80-591: Fox Island is a naturally formed island in the Detroit River , in southeast Michigan , United States. In the late 1800s, it was used by the Dunbar & Sullivan Company to store explosives used for engineering projects in the Detroit River's shipping channels. When this was forbidden by a court injunction following an 1879 explosion, the company constructed Powder House Island several hundred yards to
160-622: 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
240-415: 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
320-675: 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 , 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
400-570: 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,
480-463: A haystack thirteen miles southwest of Toledo. The Czar was never found. As the Czar left Fox Island so suddenly, he hadn't time to take even a nickel along with him and so had to walk into Toledo. He was put off seven Canada Southern trains before he reached Amherstsburg. With tears in his eyes Alexander told a reporter of The Free Press that he thought it wasn't likely that lightning would strike twice in
560-459: A hearing on November 26, 1850, concluded a chancery case regarding the island, an announcement of a chancery sale was issued on December 27 by William Gray, Master in Chancery of Wayne County. The Wayne County Circuit Court was to hold a public auction for Fox Island (in addition to Sugar, Hickory, Celeron and Calf Islands, and three additional parcels of land on Grosse Ile); on February 19,
640-437: A little peace and rest. He arrived in this country last fall and took up his residence on Fox Island, a little bit of land in a lonely part of the Detroit River, far from the track of vessels. Everyone will remember the tremendous nitro-glycerine explosion which took place a while ago on Fox Island. It shook the windows 100 miles away. It caught the Czar just as he was splitting wood to prepeare his noonday meal and it landed him in
720-639: 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
800-403: A particle" of the explosives' tin packaging could be found, and no trace of the original building remained; where it stood, there was a crater 60 ft (18 m) wide and 16 ft (4.9 m) deep. While the bottom of the crater was below the water level in the river outside, its inside was dry, as "the sand seemed closely packed as to prevent the entrance of [water]". It is unclear whether
880-606: A sturgeon fishing operation based out of the island was "supposed to be the best in the United States". Historical records of Fox Island can be difficult to locate, since there are more than a dozen Fox Islands in the English-speaking world; within the lower peninsula of Michigan alone, there are two others ( North Fox Island and South Fox Island , both in Leelanau County ). Nonetheless, the Fox Island in
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#1732773330473960-572: 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
1040-564: 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
1120-520: 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
1200-753: 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
1280-482: 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
1360-541: Is uninhabited and administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as the island was included into Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in 1976. Celeron Island is undergoing a restoration project with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Celeron Island was named for Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville . This Wayne County, Michigan location article
1440-536: The Canada Southern ferry landing on Stony Island, approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of Fox Island, said that his cabin "swayed and creaked, the timbers yielded and parted, and the wires were tightened to such an extent that he expected to see the whole structure go by the board". The noise, heard in Wyandotte (9 mi (14 km) away) as "heavier than that of artillery fired close at hand",
1520-531: 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
1600-412: The Detroit River is downstream of Lake St. Clair , Belle Isle and Fighting Island ; it is located to the east of Detroit, between Grosse Ile and Bois Blanc Island. It is approximately 1,100 yd (3,300 ft; 1,000 m) from the water border between the United States and Canada . The closest land features to Fox Island are Elba Island , approximately 450 yd (1,350 ft; 410 m) to
1680-480: 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
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#17327733304731760-737: 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
1840-634: 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
1920-747: 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
2000-666: The "importance of the work [...] deepening the channel at Lime-Kiln Crossing". Another explosion would occur at Dunbar's worksite at the Lime Kiln Crossing in September 1880; while no deaths occurred as a result of the explosion, it destroyed a scow, shattered windows on nearby vessels, shook houses in Amherstburg "to their foundations", and could be felt in Essex Center 16 mi (26 km) away. Subsequently,
2080-475: 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
2160-401: 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 the Detroit River , and much of the lower portion of the river
2240-538: 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
2320-549: 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
2400-412: 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
2480-470: 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
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2560-428: 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
