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88-580: Amherstburg is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario , Canada. In 1796, Fort Malden was established here, stimulating growth in the settlement. The fort has been designated as a National Historic Site . The town is approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the U.S. city of Detroit , Michigan , facing Wyandotte , Grosse Ile Township , Brownstown Charter Township , Trenton , and Gibraltar, Michigan . It

176-622: A Canadian Heritage River .   It is the only river in North America to have such dual designations. In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the larger Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge , a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to preserve the area as an ecological refuge. The millions of dollars spent since that time to dredge pollutants out of

264-478: A river and a strait  — a strait being a narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water, which is how the river earned its name from early French settlers. However, today, the Detroit River is rarely referred to as a strait, because bodies of water referred to as straits are typically much wider relative to their length. The river forms the southern portion of the waterway connecting Lake Huron to

352-620: A "city boy born and raised in South Detroit ", which because little of the city of Detroit is at a latitude south of downtown, some have interpreted as a reference instead to Downriver. Cruisin' Downriver is an annual car show and cruise that takes place on M-85 /Fort St. in the Downriver cities of Southgate, Riverview, Wyandotte and Lincoln Park. It has run yearly since 2000, with people bringing their vintage cars to be seen and heard. There are also places to eat, drink, and shop along

440-616: A 240-acre private residential community, also has white sand beaches, full-service marina, nature trails, the BobLo Island Beach House Restaurant, Captain Bob‘s Island Ice Cream and Coffee Cabin and South Beach Water Sports. BobLo is accessible via a 10-minute private ferry ride, which runs every 20 minutes, 365 days per year. Amherstburg is a town of trade and services to support regional agriculture. It has also become known for several wineries in

528-570: A classical nude woman was originally installed to overlook a reflecting pool in the Grosse Pointe War Memorial . It was nicknamed "The Nude," and, in 2001, was believed to have been successfully stolen for display in some art collector's private cache. During a police diving exercise near a submerged Jeep , the statue was found in 2009, restored, and returned to the memorial. Anchors from the SS Greater Detroit,

616-607: A coke storage site near the river. The production at the Honeywell plant of hydrofluoric acid (HF) was suspended in October 2013 in favour of a plant in Geismar, Louisiana . The Honeywell plant is used in the production of fuels, refrigerants, and other materials. HF is a precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals, as well as being used to produce Teflon , fluoropolymers and fluorocarbons . Because of its highly corrosive nature, HF

704-749: A detachment of the Windsor Police Service . The local public high school in Amherstburg is North Star High School. Up until 2022 the high school was General Amherst High School , named after Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst. Although North Star High School is located in the town, some youth residents choose to attend St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Secondary School , located near the neighbourhood of River Canard. French-speaking students in Amherstburg may also attend École Secondaire E.J. Lajeunesse, located in Windsor, Ontario . Amherstburg

792-639: A luxury steamship that toured the Detroit River from 1924 to 1950, and the famed SS Edmund Fitzgerald , a lake freighter that sank in a terrible 1975 storm, have notably both been recovered from the river. The 6,000-pound anchor of the SS Greater Detroit was raised in November 2016. It was installed at the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Building. The lost anchor of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald

880-492: A population of 2,500. When the fort was no longer needed for military purposes, the government adapted it for use as a provincial "lunatic asylum". Its main building was later used as a Port of Entry, Money Order office, Post Office & savings bank. Amherstburg was incorporated as a town in 1878. The town is named after Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst , commander of the British forces and first British Governor General of

968-508: A sports complex called the Taylor Sportsplex, Oakwood Heritage Hospital, Taylor Meadows and Lakes of Taylor golf courses, Wallside Windows Factory, Cruisin' Telegraph, and Heritage Park . The latter is the site of the annual Junior League World Series each August. In some cases, southern Dearborn Heights is considered to be a part of the Downriver. Rock band Journey's 1981 arena-rock anthem " Don't Stop Believin' " describes

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1056-403: Is also used to dissolve glass, in glass etching and frosting, and is used in quartz purification, chemical milling, steel pickling and cleaning silicon wafers. It is produced by treating the mineral fluorite with sulfuric acid, which produces hydrogen fluoride and calcium sulfate. The plant, which is located at 395 Front Rd, North, had previously suspended its operations between 1992 and 1996. There

1144-670: Is an international river in North America . The river, which forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario , flows west and south for 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit , Michigan , and Windsor , Ontario —an area collectively referred to as Detroit–Windsor . The Ambassador Bridge ,

