A Hundred Years of Detroit: Then and Now | The New Yorker

A split-screen tour highlights the iconic landmarks and auto-manufacturing industry of the Motor City, once the fourth largest city in America with its wealth of stable jobs on the Ford, Chrysler, and G.M. assembly lines.
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A Hundred Years of Detroit: Then and Now | The New Yorker

[@invisiblerevolution]

The OLD Detroit looked more busy and booming!

[@sixmile2360]

Old Detroit had a ton of retail. Detroit has had a difficult time attracting retail stores but even that is changing. New Nike and Shinola stores along with several others but buying habits are changing. Amazon etc.. are killing a lot of downtown urban retail districts and suburban shopping malls. Some days are very busy but nowhere near the sixties. As far as booming goes there is a massive comeback underway when it comes to office buildings, condos, bars and restaurants. I live downtown. It used to b a ghost town after five. Getting much better.

[@Monk-Amani.]

We had 2 million. No suburbs. No foreign competition. Everything changes. Detroit is going through another one.

[@SarumanOrthanc]

The old Detroit was the 4th largest U.S. city. Not even top 15 today.

[@Josh_u]

Detroit used to have a population of 1.7M then it went down. It's still stuck at a population of 600,000

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

A lot of Great Lakes cities used to be more booming

[@ryanmacleod3969]

What is with people and not wanting Detroit to be an amazing city once again? Why do people hate Detroit so much? I personally want Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, etc all to get better because they deserve it.

[@ZnenTitan]

Ryan Macleod I agree. Wouldn't it be great to see Detroit (and the other cities) booming once again. Some people just love kicking you when you're down, don't they?

[@SarumanOrthanc]

Ryan Macleod Not Cleveland. They kill people with balloons and burn rivers.

[@Dear_Mr._Isaiah_Deringer]

Ryan Macleod always liked the neo-gothic high-rises in Detroit. It got good potential.

[@luvLins]

I want Detroit to make a come back but not at the expense of the people already living there. I want anyone else who moves here to develop a connection to the city and to the communities in it. I want them to adapt to the culture here, not come in with their own and have it take over everything. Gentrification needs to stop.

[@citystars403]

You've must not have ever been to Miami (Where the zombie man crackhead ate off someones face)... Oh but they deserve a booming econ any more than Detroit right??

[@canyeru]

For his historical context, Detroit deserves the best. I'm glad to hear the city it's getting better, step by step!

[@Mike-rp8ev]

I'm a Detroit'er the city is looking better and clean again we still need more higher paying jobs..

[@Mike-rp8ev]

AD NYC I'm not black but I love my city 💙

[@Mike-rp8ev]

AD NYC 👍💙

[@king77solomon30]

Mike 369 👎🏻 NOPE DETROIT IS STILL CRIME FILLED N CORRUPT. THE DOWNTOWN GOT CLEANED UP BY AN OUTSIDER WHILE FAT CITY OFFICIALS KEEP HOARDING PROFITS AND POPULATIONS KEEP FOLLOWING TO 26 MILE

[@king77solomon30]

Mike 369 ALSO THE THUGS KEEP FOLLOWING THE BURBS OUTSIDE AND GETTING WHITE WOMEN PREGNANT, THAT IS THE TREND NOW. TO GET IN WHITE BURBS AND IMPREGNATE WHITES.

[@sparks8905]

KING77 SOLOMON CHICAGO has a way higher crime rate than Detroit, but CHICAGO is bigger so it isn’t noticed as much

[@colinsmith5123]

Guys, I live in Detroit and it's really improving now. Google just recently added an office in the brand new arena, Ford purchased and has begun renovating the train station, many new skyscrapers being built, large youth population with the third largest University (adding a large business school downtown) in the state being in the center of midtown....this city is truly on the rise right now.

[@lw1866]

Colin Smith still rustbealt, its the same as slovakia is to france, same union but whidly different living standard

[@thelastgreatday849]

Colin Smith, have you headed east on Gratiot??? There's a whole lot more to Detroit than just downtown or new center area and it's not coming back.

[@brandonwilliams966]

Downtown... yes. Neighborhoods... nothing yet.

[@booyah7415]

That's great news!

[@toxiccola2141]

The Last Great Day look at alfred street in brush park. There are million dollar homes there noe

[@davidm4160]

WOW! They had good camera equipment in 1918

[@valentinaminauro352]

David M lol✌️

[@firefightergoggie]

Well why not? They had been making motion pictures for 20 years by that time. Simpleton.