2640-449: The Detroit River is shown on survey maps of the area in the early 19th century; it appears on an 1818 United States government survey by Joseph Fletcher and Edward Tiffin. The Detroit Free Press made references as early as 1846 to a "Fox Island" in the specific context of the Detroit River. Fox Island was initially deeded on June 22, 1829, on which date the United States granted it to Sarah Macomb along with several other parcels. After
2720-409: 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
2800-505: 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
2880-511: 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
2960-567: 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
3040-610: The Junction to The Free Press office, where he arrived at a quarter past 6 last evening. It was supposed to be the drill scow that blew up in the Detroit River last week, but his Majesty knows better. It was the Nihilists . In 1881, work on the Lime-Kiln Crossing was continuing, and the issue of nitroglycerin storage needed to be resolved. By May, construction was underway on an artificial island several hundred yards to
3120-459: 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 , the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Erie Canal . When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of
3200-760: The United States. Celeron Island Celeron Island is an island in the Detroit River . It is in Wayne County , in southeast Michigan , and the southernmost island within Grosse Ile Township . Its coordinates are 42°04′47″N 83°10′24″W / 42.07972°N 83.17333°W / 42.07972; -83.17333 ( Celeron Island ) , and the United States Geological Survey gave its elevation as 571 ft (174 m) in 1980. Due to erosion, it now comprises two separate islands. Celeron Island
3280-514: The West India Islands in slight shocks. As this was doubtless caused by an earthwave arising from the Fox Island explosion, the amove information may be interesting from a scientific point of view, showing the distances to which such vibrations extend. The next morning, Thomas Dunbar and Henry Duff visited the island to assess the damage; they found the island "torn and rent", with large trees uprooted and torn into strange positions. "Not
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3360-548: The area surrounding the island is used for perch fishing; as of 2012, the island was privately owned. Detroit River The Detroit River 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
3440-424: The auction was held, and the islands were sold. In 1868, a young boy was found drowned in the river near Fox Island; he was identified as Charles Maurice, who had recently gone missing nearby; an inquest found that the drowning was accidental, and he was buried on the island. In 1879, another accident occurred, in which Wilbur R. Tillinghast (the rector of Holy Trinity Church) died during a church camping trip. In
3520-458: 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
3600-515: 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
3680-571: 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
3760-504: The east and relocated their explosive facilities there. Since then, Fox Island has served as a picnic location and campsite; in the early 20th century, it was the site of a vacation home owned by C. F. Parent . The island is now privately owned, but remains a fishing spot (notably for perch ). Fox Island's coordinates are 42°06′21″N 83°08′30″W / 42.10583°N 83.14167°W / 42.10583; -83.14167 ( Fox Island ) , in Wayne County . Its position in
3840-402: The east of Fox Island, built up from the river floor with rock excavated from the channel. Between eight and ten carpenters, under the direction of John P. Jones, were tasked with building a scow . While the new island was initially referred to as "Dunbar Island", it eventually became known as "Powder House Island"; the dynamite operations of Dunbar's company eventually moved there, and Fox Island
3920-440: The explosion was accidental, or deliberate; there had been reports of suspicious lights on the island on previous nights, and it was noted by demolition experts that "had the whole amount in the building exploded, the island would have been stripped of every tree and far greater damage done to the houses at Amherstburg and Grosse Ile". As the three tons of nitroglycerin was valued at around $ 5,000 (equivalent to $ 164,000 in 2023), it
4000-559: 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
4080-413: 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 ,
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#17327733304734160-525: The late 19th century, Fox Island saw use by the Dunbar & Sullivan Company, a government contractor charged with deepening and widening shipping channels in the Detroit River (specifically, deepening the Lime-Kiln Crossing . Dunbar & Sullivan, who would later build facilities on nearby Powder House Island and Stony Island, used Fox Island to store dynamite . The powder house , situated on
4240-635: The mouth of the Detroit River, is better this year than it has been before in many years. Where the fishermen usually catch three or four per week, they are catching ten and fifteen per day, the fish averaging from 75 to 125 pounds each." In July of that year, a camping ground and cottage were offered for rent on Fox Island. On June 27, 1906, Dunbar's dynamite facilities, now located on the recently constructed Powder House Island , would again explode. No deaths occurred, but two men were injured, when 20 short tons (18,000 kg) of dynamite detonated; thousands of windows were shattered on Grosse Ile alone, plate glass
4320-457: 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
