Downriver is the unofficial, but commonly used, name for a collection of nearly 20 suburban cities and townships in southeastern Michigan south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River[1]. Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Largest metro area Metro Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... Landsat satellite photo, showing Lake Saint Clair, as well as St. ...

The name derives from the fact that the Detroit River, after running nearly east-west along the banks of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, then bends to flow largely north-south before emptying into Lake Erie. Communities to the south of the city can thus be accessed by traveling downriver (as opposed to upriver) along the waterway. Landsat satellite photo, showing Lake Saint Clair, as well as St. ... Nickname: Motto: The river and the land sustain us. ... Lake Erie (pronounced ) is the tenth largest lake on Earth[2] and, of the five Great Lakes of North America, is the fourth largest by surface area, the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume. ...

In the early to mid-20th Century, Downriver was mostly populated with workers who were employed by the dozens of auto factories, ship builders, steel mills and chemical plants that called the area home, chiefly The Rouge, Great Lakes Steel and BASF. Aerial view of the Rouge complex in 1942 Interior of the Rouge Tool & Die works, 1944 The River Rouge Plant (commonly known as the Rouge Complex or just The Rouge) is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan at the confluence of the Rouge and Detroit... The National Steel Corporation (1929—2003) was a major American steel producer. ... This article is about the German chemical company. ...

Many still think of Downriver as purely industrial and indeed the area is still home to many involved with heavy industry. However, Downriver is actually largely residential, with middle-class neighborhoods, and is known for its boating, fishing, bird watching and waterfowl hunting enjoyed in, or around, the Detroit River. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and the Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative are two environmental preservation and recreation projects ongoing in the region. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. ...

The News-Herald is the major local newspaper for Downriver, publishing on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Downriver Communities

• Allen Park
• Brownstown Township
• Ecorse
• Flat Rock
• Gibraltar
• Grosse Ile
• Huron Charter Township
• Lincoln Park
• Melvindale
• River Rouge
• Riverview
• Rockwood
• Romulus
• Southgate
• Taylor
• Trenton
• Woodhaven
• Wyandotte

Allen Park is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Brownstown Township is a civil township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Ecorse is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Flat Rock is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Grosse Ile Township is township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... There is also a Huron Township in Huron County, Michigan. ... Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Melvindale is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Industrial area along the riverfront of River Rouge River Rouge is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... This article is about the city in Wayne County. ... Rockwood is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Romulus is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Taylor is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Coordinates: Settled 1816 Incorporation 1855 Area  - City 18. ... Woodhaven is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Differences of Communities

Northern Downriver communities near Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan (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-designed municipal buildings. Communities that developed further south — like Southgate, Riverview and Trenton — in the 1950s-1970s could be more closely identified as tract homes and subdivisions. Through the 1980s, areas such as Huron Township, Flat Rock, Woodhaven and Romulus were undeveloped, some of which still have operating farms. However, those areas are quickly building up. Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government  - Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. ... WPA Graphic The Works Progress Administration (later Work Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created on May 6, 1935 by Presidential order (Congress funded it annually but did not set it up). ...

The Downriver cities of Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton and Wyandotte as Grosse Ile Township directly border the Detroit River.

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.

Population

Some 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. The U.S. Southern states or the South, also known colloquially as Dixie, constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States, with its own unique heritage, historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ...

The composition of the workforce in Downriver communities is very diverse as residents work in white-collar and blue-collar occupations. One of the largest employers is the Ford Motor Company which has a large industrial complex in nearby Dearborn and numerous other area plants. In addition, many residents work in professional jobs in downtown Detroit. “Ford” redirects here. ... Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government  - Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. ...

Downriver is also home to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, in Romulus. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, also called Detroit Metro Airport, is an airport in Romulus, Michigan, near Detroit, Michigan. ...

Prohibition

The proximity to Canada, coupled with residents associated with the Purple Gang, made Downriver one of the nation's major bootlegging hubs during prohibition. 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. [2]. The Purple Gang was a notorious mob of (mostly Jewish) bootleggers in the 1920s. ... The term Prohibition, also known as A Dry Law, refers to a law in a certain country by which the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or illegal. ...

Famous Downriver Residents or Natives

• Steve Avery (Trenton/Taylor), professional baseball player
• Lucille Ball (Wyandotte), actress
• Kitty Bartholomew (Grosse Ile), author and HGTV show host
• Joe C. (Taylor), Kid Rock sidekick
• Lloyd Carr (Riverview), University of Michigan head football coach
• Dann Florek (Flat Rock), actor
• Max Gail (Grosse Ile), actor
• Bob Guiney (Riverview), appeared on The Bachelor
• William S. Knudsen (Grosse Ile), automotive industry executive and U.S. Army General
• Charley Lau (Romulus), former MLB hitting coach (d. 1984)
• Lee Majors (Wyandotte), actor
• Kevin Nash (Trenton), pro Wrestler and actor
• Ransom E. Olds (Grosse Ile), automotive industry pioneer
• Heinz Prechter (Grosse Ile), automotive industry businessman
• Mary Lynn Rajskub (Trenton), actress
• J.J. Putz (Trenton), relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
• Kyle Surma (Taylor), filmmaker
• James Swan (Trenton), actor
• Rob Tyner (Lincoln Park), MC5 vocalist
• John Varvatos (Allen Park), fashion designer
• Cameron Waterman (Grosse Ile), outboard motor inventor

