| Detroit River Rivière Détroit | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Southern end as it entersLake Erie with Canada in the foreground and the U.S. in the background | |
  Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Location within the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| State | Michigan |
| Province | Ontario |
| Cities | US:Grosse Pointe Park,Detroit,River Rouge,Ecorse,Wyandotte,Riverview,Trenton,Gibraltar Canada:Tecumseh,Windsor,La Salle,Amherstburg |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Lake St. Clair |
| • coordinates | 42°21′07″N82°55′03″W / 42.35194°N 82.91750°W /42.35194; -82.91750 |
| • elevation | 574 ft (175 m) |
| Mouth | Lake Erie |
• coordinates | 42°03′06″N83°09′05″W / 42.05167°N 83.15139°W /42.05167; -83.15139 |
• elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
| Length | 28 mi (45 km) |
| Basin size | 700 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Little River,River Canard |
| • right | River Rouge,Ecorse River |
| Islands | 31 (list of islands) |
TheDetroit River is aninternationalriver inNorth America. The river, which forms part of the border between theU.S. state ofMichigan and theCanadian province ofOntario, flows west and south for 24nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) fromLake St. Clair toLake Erie as astrait in theGreat Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas ofDetroit,Michigan, andWindsor,Ontario—an area collectively referred to asDetroit–Windsor. TheAmbassador Bridge, theDetroit–Windsor Tunnel, and theMichigan Central Railway Tunnel connect the cities.
The river's English name comes from theFrenchRivière du Détroit (translated as "River of the Strait"). The Detroit River has served an important role in thehistory of Detroit and Windsor, and is one of the world's busiest waterways.[1] It is an important transportation route connectingLake Michigan,Lake Huron, andLake Superior to Lake Erie and eventually toLake Ontario, theSt. Lawrence Seaway and theErie Canal. When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriouslypolluted and toxic. Since the late 20th century, however, a vastrestoration effort has been undertaken because of the river's ecological importance.
In the early 21st century, the river today has a wide variety of economic and recreational uses. There are numerousislands in the Detroit River, and much of the lower portion of the river is part of theDetroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into theDetroit International Riverfront and theWilliam G. Milliken State Park and Harbor. The Detroit River is designated both anAmerican Heritage River and aCanadian Heritage River—the only river to have this dual designation.[2][3]
.jpg)
The Detroit River flows for 28 mi (45 km) fromLake St. Clair toLake Erie.[4] By definition, this classifies it as both ariver and astrait — a strait being a narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water,[5] which is how the river earned its name from early French settlers.[6] However, today, the Detroit River is rarely referred to as a strait, because bodies of water referred to as straits are typically much wider relative to their length. The river forms the southern portion of the waterway connectingLake Huron to the north and Lake Erie to the south, with other portions including theSt. Clair River andLake St. Clair.
The Detroit River is only 0.5–2.5 miles (0.8–4.0 km) wide. It begins with an east-to-west flow from Lake St. Clair, but curves and runs north to south. The deepest portion of the Detroit River is 53 feet (16.2 m) in its northern portion. At its source, the river is at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level. The river is relatively level, dropping only 3 feet (0.9 m) before entering Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). As the river contains nodams and nolocks, it is easilynavigable by even the smallest of vessels. Thewatershed basin for the Detroit River is approximately 700 square miles (1,800 km2).[7]
Since the river is fairly short, it has few tributaries, the largest being theRiver Rouge in Michigan; this is four times longer than the Detroit River and contains most of the watershed. The only other major American tributary to the Detroit River is the much smallerEcorse River. Tributaries on the Canadian side include Little River, Turkey Creek, and theRiver Canard. Thedischarge for the Detroit River is relatively high for a river of its size. The river's discharge averaged over the year is 5,300 m3/s (190,000 cu ft/s), and the river's flow is relatively constant.[8]
The Detroit River forms a major element of theinternational border between the United States and Canada. The river on the American side is all under the jurisdiction ofWayne County, Michigan, and the Canadian side is under the administration ofEssex County, Ontario. The largest city along the Detroit River isDetroit, and most of the population along the river lives inMichigan. The Detroit River has two automobile traffic crossings connecting the United States and Canada: theAmbassador Bridge and theDetroit–Windsor Tunnel. Both of these are strongly protected by theU.S. Customs and Border Protection and theCanada Border Services Agency.
