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71-496: Algonac State Park is a public recreation area covering 1,550 acres (630 ha) along the St. Clair River , two miles north of the city of Algonac in St. Clair County , Michigan , United States. The state park 's half mile of river frontage offers a view of passing international freighters . The park was established in 1937 with initial state acquisition of 373 acres of land. Over the next ten years, additional acquisitions increased

142-622: 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

213-478: 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

284-455: A broad delta region known as the St. Clair Flats . Like a strait, the river serves as a narrow strip of water which connects two larger bodies of water. The river is 40.5 miles (65.2 km) long and drops 5 feet (2 m) in elevation from Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair. The flow rate averages around 182,000 cubic feet per second (5,200 m /s), and the drainage area is 223,600 square miles (579,000 km ). This takes into account

355-570: 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,

426-639: 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

497-572: 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

568-564: 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

639-754: Is not included. Through the Great Lakes Agreement, a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) was created to initiate cleanup measures. Its background report noted the adverse effects of pollution in the river and lakes: According to the Stage 1 Remedial Action Plan (RAP), the reasons for the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat beneficial use impairment (BUI) in the St. Clair River were general loss of the aquatic plant community due to industrial, agricultural, recreational, and urban developments. A large blob of perchloroethylene

710-520: 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

781-482: 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

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852-680: The Black , Pine , and Belle rivers drain 780,600 acres (315,900 ha) in Lapeer , Macomb , Sanilac , and St. Clair counties; the watersheds around Bunce Creek and Marine City are relatively small. Most of the watershed away from the river in Ontario and Michigan is used for agriculture . There were numerous sugar beet farms in the flatlands, and an annual beet market was held in Marine City, Michigan , for years at harvest time. Many of

923-618: 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

994-754: 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 ,

1065-480: 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

1136-506: 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

1207-632: 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

1278-634: 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

1349-747: 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

1420-715: The beneficial use impairments (BUI) were impaired, which would lead to a $ 21 million investment from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative . After several habitat projects, only two impairments exists: the Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption and the Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption or Taste and Odor Problems. A beneficial use impairment is a change within the physical, biological, and chemical consistency that causes significant environmental degradation . The St. Clair River has undergone several projects and clean up to remove

1491-475: 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

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1562-410: The 19th-century English immigrants to this area came from Lincolnshire , England, where sugar beets were a major commodity crop in the 19th and 20th centuries. A few forest and wetland areas have survived. Their area has declined significantly since European-American settlement, clearing, and development of cultivated fields for various agricultural crops. Much of the shoreline on both sides of

1633-527: The 20th century, traveled throughout the Great Lakes, transporting commodities such as iron ore from the Mesabi Range , copper , and grain , all products of settlers' labor. Iron was taken to Ashtabula, Ohio and other industrial cities for processing and steel manufacture, and grain was often shipped through to major eastern markets such as Cleveland and New York City . From the late 19th century, lake steamers carried passengers and traveled among

1704-540: The BUIs that affected the area. There are currently only 2 BUIs left on the St. Clair River, and once those 2 are removed, the river might go through the delisting process. The St. Clair River AOC includes the entire river, from the Blue Water Bridge at the north end, to the southern tip of Seaway Island, west to St. Johns Marsh and east to include the north shore of Mitchells Bay on Lake St. Clair. Anchor Bay

1775-538: 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

1846-549: 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

1917-729: 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

1988-412: 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

2059-470: 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

2130-428: 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

2201-409: 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

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2272-505: 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

2343-570: 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

2414-427: The Detroit River. European demand for American furs, especially beaver , was high until the 1830s. During the mid-19th century and later, Port Huron and Marine City, Michigan , became major shipbuilding centers, especially the latter. Lumber harvested on The Thumb of Michigan was shipped downriver as log rafts to Detroit for processing and export both domestically and internationally. The wooden ships built along

2485-567: 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

2556-554: The Mean Long-Term Water Level of 578.8 feet. This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the St. Clair River from Lake St. Clair upstream to Lake Huron . 42°31′59″N 82°40′29″W  /  42.53306°N 82.67472°W  / 42.53306; -82.67472 Detroit River The Detroit River is an international river in North America . The river, which forms part of

2627-493: The St. Clair River shoreline and flats consist of two biological zones: upland and transitional, both of which are normally above the water table , but which may be flooded periodically. The upland forests consist of deciduous species, many of which are near their northern climatic limit. Most pre-European settlement trees have been cleared for agriculture, industry, or urbanization. Remaining forest stands, such as oak savannas as well as lakeplain prairies, are found along

2698-436: The St. Clair River is urbanized and extensively industrialized . Intensive development has occurred in and near the adjacent cities of Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia , Ontario , at the northern end of the river. The most dense concentration of industry, including a large petrochemical complex, lies along the Ontario shore south of Sarnia . Historically Sarnia was founded as a fur trading post. Several communities along