1232-418: Is composed of three separate parcels connected through rights of way and easements. In 1999, Allied Signal merged with the much smaller Honeywell Inc. but chose to carry on the newly expanded corporation under the Honeywell name. In September 2022, Transit Windsor began a providing service between Amherstburg and Windsor (the nearest local metropolis), on a two-year pilot project. Commercial rail service

1320-572: Is estimated walleye fishing alone brings in $ 1 million to the economy of communities along the lower Detroit River each spring. Other fish caught by recreational fisherman include white bass , bluegill , crappie , freshwater drum , smallmouth bass , northern pike and muskie . There are over 800,000 recreation boats in Michigan, and more than half of them are regularly used on or near the Detroit River. Popular river destinations in Detroit include

1408-564: Is four times longer than the Detroit River and contains most of the watershed. The only other major American tributary to the Detroit River is the much smaller Ecorse River . Tributaries on the Canadian side include Little River, Turkey Creek, and the River Canard . The discharge for the Detroit River is relatively high for a river of its size. The river's discharge averaged over the year is 5,300 m /s (190,000 cu ft/s), and

1496-590: Is home to several tourist attractions, including Fort Malden and the Amherstburg Freedom Museum (formerly the North American Black Historical Museum). This explores the history of African-American refugees in western Ontario, who sought freedom from slavery and made their homes here. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in Amherstburg by the province to commemorate Bellevue House. Built c. 1816-19, it

1584-514: Is hope locally that production will resume at some future time. The plant's gypsum pond was identified in 2008 as the source of high levels of arsenic pollution in the area, which have been a provincial Ministry of the Environment concern since 2006. Honeywell now owns the adjacent Brunner Mond chemical plant and soda ash settling basins site, whose former owners, General Chemical Industrial Products, declared bankruptcy in 2005. This site

1672-520: Is on the banks of the Detroit River. According to a 2004 study, 150,000 jobs and $ 13 billion in annual production depend on the river crossings connecting Detroit to Windsor. In 2004, the American trade with Ontario alone was $ 407 billion, in which 28% ($ 113.3 billion) crossed the Detroit River. There are two automobile traffic routes that completely cross the river: the Detroit–Windsor tunnel and

1760-401: Is part of the Windsor census metropolitan area . Besides the town proper of Amherstburg, the town of Amherstburg comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including the following communities: French colonists had settled along what became the Canadian side of the Detroit River during the colonial era, establishing small farms. The Petite Côte settlement was founded along the river to

1848-529: Is provided through Essex Terminal Railway , which operates a 35 km line to Windsor. The former Michigan Central Railway / CASO railway linking Amherstburg to Essex was converted into the Cypher Systems Group Greenway rail trail in stages beginning in 2007, with the two stream bridges being rehabilitated for public use again in 2017. Small boats are welcome to call at any one of three local marinas that serve Lake Erie and

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1936-482: Is relatively level, dropping only 3 feet (0.9 m) before entering Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). As the river contains no dams and no locks , it is easily navigable by even the smallest of vessels. The watershed basin for the Detroit River is approximately 700 square miles (1,800 km ). Since the river is fairly short, it has few tributaries, the largest being the River Rouge in Michigan; this

2024-440: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Amherstburg had a population of 23,524 living in 9,193 of its 9,548 total private dwellings, a change of 7.2% from its 2016 population of 21,936 . With a land area of 183.76 km (70.95 sq mi), it had a population density of 128.0/km (331.6/sq mi) in 2021. Population trend for former municipalities: Detroit River The Detroit River

2112-618: The Detroit International Riverfront and Belle Isle Park  — both of which host events throughout the year. Several restaurants on the river have docks for boaters. Tour boats and dinner cruises travel through the sights of Detroit and the undeveloped islands downriver. Cruise ships support tourism on the Great Lakes and dock at the Port Detroit passenger terminal downtown. The iconic Renaissance Center

2200-718: The Detroit River . Amherstburg Ferry Company operates private ferry service to Bob-Lo Island community. The ferry service once operated MS  Windmill Point , a car ferry acquired in 1960s after the Ogdensburg–Prescott Ferry service closed following the opening of the Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge . In July 2020, the Amherstburg Ferry Company acquired the Daldean Ferry which had been operating on

