Detroit: A Great Lakes City or a River City? (St. Clair: buy, trains)

[U146]

From TV shows I've watched Detroit is widely considered a Great Lakes city. Even though it's on the Detroit River, Lake Erie is on the southern edges of the Detroit Metro, and Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron are just a short drive away. So I consider it both. What are your thoughts?

[Maintainschaos]

Great Lakes.

[animatedmartian]

The Detroit River isn't really a true river. Even the word Detroit in french means "on the strait (of Lake Erie)". It's wider at both ends (at Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie) and most narrow in the middle (specifically around the Ambassador Bridge).

The portion of the Detroit River that actually resembles a river is only near Downtown Detroit which is only a few short miles, otherwise, it behaves and looks more like a lake everywhere else.

[North 42]

Definately Great Lakes

[DTWflyer]

Great Lakes city and its historical ties all relate to its position on the navigable waterways of the Great Lakes.

In essence, the Great Lakes are like a giant river system from the St Lawrence Seaway all the way back to the headwaters of Lake Superior. It just that there are really huge bodies of water instead of a narrow flowing waterway.

[Retroit]

I'd say neither. The water doesn't play an important role in modern Detroit. They built a marine terminal a few years ago. I don't think it's been used more tan a few times, if that many. There may still be a freight dock(s) on the Rouge River, but I'm not sure if they are used much. There are a few recreational marinas for local pleasure boats.

Now, if you go back a hundred years, yes definitely Detroit was a Great Lakes city.

[Pincho-toot]

Yes its a GL city. The Detroit River's not really a river anyway. River cities are like St. Louis, Louisville, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Memphis, New Orleans. Detroit's in the same category as Chicago, Milwaukee and Cleveland.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by Retroit

I'd say neither. The water doesn't play an important role in modern Detroit. They built a marine terminal a few years ago. I don't think it's been used more tan a few times, if that many. There may still be a freight dock(s) on the Rouge River, but I'm not sure if they are used much. There are a few recreational marinas for local pleasure boats.

Now, if you go back a hundred years, yes definitely Detroit was a Great Lakes city.

Because we buy all of our commodities from other countries and we don't make anything anymore. Also, I think, trains, if I remember correctly.

You can still see ships passing by in St. Claire. It's kinda cool.

[MS313]

It's kind of both. Although the city is not ON a great lake the metro area is. The bottom half of downriver sits on the northern tip of Lake Erie which is a great lake. and then of course Lake St. Clare... not a great lake but a pretty big one.

[North 42]

Lake St. Clair may not be an official Great Lake, but is a part of the Great Lakes system.