The upper portion of the river is one of the two places where a Canadian city lies directly south of an American city. In this case, the city ofDetroit is directly north of the city ofWindsor, Ontario. The only other location where this occurs isFort Erie, Ontario, which lies south of several cities inNiagara County, New York. The cities and communities southwest of Detroit along the American side of the river are popularly referred to as theDownriver area, because those areas are said to be "down the river" from Detroit. Several of these communities do not border the Detroit River but the term "Downriver" refers broadly to the cluster of 18 suburban communities that lie to the southwest of the city of Detroit and to the west of the Detroit River.
The Detroit River contains 31 charted islands. The majority of the islands are located on the American side of the river. Many of the islands are small and uninhabited, and none are divided by the international border, as the two countries do not share a land border along the river.Grosse Ile is the largest and most populated of all islands, andFighting Island is the largest Canadian island. Most islands are located in the southern portion of the river.
Europeans first recorded navigating the Detroit River in the 17th century. TheIroquois tradedfurs with theDutch colonists atNew Amsterdam by traveling through the Detroit River.[1] TheFrench later claimed the area forNew France. The famed sailing shipLe Griffon reached the mouth of the Detroit River in mid-August 1679 on its maiden voyage through theGreat Lakes.[9] Later, when the French began settling in the area, they navigated the river usingcanoes made ofbirch orelm bark. Handcrafted vessels were a common mode of travel across the river, andpirogues andbateaux were also used.
As theNorth American fur trade intensified, European settlers expanded their trade westward into uncharted territories. French explorerAntoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac sailed up the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The next day, he establishedFort Pontchartrain du Détroit, which developed as Detroit.[10] The French named the river asRivière Détroit.Détroit isFrench for "strait". The river was known literally as the "River of the Strait".
WhenGreat Britain defeated the French in the Seven Years' War (known as theFrench and Indian War on the American front), it took over control of the Detroit River, as well as other French territory east of the Mississippi River. The newly formedUnited States claimed this territory during theAmerican Revolution, but the British did not transfer it until 1796.
During theWar of 1812, the Detroit River served as a major barrier between the AmericanMichigan Territory and BritishUpper Canada, especially during theBattle of Fort Detroit in August 1812. Detroit briefly fell to the British.[11] After the completion of theErie Canal in 1817, which opened up easier travel to Lake Erie from theEast Coast of the United States, connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson River and the port of New York City, the Detroit River became a route for many migrating settlers traveling to northern Michigan. Detroit rapidly attracted a share of new residents. Following thePatriot War, in which British regulars and Michigan militia nearly came to armed conflict on the ice-covered Detroit River, the United States builtFort Wayne at Detroit to counter Britain's riversideFort Malden at Amherstburg across the river.
The Detroit River served as a final stop on theUnderground Railroad and was the most active entry point along the United States–Canada border for fugitive slaves.[12]
Escaping slaves often chose to cross through the Detroit River rather than flee to Mexico because of the river's location near free states made it less risky than traveling through slaveholding states that border Mexico. The strong Underground Railroad networks in the Canadian border region also assisted Blacks hoping to flee from the U.S. once theFugitive Slave Act was strengthened in 1850.[13] Canada also granted legal immigration status to Blacks, while Mexico did not for many years.
Individuals and organizations assisted escaping slaves hoping to cross the Detroit River from the United States into Canada. TheSecond Baptist Church of Detroit and First Baptist Church of Amherstburg coordinated ferrying thousands of Blacks across the Detroit River into Canada, and Detroit's Colored Vigilant Committee assisted over 1,500 fugitives in crossing into Canada.[14] Famous abolitionists and Underground Railroad conductors includingGeorge DeBaptiste and William Lambert worked individually and with these organizations to assist fleeing slaves and condemn slavery.[15]
There was considerable transnational fluidity between the Canadian and American sides of the river until the middle of the 19th century.[12] The 1833Blackburn Riots in Detroit, which erupted after slave hunters detained couple Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, marked the end of hundreds of years of a nearly porous border between Canada and the United States on the Detroit River. Detroit's African American population protested and helped the Blackburns escape across the Detroit River to Upper Canada, where the British colonial government in Canada declared former slaves could not be extradited to be returned to their owners.[16] With their freedom in Canada secured, crossing the Detroit River out of the United States became an imperative for escaping slaves.
During theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865), theUnion feared the secededConfederate States of America (CSA) would plan a northerly attack from Canada, which was controlled by the British Empire and remained neutral in the war. The Union feared the CSA would cross the Detroit River to launch this attack. For that reason, Union forces regularly patrolled the Detroit River and the fortification at Fort Wayne improved, although it was far removed from any major combat. A Confederate plot to capture the U.S. Navy warship,USSMichigan, and liberate Confederate prisoners fromJohnson Island, in western Lake Erie, was narrowly averted only after the Confederates had captured two passenger steamships.[1][17]
At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit's industrialization took off on an unprecedented scale. The Detroit River became the world's busiest commercial river and in 1908 was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" byThe Detroit News. In 1907, the Detroit River carried 67,292,504 tons (61 billion kg) of shipping commerce through Detroit to markets all over the world. By comparison,London shipped 18,727,230 tons (16 billion kg), andNew York shipped 20,390,953 tons (18 billion kg).[1]
From 1920 to 1933, the United States (US) enforced theProhibition era. The sale, manufacture, and transportation ofalcohol for consumption were nationally banned. Detroit, as the largest city bordering Canada, where alcohol remained legal during Prohibition, became the center of a new industry known asrum-running, smuggling liquor into the US.
No bridges connected Ontario, Canada and Michigan, US, until theAmbassador Bridge was finished in 1929 and theDetroit–Windsor Tunnel in 1930. Smugglers used boats of varying sizes to transport alcohol across the river during the summer, and during the winter months, rum-runners traveled back and forth across the frozen Detroit River by car. In some cases, overloaded cars fell through the ice. In the 21st century, car parts from this era are occasionally still found on the bottom of the river.[18]Rum-running in Windsor and production of bootleg liquor became common practices. American mobsters such asthe Purple Gang of Detroit used violence to control the route known as the "Detroit-Windsor Funnel," and continue to gain lucrative returns from the trade. The name parodied the newly built tunnel between the cities and nations.[19] The Detroit River,Lake St. Clair, and theSt. Clair River are estimated to have carried 75% of all liquor smuggled into the United States during Prohibition. Government officials were unable or unwilling to deter the flow.
The rum-running industry died when prohibition was repealed in 1933 by theTwenty-first Amendment.[1][20][21]
Because of the booming businesses and long history ofMetro Detroit andWindsor, Ontario, the Detroit River has been the site of many artifacts, some lost with sunken ships and others abandoned, such as murder weapons or stolen bronze statues. ADMC DeLorean has also been recovered from the river.[22] The artifacts recovered are well preserved due to the river'sfresh water but low visibility makes them difficult to find.[18]
A 1940s-era bronze statue depicting a classical nude woman was originally installed to overlook a reflecting pool in theGrosse Pointe War Memorial. It was nicknamed "The Nude," and, in 2001, was believed to have been successfully stolen for display in some art collector's private cache. During a police diving exercise near a submergedJeep, the statue was found in 2009, restored, and returned to the memorial.[18][23]
Anchors from the SSGreater Detroit, a luxurysteamship that toured the Detroit River from 1924 to 1950, and the famedSS Edmund Fitzgerald, alake freighter that sank in a 1975 storm onLake Superior, have notably both been recovered from the river. The 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) anchor of the SSGreater Detroit was raised in November 2016. It was installed at the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Building. The lost anchor of the SSEdmund Fitzgerald was recovered during a July 1992 project, and the anchor was installed in the yard of theDossin Great Lakes Museum onBelle Isle.[24][25]
Since the 1980s, divers have recovered a total of six 1700s-eracannons from the river. The last was found in 2011 near theCobo Center. They are believed to have been part of the pre-War of 1812 inventory kept by theBritish garrison in this area. Historians believe another three cannon may still be in the river. Inventory documents record a total of 17 cannons and 14 have been accounted for. It is believed that the British dragged the cannons onto the frozen river so they would sink with the spring thaw, and be kept from use by the American enemy. Another seven, larger cannons may have fallen off abarge closer toAmherstburg,Ontario, and may yet be found in the river.[18]
Much of the land that surrounds the Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, has been used for industrial purposes for more than 100 years. There has been excessivewater pollution of the river from the long-term, unregulated dumping of chemicals, industrial waste, garbage, and sewage. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Thousands of migrating birds died each year because of the oil slicks and contaminated water around the mouth of the Detroit River atLake Erie. The river's oxygen levels were depleted to the point where fish could not inhabit its waters. Because this pollution often drained into and affected Lake Erie, the lake was considered "dead" and unable to support aquatic life.[26][27]
In 1961, a congressional order founded the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge. That began the government's placing tighter restrictions on industries; substantial government funding at various levels has been allocated to clean up the river. In this early period, opponents believed that such efforts would adversely affect Detroit's industry and economy. In 1970, toxic levels ofmercury in the water resulted in the total closing of thefishing industry in theSt. Clair River,Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Finally, a massive conservation effort was initiated to clean up the Detroit River.[26] For years, the multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river and the political influence of nearby industries, hindered conservation efforts.[27]
In 1998, the Detroit River was designated as anAmerican Heritage River by the USEnvironmental Protection Agency and in 2001 as aCanadian Heritage River.[2][3] It is the only river in North America to have such dual designations.
