Downriver
Encyclopedia
Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 suburban cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...

 south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...

.

The name derives from the fact that the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...

, after running more or less west along the banks of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...

, then bends to flow largely south before emptying into Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

. Communities to the south of the city can thus be accessed by traveling downriver (as opposed to upriver) along the waterway.

History

In the early to mid-20th Century, the urban communities in the northern and middle parts of Downriver were mainly populated with workers who were employed by the dozens of auto factories, manufacturing suppliers, ship builders, steel mills and chemical plants that called the area home, including the Ford Rouge Plant Complex
River Rouge Plant
The Ford River Rouge Complex is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the Rouge River, upstream from its confluence with the Detroit River at Zug Island...

, Great Lakes Steel
National Steel Corporation
The National Steel Corporation was a major American steel producer. It was founded in 1929 through a merger arranged by Weirton Steel with some properties of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation and M.A. Hanna Company. Despite a difficult market in Depression-setting 1930, the company reported USD...

, McLouth Steel
McLouth Steel
McLouth Steel is a former integrated steel company. The company had three locations. The first plant was in Detroit, Michigan, the second in Trenton, Michigan and the third, a cold mill, in Gibraltar, Michigan. The Detroit plant is currently owned by Jones & Laughlin Steel Company...

, and BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...

.

While heavy industry is still an important source of jobs, these communities became home to more white collar workers in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries as the economy of Metropolitan Detroit diversified, larger single family houses were developed and improved freeways made commuting longer distances feasible.

Brownstown Township, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Huron Township and Rockwood in the southern parts of Downriver were predominately rural communities during the first half of the 20th Century. While these communities experienced significant population growth and became more suburban during the second half of the 20th Century and 2000s, some working farms can still be found in these towns.

Today, Downriver overall is largely known as a suburban Detroit region with middle-class residential neighborhoods and recreational opportunities focused on boating, fishing, bird watching and waterfowl hunting areas around the Detroit River. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...

, and an extensive network of recreational trails built under the Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative are two environmental conservation and recreation projects in the region.

The News-Herald
The News-Herald (Southgate, Michigan)
The News-Herald is a newspaper serving the Downriver area, south of Detroit. It is based in Southgate, Michigan, and owned by the Journal Register Company.The newspaper is published every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday...

is a local newspaper for Downriver, publishing on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Downriver itself is rumored to be mentioned in a song by the band Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...

, "Don't Stop Believin'
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin is a popular song by the American rock band Journey, originally released as a single from their 1981 album Escape, which became a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2009 as a result of increased prominence of digital...

," there referred to as "South Detroit". "South Detroit" was also a candidate name for Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...

, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, which is across the river south of Detroit. An unincorporated community that was annexed by Wyandotte in 1904 was also named South Detroit.

Differences of communities

Downriver communities near Detroit and Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...

 (such as Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, River Rouge, Melvindale and Ecorse) were developed in the 1920s-1940s and are identified by brick and mortar homes (often bungalows), tree-lined streets and Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...

-designed municipal buildings. Communities that developed further south — like Southgate, Taylor, Riverview, and Trenton — in the 1950s-1970s are more closely identified as tract homes and subdivisions. Through the 1980s, areas such as Huron Township, Flat Rock, Rockwood, Woodhaven and Romulus were undeveloped, some of which still have operating farms.

The Downriver cities of Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton and Wyandotte as well as Brownstown Township directly border the Detroit River. Grosse Ile is an island community located in the middle of the Detroit River between mainland Downriver communities and the Canadian towns of LaSalle, Ontario
LaSalle, Ontario
LaSalle is a town in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, on the Detroit River. It is a bedroom community of the City of Windsor and part of the Windsor Census Metropolitan Area, and is located south of that city. LaSalle, along with Windsor, is the oldest French settlement area in Southwestern Ontario,...

 and Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...

.

Socially speaking, the Downriver communities collectively have a distinct cultural identity within suburban Detroit although some individual Downriver communities share many similarities with towns in the western, northern and eastern suburbs of Detroit.

Taylor is the most populous city in the Downriver area and includes the Wayne County Community College Downriver Campus
Wayne County Community College
Wayne County Community College District is a community college district with its headquarters in Downtown Detroit, Michigan...

, Michigan State Police Metro South Post
Michigan State Police
The Michigan State Police is the state police agency for the state of Michigan. The MSP is a full service law enforcement agency with its sworn members having full police powers statewide....

, Southland Center
Southland Center (Michigan)
Southland Center is an enclosed mall located at 23000 Eureka Road. in Taylor, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is the newest of the Detroit area's four "land" malls . Southland Center opened on July 20, 1970...

