Page 408 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

406  THE GREA T LAKES

Michigan Atlantic, the Underground
Railroad, the Civil Rights
This inland state has a rich maritime history. Michigan’s Movement, and other mile-
principal landmass, the so-called Lower Peninsula, is a stones in African-American
mitten-shaped area surrounded by three Great Lakes – history. There is an exciting
Michigan, Huron, and Erie. This landmass contains the program of changing exhibits,
as well as some that are long-
largest cities, including Detroit, and accounts for most of term. One of these, aimed at
Michigan’s industry and population. In the 19th century, very young children, is called
the Lower Peninsula, with its wind-blown dunes and rolling “A is for Africa” and has 26
cherry orchards, was a prime destination. The rugged interactive stations and a
Upper Peninsula to the northwest, whose northern border three-dimensional “dictionary.”
is Lake Superior, only became part of the state in 1834. E Detroit Institute of Arts
It has also become a popular tourist getaway. 5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit
Cultural Center. Tel (313) 833-7900.
Open 9am–4pm Fri, 10am–5pm Sat &
Sun. Closed Mon. & (children under
6 free). ∑ dia.org
The museum’s centerpiece is
a vast 27-panel mural by Mexico
City artist Diego Rivera. His
controversial Detroit Industry
depicts the automobile manu-
facturing process in a stark way,
reflecting the artist’s Leftist views
of the relationship between
management and labor.
The museum’s outstanding
The annual jazz festival in Detroit’s Hart Plaza collections range from pre-
Columbian, Native American,
g Detroit festivals, including the Detroit and African art to 17th-century
Jazz Festival during Labor Day Dutch and Flemish paintings.
* 951,270. ~ £ @
n 211 W Fort St, (800) 338-7648. weekend. Directly across, the It has a large selection of 19th-
∑ visitdetroit.com 25-ft (8-m) Big Fist outdoor century American paintings.
sculpture on Woodward Avenue,
Known today as the “Motor City,” is a tribute to the local African- E Detroit Historical Museum
Detroit (meaning “the Strait” in American boxer Joe Louis, Detroit Historical Museums &
French) was founded in 1701 by known as “The Brown Bomber.” Society
the French fur trader Antoine de East of downtown is the lively 5401 Woodward Ave. Tel (313) 833-
la Mothe Cadillac. The city has Greektown neighbor hood and 1805. Open 9:30am–4pm Tue–Fri,
since evolved from a ship- restaurant district centered on 10am–5pm Sat & Sun. Closed public
building center into a leading Monroe Avenue. Just north of hols. & (children under 4 free). 7
manufacturer of railroad downtown are Comerica Park ∑ detroithistorical.org
equipment, cars, and bicycles. and Ford Field, two famous The renovated “Streets of Old
Its massive industrial growth, sports venues. Detroit” display, as well as a
however, took place after Henry permanent exhibit on Detroit’s
Ford began manufacturing E Charles H. Wright automotive heritage, are the
automobiles in Detroit in 1896. Museum of African main features of this museum in
By the 1920s, most American American History the Detroit Cultural Corridor
automobile manufacturers – 315 E Warren Ave. Tel (313) 494- near Wayne State University.
Ford, General Motors, Pontiac, 5800. Open 9am–5pm Tue– The society’s Historic Fort
and Chrysler – had moved their Sat, 1–5pm Sun. Closed Mon, Wayne and Tuskegee Airmen
headquarters and production public hols & Feb. & 7 ∑ Museum, along the Detroit
facilities to the city. thewright.org River on the city’s
The automobile industry still Built in 1997, this center
dominates Detroit. A web of high- commemorates the
ways fans out from the city’s contributions made by
revitalized downtown. The city’s Detroit’s large African-
present focal point is the huge American population to
riverfront Renaissance Center, the city’s commercial and
General Motors’ current head- cultural progress. It depicts
quarters. Nearby, Hart Plaza the Middle Passage of Nymph and Eros, on display at the Detroit
hosts year-round riverfront enslaved Africans across the Institute of Arts
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp422–4 and pp425–7

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Eyewitness Travel
LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template V2.1 (OpenType) “UK” LAYER
Catalogue template
“UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 5th October 2006
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm
Size 125mm x 217mm