2769-772: The St. Clair River ranges from deep and fast near the Blue Water Bridge to shallow and slow in the lower river near its discharge point into Lake St. Clair. Each area provides a unique habitat for aquatic life: The St. Clair River is a binational Area of Concern (AOC) that borders both the United States and Canada. An AOC is an area within the Great Lakes, that has suffered from environmental destruction. The St. Clair River has been considered an AOC because conventional pollutants such as bacteria , heavy metals , toxic organics , contaminated sediment , fish consumption advisories, impacted animal and plant life, and beach closings. The United States found that 10 out of 14 of

2840-401: The St. Clair dropped the long-term average of Great Lakes Huron and Michigan by about 16 inches. A bi-national Great Lakes water-level study concluded in 2013 that unexpected erosion since the last major St. Clair dredging project in the early 1960s has dropped the lakes' long-term average by an additional 3 to 5 inches. Today, these lakes are nearly 2 feet lower than before human modifications to

2911-672: The St. Clair rely on the river as their primary source of drinking water . About one-third to one-half of the residents of Michigan receive their water from the St. Clair/Detroit River waterway. Industries including petroleum refineries , chemical manufacturers, paper mills , salt producers, and electric power plants also need high-quality water for their operations. Since the late 20th century and passage of environmental laws to protect air and water quality, there have been occasional incidents when some of these industries have illegally contaminated river waters after discharging pollutants . Major clean-up activities were required. Land areas of

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2982-458: 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

3053-468: 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 ,

3124-515: 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

3195-571: 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

3266-577: The combined drainage areas of Lakes Huron , Michigan , and Superior . Generations of indigenous cultures traveled by canoe on the lakes and rivers in this area, carrying on trade across the region and continent. In the 18th century, French voyageurs and coureurs des bois traveled on the river to trade with the Ojibwa and other regional Native Americans and transport furs in canoes to major posts of French and British traders, including Fort Detroit , built in 1701 downriver from Lake St. Clair on

3337-559: 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

3408-413: 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 ,

3479-457: 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

3550-412: 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

3621-416: The park offers shoreline walleye fishing, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, shooting range, picnicking facilities, playground, and hunting. St. Clair River The river, which some consider a strait , flows in a southerly direction, connecting the southern end of Lake Huron to the northern end of Lake St. Clair . It branches into several channels near its mouth at Lake St. Clair, creating

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3692-487: The park size to approximately 980 acres. Park development began in the 1940s. Approximately 80% of the park (1,244 acres (503 ha)) is undeveloped. The undeveloped portion encompasses significant lake plain prairies and savannas ("oak openings"), described as unique natural environments in Michigan. The park is home to 22 species of plants, birds and butterflies classified by the state as endangered, threatened, or of special concern. In addition to watching freighters,

3763-481: 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

3834-531: The river carried migrants and immigrants up the river and west through the upper Great Lakes on their way to new homes in the American West. Their farms later shipped out grain to eastern markets as part of the developing area. Beginning in the late 19th century, iron ore mined in the Mesabi Range, copper and grain were carried east through the lakes by lake freighters , increasingly made of steel in

3905-496: 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,

3976-476: 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

4047-407: 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

4118-544: 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

4189-581: 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

4260-416: 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

4331-522: The riverbed of the St. Clair River. This record low has raised concerns about the long-term health of the lakes. Activists urge remediation to slow the flow of waters through the St. Clair River and out of the lake system, to restore former water levels. However, as of October 2020, the Lake Huron water is averaging 581.5 feet above sea level, which is considerably above the Datum of 577.5 feet, and above

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4402-467: The small towns along the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, and around the Great Lakes. At one time 31 lines operated, but with the rise of automobile use in the 20th century, they gradually declined. The St. Clair River and its Lambton County tributaries in Ontario contribute 103,210 acres (41,770 ha) to the watershed . This figure does not include the Sydenham River watershed. In Michigan,

4473-566: The southern reaches of the river, particularly on the islands of the St. Clair River Delta and on the Michigan shore in Algonac State Park . Transitional species are abundant in the low-lying regions, categorized as shrub ecotones , wet meadows , sedge marshes , and island shorelines and beaches . This habitat is home to water and land mammals , including humans, as well as songbirds , waterfowl , insects , pollinators , reptiles , and amphibians . The aquatic habitat of

4544-505: 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

4615-466: 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

4686-465: 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

4757-576: 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,

4828-661: Was found at the bottom of the St Clair River due to runoff from Dow Chemical Corp in 1985. It remains there, slowly mixing with the water. The RAP for the St. Clair River AOC was initiated in 1985. A bi-national group called the RAP Team, which included representatives from federal, state, and provincial governments of both Canada and the United States was established in 1987 to develop the plan and to ensure adequate and appropriate public involvement. Federal officials have long acknowledged that dredging and riverbed mining in

4899-684: 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

4970-610: 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

5041-642: 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

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