This metropolitan museum explores the diverse and colorful history of Detroit through artifacts and unique and creative exhibits.Welcome to Motor City Detroit!
Ranking as Michigan's largest city and the Midwest's oldest city, Detroit is the historic home of both US automobile production – the legacy of Henry Ford – and the Motown sound, that unmistakable genre of music that came of age in the 1960s.
Founded in 1701, the port city takes its name from its original French moniker, Ville d'Etroit, which means City of the Strait and refers to the Detroit River's role as connector of (or strait between) Lakes Huron and Erie. Throughout its history, Detroit has been heavily involved in transportation, from waterborne shipping in the 19th century to automobile production in the 20th. The wealth that came with such endeavors led to the building of ornate mansions by the town's upper class and to the beautification of the city itself.
Keys to the City
Facts & Fundamentals
Detroit has population of approximately 915,000, while the larger metropolitan statistical area (covering about 3,913 square miles) includes just under 4,250,000 people.
Detroit is the home of world headquarters for two major automakers, General Motors Corporation and Ford Motor Corporation. It's also the home of the North American headquarters for Daimler Chrysler and Volkswagen. A host of other major brand headquarters are located here, including Kelly Services, Borders Group, Dominos, Little Caeser's, Compuware and Northwest Airlines.
In addition to automobile manufacturing, the area is a leader in the production of paints, non-electrical machinery and automation equipment, pharmaceutical and rubber products and synthetic resins.
Weather
Detroit and the rest of southeastern Michigan have a continental climate which is influenced by the Great Lakes. Winters are cold, with moderate snowfall with temperatures at night sometimes dropping below 10 °F (-12 °C), while summers are warm with temperatures sometimes exceeding 90 °F (32 °C).
Average monthly precipitation ranges from ca two to four inches (50 to 100 mm). Snowfall, which typically occurs from November to early April, ranges from 1 to 10 inches (2.5 to 25 cm) per month. The highest recorded temperature was 105.0 °F (40.6 °C) on July 24, 1934, while the lowest recorded temperature was -24 °F (-31 °C) on Dec 22, 1872.