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| The super-modern Renaissance Center (also known as the GM Renaissance Center and nicknamed the RenCen) Photo: Roderick Eime |
Detroit is a city that just won't quit.
Born in an exuberant Jazz-age burst in the 1920s, elegant downtown Detroit
grew rapidly in line with the fast paced fortunes of the motor
industry. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler and others fuelled this
glorious period when magnificent art deco skyscrapers shot up like
sunflowers in tandem with the sprawling industrial complexes like Ford's
enormous Rouge plant.
The
Great Depression of the '30s hit hard, but the Second World War revived
its industrial might, earning Detroit the mantle: The Arsenal of
Democracy.
From a peak population of almost two million in the '50s, Detroit has
shrunk to around 700,000 today as a result of the changing fortunes of
the auto industry and the introduction of automation to the existing
facilities.
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| Greenfield Village is part of The Henry Ford's fascinating interpretive experience. (Supplied) |
But Detroit won't be deterred. A massive urban rejuvenation and
reinvention program is in place, readjusting the city to the needs of
the 21st century. Visionary entrepreneurs like Dan Gilbert are adding
their shoulder to the wheel to make Detroit relevant and vibrant in
these challenging times.
Cars, American culture, gaming, music and sports are all part of this
formula. Join Rod as he investigates this resilient metropolis and its
plans for a bright new American future.
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