In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the largerDetroit River International Wildlife Refuge, a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to preserve the area as an ecological refuge. The millions of dollars spent since that time to dredge pollutants out of the Detroit River has led to a remarkable restoration, although problems remain.[26] Today, many species of native animals that had been driven out by human development are returning to the area. The river is home to a growing number of bird species such aseagles (including reintroducedbald eagles),ospreys, andperegrine falcons. Large numbers oflake whitefish,sturgeon,silver bass,black bass,salmon,perch, andwalleye are again thriving in the river.[27]
The Detroit River and its recovery efforts were listed as aMichigan State Historic Site in 2007. A historic marker was erected along the river in a park that now serves as the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge visitor center in the city ofTrenton.[28]
The Detroit River is used for shipping and trading. The earliest use of the river for these economic activities was the shipping of furs for trade as early as the 17th century.[1] By the time thefur trade decreased, Michigan had begun to exploit thelumber-rich areas of Northern Michigan and theUpper Peninsula. Detroit turned into a major industrial region, largely because of the Detroit River. The only way a ship could travel out of the upper Great Lakes system was to travel down the Detroit River. From there, ships could travel anywhere in the world out of theSt. Lawrence Seaway or theErie Canal toNew York City. At the beginning of the 20th century, the automotive industry boomed, and the many manufacturers imported abundant supplies ofiron ore, sand, limestone and wood.
The Detroit River provides substantial revenue for the local economies. A 1991 study showed $20.1 million came from sales related to waterfowl hunting along the Detroit River. The same year, bird watching, photography, and other non-consumptive uses of waterfowl contributed another $192.8 million to Michigan's economy. Local economies benefit through boating registrations and fishing licenses. It is estimated walleye fishing alone brings in $1 million to the economy of communities along the lower Detroit River each spring.[29] Other fish caught by recreational fisherman includewhite bass,bluegill,crappie,freshwater drum,smallmouth bass,northern pike andmuskie. There are over 800,000 recreation boats in Michigan, and more than half of them are regularly used on or near the Detroit River. Popular river destinations in Detroit include theDetroit International Riverfront andBelle Isle Park — both of which host events throughout the year. Several restaurants on the river have docks for boaters. Tour boats and dinner cruises travel through the sights of Detroit and the undeveloped islands downriver.[30] Cruise ships support tourism on the Great Lakes and dock at the Port Detroit passenger terminal downtown. The iconicRenaissance Center is on the banks of the Detroit River.
According to a 2004 study, 150,000 jobs and $13 billion in annual production depend on the river crossings connecting Detroit to Windsor. In 2004, the American trade with Ontario alone was $407 billion, in which 28% ($113.3 billion) crossed the Detroit River.
There are two automobile traffic routes that completely cross the river: theDetroit–Windsor tunnel and the privately ownedAmbassador Bridge, both of which connect Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario. A railway tunnel and a commercial truck ferry service also travel between Detroit and Windsor. In Michigan, there are two bridges connecting the mainland toGrosse Ile, as well as theMacArthur Bridge that connects the mainland Detroit toBelle Isle. All ports of entry on the American side are secured by theU.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Canadian side is secured by theCanada Border Services Agency; all areas between the American ports of entry and on the American side of the river are secured by theUnited States Border Patrol.
TheGordie Howe International Bridge is a new bridge project which began construction in 2019; it will directly connectHighway 401 in Canada toInterstate 75 in the United States.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
.jpg)
.svg)
.jpg)