2288-754: The Detroit–Windsor Tunnel , and the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel connect the cities. The river's English name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit (translated as "River of the Strait"). The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and Windsor, and is one of the world's busiest waterways. It is an important transportation route connecting Lake Michigan , Lake Huron , and Lake Superior to Lake Erie and eventually to Lake Ontario ,

2376-631: The Ford Rouge Plant Complex , Great Lakes Steel , McLouth Steel , and BASF . While heavy industry is still an important source of jobs, since the late 20th century and industrial restructuring, these communities have a higher proportion of white collar workers, as the economy of Metropolitan Detroit has diversified. Newer developments have featured larger single-family houses for contemporary tastes, and improved freeways have made commuting longer distances feasible. Brownstown Township, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Huron Township and Rockwood in

2464-480: The North American fur trade intensified, European settlers expanded their trade westward into uncharted territories. French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac sailed up the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The next day, he established Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit , which developed as Detroit. The French named the river as Rivière Détroit . Détroit is French for " strait ". The river

2552-553: The St. Lawrence Seaway and the Erie Canal . When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted and toxic. Since the late 20th century, however, a vast restoration effort has been undertaken because of the river's ecological importance. In the early 21st century, the river today has a wide variety of economic and recreational uses. There are numerous islands in

2640-632: The St. Lawrence Seaway or the Erie Canal to New York City . At the beginning of the 20th century, the automotive industry boomed, and the many manufacturers imported abundant supplies of iron ore , sand, limestone and wood. The Detroit River provides substantial revenue for the local economies. A 1991 study showed $ 20.1 million came from sales related to waterfowl hunting along the Detroit River. The same year, bird watching, photography, and other non-consumptive uses of waterfowl contributed another $ 192.8 million to Michigan's economy. Local economies benefit through boating registrations and fishing licenses. It

2728-634: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection , and the Canadian side is secured by the Canada Border Services Agency ; all areas between the American ports of entry and on the American side of the river are secured by the United States Border Patrol . The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a new bridge project which began construction in 2019; it will directly connect Highway 401 in Canada to Interstate 75 in

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2816-692: The War of 1812 , the Detroit River served as a major barrier between the American Michigan Territory and British Upper Canada , especially during the Battle of Fort Detroit in August 1812. Detroit briefly fell to the British. After the completion of the Erie Canal in 1817, which opened up easier travel to Lake Erie from the East Coast of the United States , connecting the Great Lakes to

2904-475: The 17th century. By the time the fur trade decreased, Michigan had begun to exploit the lumber -rich areas of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula . Detroit turned into a major industrial region, largely because of the Detroit River. The only way a ship could travel out of the upper Great Lakes system was to travel down the Detroit River. From there, ships could travel anywhere in the world out of

2992-427: The 1920s-1940s and are identified by brick and mortar homes (often bungalows), tree-lined streets and Works Progress Administration -designed municipal buildings, typical also of the homes within Detroit's city limits. Communities that developed further south in the postwar period of the 1950s-1970s, such as Southgate, Taylor, Riverview, and Trenton, are more closely identified with tract homes and subdivisions. Through

3080-425: The 1980s, areas such as Huron Township, Flat Rock, Rockwood, and Woodhaven were undeveloped, and there are still some operating farms. The Downriver cities of Ecorse, Gibraltar, River Rouge, Riverview, Trenton and Wyandotte, as well as Brownstown Township, are directly bordered by the Detroit River. Grosse Ile is an island community located in the middle of the Detroit River between mainland Downriver communities and

3168-730: The 19th century from Quebec, who became known as Canadian French. St. Jean was their Catholic church. During the days of the Underground Railroad before the American Civil War , refugee African-American slaves often crossed the Detroit river to escape to freedom in Canada, after the Crown abolished slavery. Although Michigan was a free state, slavecatchers went to Detroit trying to capture slaves and take them to owners for bounty. Detroit abolitionists William Lambert and especially George DeBaptiste were key to helping

3256-586: The 2010 and 2011 OMHA playdowns and winners of the town's first-ever OHF title. In the first week of every August, Amherstburg holds a heritage festival, consisting of activities at several locations around town. At Fort Malden, re-enactors depict eras ranging from the Roman Empire to the Second World War, establishing camps and performing battle demonstrations. Since 2006, Amherstburg has held an annual Shores of Erie Wine Festival. As of 2017,

3344-470: The British colonial government in Canada declared former slaves could not be extradited to be returned to their owners. With their freedom in Canada secured, crossing the Detroit River out of the United States became an imperative for escaping slaves. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Union feared the seceded Confederate States of America (CSA) would plan a northerly attack from Canada, which

3432-549: The Canadian border region also assisted Blacks hoping to flee from the U.S. once the Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened in 1850. Canada also granted legal immigration status to Blacks, while Mexico did not for many years. Individuals and organizations assisted escaping slaves hoping to cross the Detroit River from the United States into Canada. The Second Baptist Church of Detroit and First Baptist Church of Amherstburg coordinated ferrying thousands of Blacks across

3520-616: The Canadian towns of LaSalle and Amherstburg, Ontario . The Downriver communities collectively are considered to have a distinct cultural identity within suburban Detroit, although some individual Downriver communities share many similarities with towns in the western, northern and eastern suburbs of Detroit. Taylor is the most populous city in the Downriver area. It is the site of the Wayne County Community College Downriver Campus , Michigan State Police Metro South Post , Southland Center ,

3608-729: The Detroit River , and much of the lower portion of the river is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge . The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into the Detroit International Riverfront and the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor . The Detroit River is designated both an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River —the only river to have this dual designation. The Detroit River flows for 28  mi (45  km ) from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie . By definition, this classifies it as both

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3696-412: The Detroit River but the term "Downriver" refers broadly to the cluster of 18 suburban communities that lie to the southwest of the city of Detroit and to the west of the Detroit River. The Detroit River contains 31 charted islands. The majority of the islands are located on the American side of the river. Many of the islands are small and uninhabited, and none are divided by the international border, as

3784-470: The Detroit River has led to a remarkable restoration, although problems remain. Today, many species of native animals that had been driven out by human development are returning to the area. The river is home to a growing number of bird species such as eagles (including reintroduced bald eagles ), ospreys , and peregrine falcons . Large numbers of lake whitefish , sturgeon , silver bass , black bass , salmon , perch , and walleye are again thriving in

3872-428: The Detroit River into Canada, and Detroit's Colored Vigilant Committee assisted over 1,500 fugitives in crossing into Canada. Famous abolitionists and Underground Railroad conductors including George DeBaptiste and William Lambert worked individually and with these organizations to assist fleeing slaves and condemn slavery.   There was considerable transnational fluidity between the Canadian and American sides of

3960-409: The Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, has been used for industrial purposes for more than 100 years. There has been excessive water pollution of the river from the long-term, unregulated dumping of chemicals, industrial waste, garbage, and sewage. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Thousands of migrating birds died each year because of

4048-505: The Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Finally, a massive conservation effort was initiated to clean up the Detroit River. For years, the multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river and the political influence of nearby industries, hindered conservation efforts. In 1998, the Detroit River was designated as an American Heritage River by the US Environmental Protection Agency and in 2001 as

4136-511: The Detroit River. The French later claimed the area for New France . The famed sailing ship Le Griffon reached the mouth of the Detroit River in mid-August 1679 on its maiden voyage through the Great Lakes . Later, when the French began settling in the area, they navigated the river using canoes made of birch or elm bark. Handcrafted vessels were a common mode of travel across the river, and pirogues and bateaux were also used. As

4224-587: The Detroit River. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge , and an extensive network of recreational trails built under the Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative, are two environmental conservation and recreation projects in the region. The News-Herald is a local newspaper for Downriver, publishing on Wednesdays and Sundays. Downriver communities near Detroit and Dearborn (such as Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, River Rouge, Melvindale and Ecorse) were developed in

4312-567: The Hudson River and the port of New York City, the Detroit River became a route for many migrating settlers traveling to northern Michigan. Detroit rapidly attracted a share of new residents. Following the Patriot War , in which British regulars and Michigan militia nearly came to armed conflict on the ice-covered Detroit River, the United States built Fort Wayne at Detroit to counter Britain's riverside Fort Malden at Amherstburg across

4400-482: The Province of Quebec (1760). In 1998, The Town of Amherstburg absorbed the neighbouring Township of Anderdon (to its northeast) and Township of Malden (to its southeast) to form a larger Town of Amherstburg. At 20:01 Eastern Daylight Time on April 19, 2018, a magnitude 3.6 earthquake (with a depth of 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi)) occurred in Amherstburg, between the main portion of town and McGregor . No damage

