Detroit was once one of the richest cities in the world, thanks to the booming auto manufacturing industry, which enabled workers to afford the cars they helped to produce. However, when U.S. automobile companies began to face competition from Japanese and European manufacturers, the Detroit-based manufacturers decided to cut costs by moving production overseas and to other regions in the U.S. The majority of the city's tax base disappeared; many middle-class workers fled to the suburbs. As a result, the city became one of the nation's most disastrous examples of deindustrialization.
Today, Detroit is embarking on a revitalization campaign aimed at taking the city in new directions through huge redevelopment projects, artwork, and social justice movements that envision new forms of community and new ways of thinking about urban life.
Location: Michigan
Travel Type: Walking
Tour Duration: 2 hours
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