Detroit by Scott Matelle
6.5 out of 10After serving as a trading post for the French and an important fort for the British, Detroit grew into an iconic American city.
The Erie Canal and the Sault Ste. Marie locks facilitated economic activity. The Civil War, WWI, and WWII spurred industrial manufacturing increases and post-war consumerism booms. A new demand for labor led to mass migration into the city. Restaurants, retail shopping, and entertainment grew in response to increased wealth and affluence.
But... Overcrowding. Rioting. Oil embargoes. Fuel regulations. Weakened job market. Shrinking population. Bleakness.