4488-567: The St. Clair River between since 1951. Amherstburg is home to the following competitive sports teams: The Amherstburg North Stars Midget "B" hockey team were winners of the 1976 OMHA playdowns and winners of the town's first-ever OMHA All-Ontario title for any age group. The Amherstburg North Stars Juvenile "BB" hockey team were the winners of the 1977 OMHA playdowns and winners of the town's first-ever OMHA All-Ontario title for that age group. The Amherstburg Stars Midget "A" hockey team were winners of

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4576-644: The Thirteen Colonies, or as payment for service in the military during the war. The Crown also wanted to increase population and development in Upper Canada. The new settlers built many of their houses in the French style of a century before, giving the new town a historic character. French-speaking colonists also settled here, some of whom were descendants of soldiers and traders associated with Fort Detroit, or other early colonists. They were known as Fort Detroit French, in contrast to later migrants of

4664-452: The United States. Downriver communities The name derives from the fact that the Detroit River , after running more or less west along the banks of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario , then bends to flow largely south before emptying into Lake Erie . Communities to the south of the city can thus be accessed by traveling downriver (as opposed to upriver) along the waterway. The Downriver label can be controversial, and many communities and

4752-618: The area. Amherstburg Farmers' Market is open every Saturday, from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The Farmer's Market is located at the end of Howard Avenue near County Rd 20. Amherstburg also has a high proportion of retirement residences and second homes. Local industry includes Diageo , a whiskey bottling plant for the Crown Royal Canadian whiskey, Windsor Mold's Precision Plastics, one of Ontario's largest full-service suppliers of industrial plastics and thermoplastic, and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technology. Marathon Oil has

4840-509: The best fall birding sites in North America for viewing migratory birds. The 546-acre (2.21 km) nature reserve contains over 2,000 feet (610 m) of beaches, picnic areas, a 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) trail along the edge of Big Creek Marsh. Holiday Beach is considered a premiere spot to view the fall migration of raptors (birds of prey). A 'Festival of Hawks' event takes place in September. BobLo Island , which has been developed into

4928-458: The booming businesses and long history of Metro Detroit and Windsor, Ontario , the Detroit River has been the site of many artifacts, some lost with sunken ships and others abandoned, such as murder weapons or stolen bronze statues. A DMC DeLorean has also been recovered from the river. The artifacts recovered are well preserved due to the river's fresh water but low visibility makes them difficult to find. A 1940s-era bronze statue depicting

5016-436: The businesses therein have made various attempts to embrace, reject, or redefine the Downriver name. The proximity to Canada across the Detroit River, coupled with residents associated with The Purple Gang , made Downriver one of the nation's major bootlegging hubs during Prohibition . According to Intemperance: The Lost War Against Liquor by Larry Englemann, "Soon after the passage of prohibition thousands of residents of

5104-515: The center of a new industry known as rum-running , smuggling liquor into the US. No bridges connected Ontario, Canada and Michigan, US, until the Ambassador Bridge was finished in 1929 and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel in 1930. Smugglers used boats of varying sizes to transport alcohol across the river during the summer, and during the winter months, rum-runners traveled back and forth across

5192-571: The city of Detroit is directly north of the city of Windsor, Ontario . The only other location where this occurs is Fort Erie, Ontario , which lies south of several cities in Niagara County, New York . The cities and communities southwest of Detroit along the American side of the river are popularly referred to as the Downriver area, because those areas are said to be "down the river" from Detroit. Several of these communities do not border

5280-591: The downriver communities began participating in rum-running and consequently reaped nearly unbelievable riches from their activities. During the prohibition years, in Ecorse and the other downriver towns, crime paid. Lavishly." In the first half of the 20th century, the urban communities in the northern and middle parts of Downriver were mainly populated by workers who were employed by the dozens of auto factories, manufacturing suppliers, ship builders, steel mills and chemical plants making up local heavy industry , including

5368-497: The event has been cancelled indefinitely after a liquor breach fine and the death of a teenager in 2014. Amherstburg also celebrates Canada Day with a yearly fireworks display and a day of family activities. Art by the River (established in 1967), is an annual two-day arts and craft festival that takes place the weekend before Labour Day weekend on the grounds of Fort Malden National Historic Site. Other festivities include: In

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5456-559: The frozen Detroit River by car. In some cases, overloaded cars fell through the ice. In the 21st century, car parts from this era are occasionally still found on the bottom of the river. Rum-running in Windsor and production of bootleg liquor became common practices. American mobsters such as the Purple Gang of Detroit used violence to control the route known as the "Detroit-Windsor Funnel," and continue to gain lucrative returns from

