Detroit: An Abandoned City
Ever since I heard about the slowdown in Detroit's economy, I always wanted to visit the largest city in Michigan. And Aug 12, 2017 was the day when we rerouted our way through Detroit while travelling to Toronto, Canada from Iowa City, USA. Not because it was one of the most populated town in US but to observe the current status of the city. You can read more about the impact of World War I, Auto industry and racism clashes on Detroit. Decades ago, majority of its population moved to the suburbs leaving behind empty and deteriorating structures in downtown Detroit.
In the past, city mayors tried to boost life in the downtown and spent millions. But when you walk through or drive in the area, you don't get the energetic vibes of being in an American city. Barely anyone is visible on the streets. Aging buildings and general loneliness in the surroundings makes one scared to even step out of the car (specially if you are aware about its local situation). While we were in Detroit, we drove around downtown, nearby rental areas and along the Rosa Parks street. Everywhere the scenery was hauntingly similar.
Abandoned Buildings
Downtown Experience
Downtown skyline looked interesting from afar. But when we reached the heart of the downtown, it gave really dark vibes. People were hardly seen on the streets and very less number of shops/businesses were in operation. It was a Saturday evening when trains were running empty. There is no doubt that it was an architecturally rich town but with time everything fell apart.
Graffiti
Graffiti is an integral part of the city. I don't consider graffiti as painted walls but there is a deep meaning behind every creation. And I noticed that in Detroit. From small pieces to large colourful drawings, there was a lot of graffiti. One such artistic interpretation of the city in the first pic of this blog is very moving.
Churches
Churches are usually busy only on Sundays. As expected, our trip to the city on a Saturday did not reveal much activity in the religious buildings. Appearance of churches was clearly aligned in its architectural detail with other structures around the city.
Train Station
Michigan Central Depot which is not operational for decades and has been sold to Ford Motor Co. for redevelopment.
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