, a state of the art sports complex called the Taylor Sportsplex, Oakwood Heritage hospital, Taylor Meadows and Lakes of Taylor golf courses, Wallside Windows Factory, Cruisin' Telegraph, and a very large park called "Heritage Park" in the center of the city where in August, the city hosts the Junior League World Series.

Romulus is home to Michigan's busiest airport, Detroit Metro Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....

, and it also includes the Romulus Athletic Center, an indoor fitness center, water park, and conference center.

Cruisin' Downriver

Cruisin' Downriver
Cruisin' Downriver
Cruisin' Downriver, also called the Downriver Dream Cruise, is an annual event in the southern suburbs of Detroit modeled after the nationally famous Woodward Dream Cruise wherein people with vintage, classic, tricked-out, or otherwise interesting cars drive them up Fort Street to show them off to...

 is an annual car show and cruise that takes place on M-85
M-85 (Michigan highway)
M-85, also known as Fort Street or Fort Road for its entire length, is a state highway route in the U.S. state of Michigan.In Detroit proper, M-85 consists of West Fort street and South Fort street...

/Fort St. in the Downriver cities of Southgate
Southgate, Michigan
Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,047 at the 2010 census.Southgate was the last city to incorporate from the former Ecorse Township, gaining city status in October 1958...

, Riverview
Riverview, Michigan
Riverview is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,486 at the time of the 2010 census.The city is a suburb in the Metro Detroit area, located along the shore of the Detroit River. Riverview incorporated as a village in 1922 and as a city in 1959...

, Wyandotte
Wyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...

, and Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Michigan
Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to...

. It has run yearly since 2000, with people bringing their vintage cars to be seen and heard. There are also places to eat, drink, and shop along the route.

Muskrat dinners

A Catholic tradition of Downriver is the eating of muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...

 during Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...

. Although muskrat is a mammal, not a fish as required, "custom had been so long held along Michigan's rivers and marshes that it was "immemorial custom," thus allowed under church law." This traditional meal has been declining in recent years.

Population

According to the 2000 census, the 18 Downriver cities and townships had an aggregate population of 361,454.

Downriver communities were once known for their large number of people of Southern origin who had migrated to Michigan to work in the automotive industry during the early to mid-20th Century. This migration slowed after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

; today, distinctively or predominantly Southern neighborhoods have not existed in Metro Detroit, including Downriver, for several decades.

The composition of the workforce in Downriver communities is diverse as residents work in white-collar and blue-collar occupations. One of the largest employers is the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 which has a large industrial complex in nearby Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...

 and numerous other area plants. In addition, residents work in professional jobs in downtown Detroit.

Downriver is also home to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, in Romulus.

Prohibition

The proximity to Canada, coupled with residents associated with The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang, also known as the Sugar House Gang, were a mob with predominantly Jewish members of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s, operating out of Detroit, Michigan, which was a major port for running alcohol products during Prohibition due to proximity to Canada.Many openly violent...

, made Downriver one of the nation's major bootlegging hubs during prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...

. According to "Intemperance: The Lost War Against Liquor" by Larry Englemann, "Soon after the passage of prohibition thousands of residents of the downriver communities began participating in rum-running and consequently reaped nearly unbelievable riches from their activities. During the prohibition years, in Ecorse and the other downriver towns, crime paid. Lavishly."

Famous Downriver residents or natives

  • Steve Avery
    Steve Avery
    Steven Thomas Avery is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s.-Young Gun:...

     (Trenton/Taylor), professional baseball player
  • Lucille Ball
    Lucille Ball
    Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...

     (Wyandotte), actress
  • Kitty Bartholomew (Grosse Ile), author and HGTV show host
  • Joe C.
    Joe C.
    Joseph "Joe C." Calleja was an American rapper and musician. His popularity and fame were based on his relationship as hype man and comic relief for fellow rapper Kid Rock.-Condition:Calleja was born in Taylor, Michigan...

     (Taylor), Kid Rock
    Kid Rock
    Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...

     sidekick
  • Lloyd Carr
    Lloyd Carr
    Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...

     (Riverview), former University of Michigan
    University of Michigan
    The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

     head football coach
  • Archie Clark (Ecorse), former NBA basketball player
  • Dann Florek
    Dann Florek
    Ezekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...

     (Flat Rock), actor
  • Max Gail
    Max Gail
    Maxwell Trowbridge "Max" Gail, Jr. is an American actor who has starred in stage, television, and film roles. He most notably portrayed the role of Detective Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz on the television sitcom Barney Miller....

     (Grosse Ile), actor
  • Bob Guiney
    Bob Guiney
    Robert "Bob" Guiney was a contestant on the first season of The Bachelorette and later, appeared as the bachelor in the fourth season of The Bachelor. He has hosted GSN Live from 2009 until the show's ending in 2011....