5544-413: The government's placing tighter restrictions on industries; substantial government funding at various levels has been allocated to clean up the river. In this early period, opponents believed that such efforts would adversely affect Detroit's industry and economy. In 1970, toxic levels of mercury in the water resulted in the total closing of the fishing industry in the St. Clair River , Lake St. Clair ,

5632-502: The late 20th century, there has been an increase in immigrants of other ancestries and religions, including East Asian Muslims and Hindus. Downriver communities were once known for their numerous residents of Southern origin, who had migrated to Michigan to work in the automotive industry during the early to mid-20th century. This migration slowed after World War II . Distinctively or predominantly Southern neighborhoods have not existed in Downriver for several decades. The composition of

5720-457: The north and Lake Erie to the south, with other portions including the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair . The Detroit River is only 0.5–2.5 miles (0.8–4.0 km) wide. It begins with an east-to-west flow from Lake St. Clair, but curves and runs north to south. The deepest portion of the Detroit River is 53 feet (16.2 m) in its northern portion. At its source, the river is at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level. The river

5808-484: The north. In 1796, after losing the Thirteen Colonies following the American Revolutionary War, the British established Fort Malden as a military fort overlooking the river's mouth at Lake Erie. It was occupied as a garrison. This stimulated development in the area, as did the Crown granting land in Upper Canada to Loyalists (now known as United Empire Loyalists ) in compensation for losses in

5896-412: The oil slicks and contaminated water around the mouth of the Detroit River at Lake Erie . The river's oxygen levels were depleted to the point where fish could not inhabit its waters. Because this pollution often drained into and affected Lake Erie, the lake was considered "dead" and unable to support aquatic life. In 1961, a congressional order founded the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge. That began

5984-459: The permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Windsor, travelling exhibits from Ontario museums and galleries, and student art/photography exhibits. A restored Essex Terminal railway caboose is operated as a railway museum. Gordon House was built in 1798 as a residence overlooking the Detroit River. Since being restored, it houses a Marine exhibit. The Holiday Beach Conservation Area is one of

6072-481: The privately owned Ambassador Bridge , both of which connect Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario. A railway tunnel and a commercial truck ferry service also travel between Detroit and Windsor. In Michigan, there are two bridges connecting the mainland to Grosse Ile , as well as the MacArthur Bridge that connects the mainland Detroit to Belle Isle . All ports of entry on the American side are secured by

6160-496: The river lives in Michigan . The Detroit River has two automobile traffic crossings connecting the United States and Canada: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel . Both of these are strongly protected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency . The upper portion of the river is one of the two places where a Canadian city lies directly south of an American city. In this case,

6248-476: The river until the middle of the 19th century. The 1833 Blackburn Riots in Detroit, which erupted after slave hunters detained couple Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, marked the end of hundreds of years of a nearly porous border between Canada and the United States on the Detroit River. Detroit's African American population protested and helped the Blackburns escape across the Detroit River to Upper Canada, where

6336-407: The river's flow is relatively constant. The Detroit River forms a major element of the international border between the United States and Canada. The river on the American side is all under the jurisdiction of Wayne County, Michigan , and the Canadian side is under the administration of Essex County, Ontario . The largest city along the Detroit River is Detroit , and most of the population along

6424-544: The river. The Detroit River and its recovery efforts were listed as a Michigan State Historic Site in 2007. A historic marker was erected along the river in a park that now serves as the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge visitor center in the city of Trenton . The Detroit River is used for shipping and trading. The earliest use of the river for these economic activities was the shipping of furs for trade as early as

6512-510: The river. The Detroit River served as a final stop on the Underground Railroad and was the most active entry point along the United States–Canada border for fugitive slaves. Escaping slaves often chose to cross through the Detroit River rather than flee to Mexico because of the river's location near free states made it less risky than traveling through slaveholding states that border Mexico. The strong Underground Railroad networks in

6600-416: The river. Inventory documents record a total of 17 cannons and 14 have been accounted for. It is believed that the British dragged the cannons onto the frozen river so they would sink with the spring thaw, and be kept from use by the American enemy. Another seven, larger cannons may have fallen off a barge closer to Amherstburg , Ontario , and may yet be found in the river. Much of the land that surrounds