4400-460: The numerous steamers and vessels, which are constantly passing, but from storms. 1851 references to Fox Island give its area as 0.81 acres (0.33 ha); in 1908 it was described as "2 acres solid soil" (0.81 ha). The island is home to many types of fish, and is known as a good spot for perch, which have been there since at least the 1880s. A 1982 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service described channel catfish spawning on its shores. In 1903,
4480-412: 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
4560-481: 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
4640-524: The request to dissolve the injunction was denied without cost on November 23. The explosions became a target for satire. The October 1, 1880, edition of the Detroit Free Press , said: We have a very important announcement to make. The Czar of Russia is in America. He is, in fact, hiding within twenty miles of Detroit. He left somebody to act Czar and run Russia for him, while he tried to have
4720-496: 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,
4800-476: 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
4880-407: 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
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#17327733304734960-544: 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
5040-581: 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
5120-416: 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
5200-498: The same place, so he again took up his residence among the lower islands of the Detroit, and spent the time fishing at Lime-Kiln Crossing. The second day, just as he had hooked on the biggest perch of the season, the water seemed to heave up under him and instead of landing the fish he was himself landed on a tree top near Essex Center, Ontario, some sixteen miles inland. Again he was short of cash and it took ten trains to take him consecutively into Detroit and over then he had to walk from
5280-434: The surrounding region. An 1871 article about the section of the Detroit River near Grosse Ile described the area: The river and lake view is beautiful. The broad expanse of Detroit River lying between Grosse Isle on the one side, Stoney Island, Fox Island, Bois Blanc Island, Sugar Island, Hickory Island, and Elba Island on the other, furnish ample room for sail and row boats and for fishing, not only secure from all danger from
5360-505: 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
5440-466: 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
5520-436: The west side of the island, was 16 ft (4.9 m) wide and 24 ft (7.3 m) long and had previously been stocked with some three tons of nitroglycerin . On December 12, 1879, the nitroglycerin detonated without warning. While nobody was injured in the explosion, the shock wave destroyed the windows and chimneys of nearby houses, and was "plainly felt" as far as 36 mi (58 km) away. A telegraph operator at
5600-537: The west, and Powder House Island, approximately 500 yd (1,500 ft; 460 m) to the east; other features in the vicinity include Stony Island (Michigan) to the north, the Canadian Crystal Island to the northeast, Sugar Island to the south, and Meso and Hickory Islands to the southwest. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) gave its elevation as 587 ft (179 m) in 1980. Fox Island has existed as long as humans have inhabited
5680-465: 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
5760-452: Was abandoned. Fox Island, while no longer used for commercial or industrial purposes, remained a destination for boaters and fishers; in 1884, recreational boaters found a dog howling on Fox Island and brought it safely to Elba Island. One picnic, on July 30, 1886, was attended by "about 100 hands employed in the carpenter and joiner shop at Mara & Sons". In May 1902, the Detroit Free Press said: "The sturgeon fishing at Fox Island, at
5840-474: Was audible in the city of St. Clair , some 60 mi (97 km) to the north: Noises were heard in various houses in this city, principally on the higher parts, thirty-five or forty feet above the St. Clair River, the character of the sound being described as nearly the same, similar to a blow or shaking on a door. My impression was that it was an earthquake, for the vibration was the same that I have experienced in
5920-484: Was broken 3 miles (4.8 km) away in Trenton , and the shockwave from the explosion was felt as far as Cleveland, Ohio , 85 mi (137 km) away on the other side of Lake Erie . The cause of the explosion was not known with certainty, as it had been a hot day, but it was suspected to be related to Rogers and Perry firing revolvers near the dynamite storage area immediately before it exploded. In 1908, Fox Island
6000-576: 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,
6080-684: 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
6160-610: 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
6240-453: Was put up for sale, in an advertisement saying it could "be made the most delightful residence spot on the Detroit River". It was eventually purchased by C.F. Parent , who in 1909 sought to build a large summer home on the island (and to secure electric lighting for Grosse Ile from Trenton). In 1949, a man was brought to safety on Fox Island after a fishing boat capsized in the Detroit River, although his companion could not be saved. Presently,
6320-642: 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
6400-401: Was suspected that a large portion may have been stolen beforehand, and the rest intentionally destroyed to conceal evidence of the theft. On March 16, 1880, an injunction was granted prohibiting Charles F. Dunbar and Daniel B. Reaume from "storing nitroglycerine or any other explosive material on Fox Island"; on May 2, Dunbar and Reaume requested that the injunction be dissolved, on the basis of
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