled lakes.

I simply cannot call beautiful thousands of walled in subdivisions filled with cookie cutter identical homes built about twenty feet or less apart. Conformity has no beauty to my eye.

The ocean is beautiful but you have to drive to it unless you are very rich and the mountains are beautiful some days in the winter when they are not obscured by smog and haze.

Beach towns are an exception and Silverado Canyon was pretty for part of the year.

Then there is anything near L.A. Blech!


A lot of times, I think that Michiganders fail to appreciate how beautiful it is here. It is hard to find a truly ugly city. Especially if you like trees and water. It is very green. Even the cities have a lot of trees and grass in them. A fresh snowfall is beautiful, spring is incredible as is fall. The only yuck time is usually November. I have to concede, it is pretty ugly almost everywhere in November.

Other than the area that contains zug island, I would be hard pressed to call any Michigan City that I have seen ugly. Lots of parts are bland, but ugly is rare.

Detroit has an awesome skyline (at least until you get close enough to see missing windows).

I have not been to Flint ever that I can recall. It is just a place that you pass on the freeway.
Maybe that is ugly.

Some places like Albion are really run down, but it is still a pretty city with a great deal of potential.


Sorry, I am not sure that there are any ugly cities in Michigan.

[TwoSticks]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

...Look out your airplane window when you land sometime. Brown brown brown...

You have also just described Phoenix, Arizona. Funny, although I agree with you wholeheartedly, I've come across people who would defend to the death the beauty of such "brown."

Eye of the beholder, I guess.

[Bydand]

Gaylord. Nice people, nice area; but ugly, tacky faux-alpine village. Sent shivers down my spine the whole time I lived there in the 80's. Not any better now last time I was over there. Individual small stores are not that bad, but there is only so much you can do to larger stores. And for God Sakes man, put the Lederhosen away already.

[KenD005]

Detroit is BUTT UGLY-Wasn't that way YEARS ago, with all of the Gothic architecture and such. Unfortunately, the residents of the 60's on up have trashed a once great city.

If my dogs face was as ugly as Detroit, I would shave it's butt and teach it to walk backwards..

Pontiac is/was? pretty bad as well as Flint, but fortunately once you are away from these cities, the rest of the state is GREAT..

[KenD005]

You have also just described Phoenix, Arizona. Funny, although I agree with you wholeheartedly, I've come across people who would defend to the death the beauty of such "brown."


Same with Tucson...