6688-599: The route. According to an analysis of 2020 census data by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, the 18 Downriver cities and townships had an aggregate population of 356,601. As of 1989, the most common ethnic identities were German, Irish, and Polish. Other ethnic groups included Southern Whites, Blacks, Italians, Maltese and Hungarians. Ethnic festivals have been held during the summers. As of that year, historically most people growing up in Downriver stayed there after entering adulthood. Since

6776-530: The slaves escape. DeBaptiste owned a lake steamboat that he used to offload refugees in town while docked ostensibly to load lumber. They used Fort Malden as one of several entry points to Canada. The town is mentioned in Uncle Tom’s Cabin as the entry point of George and Eliza, after escaping from slavery in the United States. By 1869, the town of Amherstburg in the Township of Malden, County of Essex had

6864-543: The southern parts of Downriver were predominantly rural communities during the first half of the 20th century. While these communities have been developed for residential use and had significant population growth and suburbanization since the late 20th century, some working farms can still be found in these towns. Today, Downriver overall is known largely as a suburban Detroit region with working-class residential neighborhoods and recreational opportunities focused on boating, fishing, bird watching and waterfowl hunting areas around

6952-505: The trade. The name parodied the newly built tunnel between the cities and nations. The Detroit River, Lake St. Clair , and the St. Clair River are estimated to have carried 75% of all liquor smuggled into the United States during Prohibition. Government officials were unable or unwilling to deter the flow. The rum-running industry died when prohibition was repealed in 1933 by the Twenty-first Amendment . Because of

7040-466: The two countries do not share a land border along the river. Grosse Ile is the largest and most populated of all islands, and Fighting Island is the largest Canadian island. Most islands are located in the southern portion of the river. Europeans first recorded navigating the Detroit River in the 17th century. The Iroquois traded furs with the Dutch colonists at New Amsterdam by traveling through

7128-465: The world. By comparison, London shipped 18,727,230 tons (16 billion kg), and New York shipped 20,390,953 tons (18 billion kg). From 1920 to 1933, the United States (US) enforced the Prohibition era . The sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption were nationally banned. Detroit, as the largest city bordering Canada, where alcohol remained legal during Prohibition, became

7216-576: Was controlled by the British Empire and remained neutral in the war. The Union feared the CSA would cross the Detroit River to launch this attack. For that reason, Union forces regularly patrolled the Detroit River and the fortification at Fort Wayne improved, although it was far removed from any major combat. A Confederate plot to capture the U.S. Navy warship, USS Michigan , and liberate Confederate prisoners from Johnson Island , in western Lake Erie,

7304-684: Was known literally as the "River of the Strait". When Great Britain defeated the French in the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War on the American front), it took over control of the Detroit River, as well as other French territory east of the Mississippi River. The newly formed United States claimed this territory during the American Revolution , but the British did not transfer it until 1796. During

7392-610: Was narrowly averted only after the Confederates had captured two passenger steamships. At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit's industrialization took off on an unprecedented scale. The Detroit River became the world's busiest commercial river and in 1908 was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" by The Detroit News . In 1907, the Detroit River carried 67,292,504 tons (61 billion kg) of shipping commerce through Detroit to markets all over

7480-642: Was recovered during a July 1992 project, and the anchor was installed in the yard of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle . Since the 1980s, divers have recovered a total of six 1700s-era cannons from the river. The last was found in 2011 near the Cobo Center . They are believed to have been part of the pre- War of 1812 inventory kept by the British garrison in this area. Historians believe another three cannon may still be in

7568-404: Was reported, but the 30-second shaking was felt in Windsor , Downtown Detroit , and the Downriver communities across the river, such as Grosse Ile, Michigan . Some minor shaking was felt as far away as Toledo, Ohio along Lake Erie and Ann Arbor in the interior of Michigan. The Amherstburg Police Service was dissolved at the end of 2018, with its officers and responsibilities transferred to

7656-496: Was the home of Catherine Reynolds, a landscape painter, and her brother Robert Reynolds. Additional tourist attractions include the Park House Museum and King's Navy Yard Park, both of which are located in the heart of old Amherstburg. The Gibson Gallery is located in a former Michigan Central Railroad Station (c. 1896), which has been fully restored. The gallery operates year-round, featuring exhibits by local artists,

7744-410: Was used since 1920 to manufacture calcium chloride and other chemicals, which were shipped from a deep water port on the Detroit River. The site has been since April 2012 the subject of remediation work, supervised by CH2M Hill . The plant was once part of Allied Chemical , which retained it when it sold the soda ash and calcium chloride operations and Amherst Quarries to General Chemical. The plant

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