[@davidm4160]

SuperSix Delta , hey, don't call me names, I used to be really smart before "the accident"

[@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588]

David M what is “the accident”

[@poppaluv]

filmed in the 50s/ early 60s in case no one noticed... (with some late 30s/early 40s thrown in)

[@rickgraham786]

Nice look at the past. The growth happening now is phenomenal.

[@mattmarkus4868]

There is some beautiful architecture in Detroit. It's such a shame how things went.

[@ryanmacleod3969]

Yes but is amazing how things are happening.

[@Josh_u]

Stupid thugs & gangs ruined it and sprayed stupid pictures on buildings and houses.

[@anthonyvee9267]

@@Josh_u Exactly. Overran by lazy asses who let their kids walk out the house to go act like gangsters. Then when those little wannabe gangsters gets shot up or arrested they blame the police and everyone else. Every major city spawns a ghetto. It’s always the same too. 🤦‍♂️

[@armytruth6860]

Whoever did this with the old video and went to the same spots to recreatet it is amazing

[@pag626]

They really had to compose their shots carefully to show empty streets downtown now. Detroit is absolutely booming. And those skyscrapers? The only ones not filled are undergoing restoration. We're experience growth in Detroit that hasn't been seen in one hundred years. Seriously.

[@sixgun080]

Downtown's been fine for 40 years, the neighborhoods are war zones. Half dozen shot every night. What suburb do you live in?

[@MotorCityPhoenix313]

Frank Nitti downtown fine for 40 years? 😂😂😂 8 years ago most of the buildings downtown were completely vacant.

[@sixgun080]

Detroit is not how much downtown office space is renting for. Nor the ruins of the Packard or Fisher body or even the train station. Detroit is the people in it. Until grandma can walk to the corner store w/o getting robbed, you can lock and leave your house w/o it getting broke into and kids can play outside w/o getting shot you got nothing.

[@sixmile2360]

Frank do you live downtown? I lived in Corktown for forty years and now near the new Little Caesars Arena. Ten years ago the downtown area was all but deserted. Now there are so many construction projects you cant list them. There is definite movement in the neighborhoods. The new Ford Project in Cork Town has already sparked several residential projects nearby. 1075 housing units being built in Woodbridge. You are right about crime. Schools and violence are the biggest issues. But things ar changing. I was the biggest skeptic in the city but even I can see and celebrate the change.

[@94fleetwood94]

Frank You have no clue trolling. Downtown was mostly empty in the last 40 years. Now it's booming and no office space left, so renovating the last buildings and building new skyscrapers. Like most cities, there are good and bad parts. Southwest Detroit has the most dense population with mixed backgrounds(Latin-Americans, Whites, blacks, Caribbean islanders, etc) and is mostly stable compared to the rest of the city. Midtown in the north of downtown is booming as well and the mansions in Boston Edison north of that are being moved in and renovated. The Eastern riverfront area are in planning stages of development with the Villages (Indian, West village etc) have been growing it's population. There are 2 cities within the City of Detroit that includes Hamtramck which is densely populated with immigrants and fine-standing citizens. Need to stop living in your bubble there buddy. You have an old outdated view that's shared amongst the old bitter generation that hold grudges. Very sad indeed, care to mention the backwoods of where you live lol Be smart not to say.

[@MonteroOnBoxing]

My hometown. Was just back up there for my 40th bday last month and downtown has REALLY improved in the last few years; particularly off Woodward. Still, it's crazy how quiet and scarcely populated some neighborhoods are. It would've been great if Amazon moved there but they went for the big dollars and the tax breaks (big surprise).

[@stixkzzMTTS]

MY CITY!!!

[@bbushor1965]

Wow, crazy how many people were walking in downtown Detroit back in the day .

[@Monk-Amani.]

Barbara Bushor : 2 million lived here.

[@barrylieberman5954]

I just moved downtown and if you go out by Campus Martius park in the middle of the day, it's booming with people.

[@davidtosh7200]

Detroit in 1890s: Gaslights and electric arc lights as street lights. Detroit in 2020: LED street lights.

[@manbtm1]

They filmed at some odd times, its very busy in some of the areas shown as empty..missed a ton of the busy, new areas, very vibrant and new downtown and midtown now. If you visit, its there, very nice.

[@sixmile2360]

That Guy Great!! Do not want you here anyway.

[@Josh_u]

Greektown is the best area

[@lynnthomas3720]

That was put together nicely. Well done! Good approach!

[@coreyr4961]

You guys would be amazed at how much DETROIT has changed in the last three years. I think when our next census for population it will finally have a turn around and show a positive number of people. The city is growing. Others will see one day!

