Detroit’s Corktown celebrates the history of Detroit’s oldest neighborhood. From Irish immigrants in the 1840s to urban pioneers of the 21st century, this community has beckoned to the restless of spirit, the adventurous, and those who have sought to escape poverty and oppression to make a new life in America. While the city of Detroit has undergone tremendous change over the years, Corktown has never forgotten the solid working-class roots established by brave pioneers in the mid-19th century. Many of their shotgun homes are still occupied, and many commercial buildings have served the community for decades. Today the neighborhood is the scene of increasing residential and commercial development and has attracted attention throughout the region. No longer exclusively Irish, the community has also been important historically to the large German, Maltese, and Mexican populations of Detroit. Today it is a diverse and proud community of African Americans, Hispanics, working-class people of various national origins, and a growing population of young urban pioneers. It is still the sentimental heart of the Irish American community of metropolitan Detroit, and the Irish Plaza on Sixth Street honors the city’s Irish pioneers and their 600,000 descendents living in the region.

Detroit's Corktown (MI) (Images of America)

Arts & Photography

Delicato, Armando

Demery, Julie

Worker's, Rowhouse Museum

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

Welcome to the Cass Corridor, an area geographically bound by freeways and major thoroughfares, yet boundless in its rich history and influence. Since the French established the sleepy ribbon farms in the 1700s, the Cass Corridor has experienced a fascinating evolution. Home to affluent gentry in the Victorian era, the area became the hub for automotive parts suppliers, film distribution, and pharmaceuticals at the turn of the 20th century. The interwar period saw the area transition to a working-class neighborhood that descended into a slum. The Cass Corridor, however, redefined itself, Detroit, and the nation as a home to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The corridor has long been a cradle of creativity that many renowned personalities called home, including Charles Lindbergh, Gilda Radner, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Marcus Belgrave, and others.

Detroit's Cass Corridor (Images of America)

Khalil, Elias

People of Italian descent have been present in Detroit since Alfonso Tonti, second-in-command to Antoine Cadillac, participated in the founding of the city in 1701. By the close of the 19th century, the trickle of Italian immigrants had become a torrent, as thousands rushed to the growing industrial center. Settling on the lower east side, the community grew rapidly, especially north and east into Macomb County. Italians in Detroit did not remain in a "little Italy," but mingled with the diverse population of the city. Through a combination of hard work and strong family and community ties, the Italians of Detroit have achieved their dreams of a better life. They have met the challenges of living in a new land while nurturing the culture of the old country. The challenge that remains is to nurture a love of heritage among young Italian Americans as the immigrant generation fades.

Italians in Detroit

History

Americas

Arcadia Publishing Library Editions

Detroit's Corktown celebrates the history of Detroit's oldest neighborhood. From Irish immigrants in the 1840s to urban pioneers of the 21st century, this community has beckoned to the restless of spirit, the adventurous, and those who have sought to escape poverty and oppression to make a new life in America. While the city of Detroit has undergone tremendous change over the years, Corktown has never forgotten the solid working-class roots established by brave pioneers in the mid-19th century. Many of their shotgun homes are still occupied, and many commercial buildings have served the community for decades. Today the neighborhood is the scene of increasing residential and commercial development and has attracted attention throughout the region. No longer exclusively Irish, the community has also been important historically to the large German, Maltese, and Mexican populations of Detroit. Today it is a diverse and proud community of African Americans, Hispanics, working-class people of various national origins, and a growing population of young urban pioneers. It is still the sentimental heart of the Irish American community of metropolitan Detroit, and the Irish Plaza on Sixth Street honors the city's Irish pioneers and their 600,000 descendents living in the region.

Detroit's Corktown

Welcome to the Cass Corridor, an area geographically bound by freeways and major thoroughfares, yet boundless in its rich history and influence. Since the French established the sleepy ribbon farms in the 1700s, the Cass Corridor has experienced a fascinating evolution. Home to affluent gentry in the Victorian era, the area became the hub for automotive parts suppliers, film distribution, and pharmaceuticals at the turn of the 20th century. The interwar period saw the area transition to a working-class neighborhood that descended into a slum. The Cass Corridor, however, redefined itself, Detroit, and the nation as a home to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The corridor has long been a cradle of creativity that many renowned personalities called home, including Charles Lindbergh, Gilda Radner, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Marcus Belgrave, and others.

Detroit's Cass Corridor