Detroit.
I grew up one hour east of Detroit in Ontario, Canada. Detroit has always fascinated me as a curious and mysterious city of beauty and history. Its history explains so much about the incredible highs and lows that the city has endured. Throughout time Detroit has always captured the attention and respect of the world and it continues to do that, today.
I've recently taken a strong interest in Detroit and the steps it's taking to redefine itself. This interest is largely thanks to how much visual exploration that has been made possible through the miles and miles of vivid Street View and 3D imagery on Google Maps. I've grown more curious and have watched, read or listened to the web content about Detroit that can be found on this page. Enjoy the films, documentaries, blogs and other links I've collected below and I hope you're able to form your own view of Detroit as a result.
Street View Images:
(Click the clock to the left of the date on these panoramas to see Street View photos of these places dating back to 2007)
Eastern Market [Images + Wikipedia] - one of the oldest in the country
The Mo-Town Museum (the old Mo-Town HQ) [Images + Wikipedia]
Cliff Bell's - a classic restored jazz-era speakeasy [Wikipedia]
Cafe D'Mongo's [Info]
Jacoby’s Tavern (inside) - Exterior here (the oldest bar in Detroit) [Website]
An interesting street "walk" - Toggle street view historical imagery at the top left
(Thanks: Alain Squindo, Chris Pegg, Jo Hainsworth)
Detroit Google Maps imagery update (2011) - from a blog post I authored as we updated our Detroit imagery.
Must-Watch Detroit Video Documentaries:
BBC Documentary - Requiem for Detroit (no current link but search for this BBC film)
Short Detroit films:
Out in Detroit with Google Maps for Mobile:
(I love this blog post about the film. Disclaimer: I work for Google and helped to make this!)
Detroit X-Games Bid Video:
Music video from Above & Beyond (Making-of film here):
Google Map Maker: Detroit
Looking Back:
MotorCityMapping.org - Amazing parcel by parcel photographic record of the city!
Detroit Free Press: Then & Now photos + Another then & now gallery
The 43,634 Properties in Detroit That Were on the Brink of Foreclosure This Year
Nice historical photo post - including past homes of famous Detroiters + Motown locations post
WIRED: See the Rise of the Motor City: Detroit’s History in Maps
NYTimes: How Detroit Became the World Capital of Staring at Abandoned Old Buildings
Looking Ahead:
Curbed - Detroit (blog)
Jalopnik Detroit (blog)
..and finally, some photos I took from a sightseeing flight over Southern Ontario and directly over the Detroit River toward the city, as well as a few from a drive throughout downtown: