Detroit, Michigan, USA
1854 - Detroit

Detroit, a flourishing city and port of entry of the state of Michigan, and seat of justice of Wayne county, on Detroit river, 18 miles above the head of Lake Erie, 80 miles E. S. E. from Lansing, 302 miles W. from Buffalo, and 526 miles from Washington. Lat. 42° 20' N., Ion. 82° 68' W. It is beautifully situated on the W. bank of the river, which is here about half a mile wide, and forms one of the finest harbours in the United States. The part of the city contiguous to the river is built on a rectangular plan, ex tending 1200 feet back from the shore ; the space beyond this is divided into triangular sections by a number of avenues, which con verge to an open area called the Grand Circus. These avenues vary in width from 120 to 200 feet. The principal buildings and public offices are situated on Jefferson and Woodward avenues. The city is adorned with several public squares, one of which is named the Campus Martius. Jefferson avenue, one of the finest streets in the city, is well paved, with brick and stone sidewalks. Woodward avenue, crossing the first at right angles, is the principal business street. Congress street is also distinguished for its fine appearance. Among the remarkable edifices may be mentioned the old state house, a commodious brick building, 90 feet by 60, with a dome and steeple 140 feet high, which commands an extensive view, em bracing the city with its environs, Lake St. Clair and the Canadian shore; the city hall, which is a brick building 100 feet by 50. and the Bank of Michigan, a substantial structure of stone, in the Grecian style, which cost about $40,000. Detroit has a well-organized system of public schools. It contains 23 churches, 4 banks, a museum, theatre, and two orphan asylums. The railroad company have a large brick freight house, about 600 feet long by 100 feet wide. Ten or eleven newspapers are published in Detroit, three of them daily, and the others tri-weekly or weekly. The city is lighted with gas, and also supplied with water of the purest quality from Detroit river. It is first forced by steam-power into a reservoir having an elevation of about 50 feet, and thence is conducted through distributing-pipes to the various parts of the town.

Detroit is admirably situated for commerce, and its importance is greatly enhanced by its intimate and extensive relations with a region towards which a prodigious tide of emigration is flowing. By its position on the great chain of lakes, and by means of the connecting rivers and canals, it has a ready communication with the principal centres of trade. A number of large steam-packets, freighted with the merchandise of all climes, and with emigrants from various nations, are constantly ploughing the waters of Lake Erie be tween Detroit and Buffalo. The Detroit river is an excellent stream for navigation, and never overflows its banks. The average difference between high and low water is only 2 or 3 feet. It is closed by ice about four months in the year. The Michigan Central railroad, which is 218 miles long, extends across the state to Lake Michigan, and connects with another road leading to Chicago. The number of passengers on this road, during the year ending June 30, 1852, exceeded 200,000. Several plank-roads extend from the city toward the interior, one of which connects it with the capital of the state. The business of Detroit is immense. The annual exports coastwise amount to about $4,000,000, and the imports to up wards of $15,500,000. Considerable trade is also carried on with Canada. The shipping of the port, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 43,925 tons, enrolled and licensed, of which 24,115 tons were employed in steam navigation. During the year, 10 vessels, (5 of them steamers.) with an aggregate burthen of 2287, tons were admeasured.

The manufactures of the city are extensive and important, consisting of steam-engines and various other kinds of machinery, mill-irons, stoves, ploughs, cabinet ware, &c. Brewing and tanning are also carried on to a considerable extent. At the different steam saw mills herein operation, about 10,000,000 feet of lumber are annually turned out.

Detroit was founded by the French in 1760, and has ever since been a military post. It was the capital of Michigan from the settlement of the state until Lansing was selected as the seat of government. Population in 1830, 2222; in 1840 it was 9102, and in 1850 21,019 ; in 1853, 34,436.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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