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So I'm dedicating this blog post to the person who left a fairly nasty comment about Detroit in another blog. The very unfortunate part is that we really have a lot to offer people who live here, but many who have never been here, just think of this as a car city with lots of crime. While that is true, there is many other things to be thankful for in this city of ours.
Some of you in this country probably think Detroit is just this desolate, decaying old auto town and you are right about some parts of it but then most large cities have area of blight. It's an unfortunate fact of a large city. Anyway, I decided to put a list together of many of the great things that Detroit does offer:
- Motor City capital of the WORLD
- We have some great museums including Motown Museum, Detroit Science Center, Detroit Institute of Art, Henry Ford Museum and Meadowbrook Hall.
- Belle Isle Park. A wonderful park in the City of Detroit and a great place to run and see the skyline of Detroit. In fact, some of my best running has been in the City.
- Hart Plaza, a great place for summer concerts and/or to watch the fireworks.
- The only international marathon in the world with a run over a bridge and back through a tunnel underwater.
- Home of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons
- We have one of the wealthiest counties in the Country, Oakland County
- We have Somerset Mall, one of the largest and nicest malls in the area
- We have some of the largest companies headquartered here including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Compuware
- We have one of the largest populations of Arabic people outside of the Middle East with incredible restaurants
- We have some of the best engineers and best doctors in the country living here
- We have what every State wishes they had - to be surrounded by fresh water! We have hundreds of lakes and golf courses.
- We have quick access to Canada since it's just across the water.
- We have some of the best Universities in the country here including Michigan, Michigan State, Oakland University
- We have some of the best parks in the area
- We have a very affordable cost of living and while I think there are many other states that are beautiful, my home would probably be three to ten times the price.
- We have access to an incredible northern woods area called Northern Michigan that has some incredible areas as well, many of which could not survive without tourists from other States visiting.
- We have an incredible zoo!
- We have Vernor's and Sanders.
- We have some incredible historic homes in Detroit
- We have Mexican Town with awesome restaurants
- We have some of the best Coney dogs in the country
So, there you have it. While we have our issues, it's certainly far from being a cesspool that many people think it is.
Ok, rant over! Here's a few pictures to go along with my list.
Have a great day and.......Keep Running!!!!
Way to stand by your home town/state! I agree, Michigan has lots to offer. Every place has down days, but they all recover, and yours will too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful blog post!
ReplyDeleteYay Detroit! I love it, despite what other people say :) Thx for posting this
ReplyDeleteawesome! love the museums, I went to a few in college
ReplyDeleteYEA! REDWINGS!!
ReplyDeleteWay to stand up for Detroit!! I've actually only been to the airport but I do think that should be added to the list. Detroit has an AMAZING airport! I've spent a lot of time in Michigan throughout my life and I will add that it is one of the most beautiful states I've ever been to. The lakes are amazing, the people are friendly and it is laid back living at it's finest. My cousin and his wife live in Detroit and do very well there. They love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. It makes me miss my hometown even more.
ReplyDeleteLove that you are loyal to where you live. This is the kind of strong roots that every community needs. :)
ReplyDeleteI have not been to Detroit and I am sorry someone dissed your home town. That sucks! However, you did a great job of standing up for her. I now want to visit!
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to Florida for 10+ years there were definitely a few things on this list I missed immensely and now that I have returned, I feel like I am exploring everything for the first time with new eyes and appreciation. I absolutely LOVE how breathtakingly beautiful Detroit is, even the bad areas have so much potential and I hope and pray I see our great city rise again.
ReplyDeleteWhoever dissed Detroit doesn't know anything about the city and was disrespecting the history of our country! Detroit and the early industrial pioneers revolutionized industry for everyone. It changed the course of history and contributed to the wealth of our country & success in the great wars. I lived in E Lansing for just one year and loved my few visits to Detroit. I was fascinated with the history, the neighborhoods (the food in Mexican town & Hammtramick), and best of all, the Motown Museum and DIA. I think few people know that the DIA is the fourth wealthiest/largest art museum in the country. That's impressive when you consider what NYC and DC have! I have two prints in my living room of Diego Rivera's murals found in the DIA. INCREDIBLE! They are a beautiful tribute to the whole state of Michigan and make my husband proud :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for defending your great city! I just hope Detroit and the rest of the state rebounds from this horrible recession.