     (Riverview), appeared on The Bachelor
  • William S. Knudsen
    William S. Knudsen
    William Signius Knudsen was a leading automotive industry executive. His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of Ford Motor Company and later General Motors led the Franklin Roosevelt Administration to commission him as a Lieutenant General in the United States...

     (Grosse Ile), automotive industry executive and U.S. Army General
  • Charley Lau (Romulus), former MLB
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     hitting coach (d. 1984)
  • Bud Lynch (Wyandotte), Public address announcer of The Detroit Red Wings
    Detroit Red Wings
    The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

  • Eric Lynch
    Eric Lynch
    Eric Lynch is a professional poker player.Lynch resides in Olathe, Kansas. In 2006, he won a PokerStars $1 million guaranteed tournament and finished 24th at the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $494,000. He placed 3rd in a pot limit Hold'em WSOP event that same year...

     (Woodhaven), former NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

     fullback
  • Lee Majors
    Lee Majors
    Lee Majors is an American television, film and voice actor, best known for his starring role as Colonel Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man and as Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy ....

     (Wyandotte), actor
  • Bill Morrison (Lincoln Park), co-creator of Bongo Comics
    Bongo Comics
    Bongo Comics Group is a comic book publishing company founded in 1993 by Steve and Cindy Vance, Bill Morrison, and Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening. It publishes comics related to the animated television series The Simpsons and Futurama, along with original material...

  • Kevin Nash
    Kevin Nash
    Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...

     (Trenton), pro Wrestler and actor
  • Ransom E. Olds
    Ransom E. Olds
    Ransom Eli Olds was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1894, and his first gasoline powered car in 1896...

     (Grosse Ile), automotive industry pioneer
  • Heinz Prechter
    Heinz Prechter
    Heinz Prechter a German born entrepreneur who founded the American Sunroof Company was a quintessential entrepreneur, legendary visionary, community leader and philanthropist. He was a close friend and avid fundraiser for the Bush Family .-Early life:Born in 1942 in Kleinhöbing, Germany, Mr...

     (Grosse Ile), automotive industry businessman
  • Mary Lynn Rajskub
    Mary Lynn Rajskub
    Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress and comedian, best known for her leading role as Chloe O'Brian on the Fox action-thriller 24.-Early life:...

     (Trenton), actress
  • J. J. Putz (Trenton), relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...

  • James Swan
    James Swan
    James Swan is a bantamweight boxer from Australia, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996.-References:* *...

     (Grosse Ile), actor, author
  • Chester Taylor
    Chester Taylor
    Chester Lamar Taylor also known as "Che Tay" is an American football running back of the National Football League who is currently on the Arizona Cardinals. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

     (River Rouge), NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

     Running Back for the Chicago Bears - currently, formerly: Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens
  • Rob Tyner (Lincoln Park), MC5
    MC5
    The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...

     vocalist
  • Cameron Waterman (Grosse Ile), inventor of the outboard motor
  • John Varvatos
    John Varvatos
    John Varvatos is an American contemporary high fashion menswear designer.- Biography :The Varvatos family are originally from the small village of Poulata on the Greek island of Cefalonia. John Varvatos was born in Detroit and grew up in Allen Park, a Downriver community situated south of the city...

     (Allen Park), fashion designer
  • Jennifer Valoppi
    Jennifer Valoppi
    Jennifer Valoppi is a multi-Emmy Award winning journalist who has been recognized four times on the floor of the United States Congress and is a 2006 recipient of Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s Points of Light Award, the highest honor in the state....

     (Allen Park), Newscaster
  • Vickie Winans
    Vickie Winans
    Vickie Winans is an American Gospel recording artist.-Biography:The seventh of twelve children, Vickie was born in Detroit, Michigan to Mattie A. Bowman, a housewife, and Aaron Bowman, a father who worked at various times as a laborer, contractor, carpenter and mason...

     (Ecorse), Gospel Singer
  • Derek St. Holmes
    Derek St. Holmes
    Derek St. Holmes is an American musician best known as the vocalist and rhythm guitar player for Ted Nugent's successful early solo career.-Early years:...

     (Riverview), Guitarist for Ted Nugent
    Ted Nugent
    Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...

     and vocalist on recorded version of "Stranglehold"
  • Tom Tresh
    Tom Tresh
    Thomas Michael Tresh was a Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder who played for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers . Tresh was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...

      (Allen Park), MLB Rookie of the Year, 1962; Played for NY Yankees & Detroit Tigers
  • Paul Assenmacher
    Paul Assenmacher
    Paul Andre Assenmacher is a former left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for fourteen seasons. Assenmacher pitched for the Atlanta Braves , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians...

    (Allen Park), Major League Pitcher in the 1980s and 1990s

External links

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