Steven Thomas Avery (born April 14, 1970 in Trenton, Michigan) is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s. ... Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an iconic American actor, comedian and star of the landmark sitcom I Love Lucy, a four time Emmy Award winner (awarded 1953, 1956, 1967, 1968) and charter member of the Television Hall of Fame. ... Joseph Calleja (November 9, 1974 – November 16, 2000), better known as Joe C. was an American rapper. ... Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), best known as Kid Rock, is an American rapper, singer and rock musician most notable for his albums Devil Without a Cause and Cocky and his hit singles Bawitdaba and Picture. ... Lloyd H. Carr (born July 30, 1945) has served as head coach of the University of Michigan football team since 1995. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (U of M, UM or simply Michigan) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan, and one of the foremost universities in the United States. ... Dann Florek (born May 1, 1950 in Flat Rock, Michigan) is an American actor and director. ... Max Gail & Floyd Red Crow Westerman on set of the feature film Tillamook Treasure Max Gail (born April 5, 1943) is an American actor who has starred in television and film roles. ... Robert (Bob) Guiney (born May 8, 1971) was a contestant on the first season of The Bachelorette. ... The Bachelor is an American reality television dating game show that debuted in 2002 on ABC. The series has been renewed through spring 2007, titled The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman. ... William S. Knudsen, March 25, 1879-April, 27, 1948, was a leading automobile industry executive and a general in the U.S. Army. ... Charles Richard Lau (born April 12, 1933, Romulus, Michigan - d. ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary on April 23, 1939) is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in movies, sitcoms and television who also starred in four long-running ABC TV series over four decades. ... Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959) is an American professional wrestler and actor. ... Ransom E. Olds Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864–August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American automobile industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile and Reo brands were named. ... Heinz Prechter (1942 – July 6, 2001) a German born entrepreneur who founded the American Sunroof Company (ASC) was a quintessential entrepreneur, legendary visionary, community leader, and philanthropist. ... Mary Lynn Rajskub Mary Lynn Rajskub (pronounced RICE-cub or in IPA: ) (b. ... Joseph Jason Putz (born February 22, 1977 in Trenton, Michigan) is a Major League Baseball player for the Seattle Mariners. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) West Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Seattle Mariners (1977–present) Other nicknames The Ms Ballpark Safeco Field (1999–present) King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome) (1977-1999) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) None... James Swan (born July 6, 1974 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory) is a bantamweight boxer from Australia, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. ... Robin Tyner (original name Robert Derminer December 12, 1944—September 18, 1991) was lead singer for the American hard rock band MC5. ... MC5 (short for Motor City Five) was a hard rock band formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1964 and active until 1972. ... Image:TN JohnVarvatos2004. ...

Links

• Downriver Community Conference
• Crusin' Downriver
• The News Herald
• Downriver Council for the Arts
• Downriver Genealogical Society
• Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center

	v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Wayne County, Michigan County seat: Detroit
Cities Pop. over 75,000	Dearborn • Detroit • Livonia • Westland Allen Park is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Brownstown Township is a civil township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... “Detroit” redirects here. ... Ecorse is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Flat Rock is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Grosse Ile Township is a township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... There is also a Huron Township in Huron County, Michigan. ... Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Melvindale is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Industrial area along the riverfront of River Rouge River Rouge is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... This article is about the city in Wayne County. ... Rockwood is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Romulus is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Taylor is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Coordinates: Settled 1816 Incorporation 1855 Area  - City 18. ... Woodhaven is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wayne County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Largest metro area Metro Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... “Detroit” redirects here. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government  - Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. ... “Detroit” redirects here. ... Livonia is a city located in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Westland is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ...
Cities Pop. 25,000 – 75,000	Allen Park • Dearborn Heights • Garden City • Inkster • Lincoln Park • Southgate • Taylor • Wyandotte Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Allen Park is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Inkster is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Taylor is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...
Cities Pop. under 25,000	Belleville • Ecorse • Flat Rock • Gibraltar • Grosse Pointe • Grosse Pointe Farms • Grosse Pointe Park • Grosse Pointe Woods • Hamtramck • Harper Woods • Highland Park • Melvindale • Northville • Plymouth • River Rouge • Riverview • Rockwood • Romulus • Trenton • Wayne • Woodhaven Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Belleville is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Ecorse is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Flat Rock is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... This article is about the incorporated city of Grosse Pointe. ... Grosse Pointe Farms is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Grosse Pointe Park is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Alternate use: There are several neighboring places in Michigan that begin with Grosse Pointe. ... Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Harper Woods is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Highland Park is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Melvindale is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Northville is a city located in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb in Metro Detroit. ... Plymouth is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Industrial area along the riverfront of River Rouge River Rouge is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... This article is about the city in Wayne County. ... Rockwood is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Romulus is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Coordinates: Settled 1816 Incorporation 1855 Area  - City 18. ... Wayne is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Woodhaven is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...
Townships Pop. over 25,000	Canton Township • Plymouth Township • Redford Township A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. ... The Charter Township of Canton, usually referred to as Canton, is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Plymouth Township is a township located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Redford is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...
Townships Pop. under 25,000	Brownstown Township • Grosse Ile Township • Grosse Pointe Township • Huron Township • Northville Township • Sumpter Township • Van Buren Township A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. ... Brownstown Township is a civil township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Grosse Ile Township is a township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Grosse Pointe Township is a township located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... There is also a Huron Township in Huron County, Michigan. ... Northville Charter Township is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb in Metro Detroit. ... Sumpter Township is a township located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Van Buren Charter Township is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...
Other communities	Downriver