Best of luck to you Jeff! RUN ON!
I am not trying to detract from anything else you said, but since we lived there for over 7 years before moving to Atlanta I have to whole-heartedly agree with your last statement:
ReplyDelete"We have some of the best Coney dogs in the country"
We still miss that after almost 12 years of being in Atlanta, and still talk about it on a regular basis to people around here and amongst ourselves. It is one of the "must eat" whenever we visit family in Detroit. We are not necessarily drawn to any specific chain, but you can easily find a good Coney in Detroit.
We just talked about it earlier this week when we were downtown Atlanta driving by the Varsity. As popular as the Varsity is in Atlanta we were wondering how much more popular it would be if the coney's were (actually editable) anywhere near as good as the worst coney's in Detroit.
One thing we don't miss is the weather.
Oh, and since we went to the Atlanta Zoo we also talked about how much better the Detroit zoo is...
ReplyDeleteI agree with way too many of your points to call any out. Except for the one about Michigan State and Vernor's! I can't wait to run the Detroit Half, it'll be so great! This is a really wonderful post and tribute to a great city. Part of my family and my husbands, lived in Detroit till the 50's and I love visiting the city! I really wish the best for it and hope it thrives again soon!
ReplyDeleteIt's always easy to diss a place you've never been to. I always hear a lot of crap about Iowa, but I'd rather live here any day of the week!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your tribute to Detroit.
Don't feel bad. People talk smack about Louisiana, my hometown, ALLLL the time! lol. I love it, though!
ReplyDeleteI can relate. When I tell people I live in Omaha....they immediately think of corn fields and hay bales. Country hicks, with a piece of wheat sticking out of their mouths. Dusty pickups and nothing to do. Believe it or not, we have running water and electricity. (giggle)
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Detroit, and I will admit, it's not ever been at the top of my list of places I want to go. But after reading you blog for a while now, I wouldn't mind going for a visit. :-)
There is a lot to be said about Detroit that is GOOD! Thanks for sharing those great pics with us!
ReplyDeleteWow, cool pics! I too live near a city often more known for smog, crime, and traffic-but I am a proud Houstonian! Dang haters :P!
ReplyDelete...sigh...I miss that part of the state...
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget Better Made chips and Faygo!!!
(thanks for the northern Michigan shoutout!)
Cool post! I've never been to Detroit, but it makes me want to visit!
ReplyDeleteMy parents grew up in Windsor and I spent ALL MY SUMMERS in Windsor and part of those days were hanging out in Detroit!!! Hello Freedom Festival! Love that city!!! GREAT POST!!!
ReplyDeleteWay to stick up for your city. Negative comments are not needed on these fun blogs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment about the RW article called BQ or Die. Check this out. The author interviewed me for an hour and uses my old Blog name for the article title and did not attribute it to me in any way. I was not impressed.
I know the comment you're talking about - thanks for not naming the person or the blog. No doubt this country was built on the strength of great cities like Detroit. They got my Royals yesterday - but we'll try it again today!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the comments.
ReplyDeleteChris - well, at least you were in there. Plus most of us on here know you. He really could have mentioned the correct name but it was an article on BQ so probably why he did not.
Jim - Yes, we did get lucky. It was our opening day so it was nice to win that one at least.
Jess - Yes, Better made - awesome chips! And who could forget Faygo! I have a place in Northern Michigan so I can't for get about that!
Megan/Nej - Be proud of where you live. I could go for some Louisiana weather!
Lisa - are you running this year's half in Detroit?
Thanks again everyone. Come visit us. You will have fun!
I think the Lions cancel out half the things on your list!
ReplyDeleteEverywhere has good and bad points. embrace the good / avoid the bad. I live in Mississippi so I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Detroit and it isn't half bad. Then again, there are those pesky Lions. Huge problem for this Green Bay Packer fan. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything - especially the addition of Coneys! Thanks for standing up for our city!
ReplyDelete