[@MichaelNaness]

CTaurean R in the next 25 years Detroit could totally become prosperous again

[@gatrellmaddox3542]

I love detroit and I live here

[@idrawpeopleandanimals7252]

This is one of the best side by side/before and after videos l've ever seen!!!

[@loveleeeventplanningl.l.c.7539]

It looks like it's the 60s. That's not 100yrs ago

[@skylargoodwin1880]

That's Detroit today. #ilivethere

[@johngreen3543]

Not all the old clips were taken at the same time. Some were as early as the early thirties and some in the 60's range.

[@raptahnunglory6268]

MY Birthplace!

[@camdietzel5187]

I’m a Detroit’er and Detroit is on a upscale like ford buying the old train station and turning it into office

[@94fleetwood94]

Early recording was taken to show the highlights of the day for promotion, right side is biased video randomly. Not 100 years, this is mixed video of the 40, 50s, 60s and couple of the 20s auto plant. Some inaccurate shots below: 1:06 *Inauguration* of the Statue 1st appearance in Detroit, Right side show random shot same location. 2:38 Left video is on Jefferson driving towards *Cobo,* Right video is on Woodward Ave driving towards *Hart Plaza.* 3:52 Left is workers *ending shift* out of auto plant, Right show only Black people walking through *security entrance.*

[@504ever4]

Can we just acknowledge at 2:00 how many cars are squeezed into those tight spots? People must have been really good at parallel parking back then!

[@elliotclarke5149]

I guess less women drove back then?

[@mikejohnson8304]

I like this video great job

[@brucebeamon5460]

WOW NICE 👍🏿 INTERESTING thanks NYT

[@msarringtonns]

I'm impressed O.O

[@matcole9896]

Detroit is a shadow of how great it once was.

[@glw5166]

Pretty cool!

[@rickrickrick5317]

Let’s just appreciate how crisp the old footage looks

[@ernestkovach3305]

Best kept secret in America...Detroit's amazing on going gradual comeback these past several years .

[@ZnenTitan]

Ernest Kovach I can't wait to see it happen.

[@wendyirwin1437]

I love Detroit and want it to succeed. Keep your heart strong Detroit!

[@tray-oq1nj]

Keep lying to yourself.

[@almightydope8358]

Dope!!

[@Rapture582]

Paris of the west

[@meltedicecreamsandwich]

Ryan Macleod Midwest wasn't a term back then, so he's right.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

AKA Washington Blvd

[@Sigmanovar]

Bungholio Detroit was once a French colony,the name Detroit is French

[@firefightergoggie]

Haha...LoL. more like the Beirut of the west...with a touch of Stalingrad.

[@yuhboii7862]

Lol syria is paris compared to this shithole

[@1940limited]

It's interesting how many of the "now" pictures are devoid of people, traffic, and, in the case of the museum, jobs.

[@x-b5516]

Nice

[@shnizalwizal]

If you filmed at the right time of day this city is really busy now! Biased New Yorker should be ashamed.

[@94fleetwood94]

Early recording was taken to show the highlights of the day for promotion, right side is biased video randomly. Not saying their main focus is negativity, but poor depiction in some shots. 1:06 *Inauguration* of the Statue 1st appearance in Detroit, Right side show random shot same location. 2:38 Left video is on Jefferson driving towards *Cobo,* Right video is on Woodward Ave driving towards *Hart Plaza.* 3:52 Left is workers *ending shift* out of auto plant, Right show only Black people walking through *security entrance.*

[@1099Kramo]

youngjiddle n

[@estebancoronel7639]

This is a fine representation of Detroit, if not even one biased towards it's good side. Didn't show any of the empty buildings and dead parts of the city. Or the decaying houses and neighborhoods.

[@1940limited]

How busy are the east and west side neighborhoods?

[@robertaverill936]

Remarkable.♡

[@MrQbenDanny]

I'LL TAKE THE BEFORE!!!!

[@perrin1868]

I graduated hs at the argonaut building 😩 it’s now Henry Ford Academy

[@lexdee523]

Awesome video! Love seeing the "then" and "now", it shows how progress has come a long way.

[@tray-oq1nj]

lexdee523 oh yes wonderful progress

[@kitty16vcat11]

Loving the first sound track! Good to see improvements being made at least. In the other videos, it's all depressing!

[@donttalktomeyoureannoying8736]

I could be totally tripping...I am a 90s baby and for some ODD reason I recall that Firestone billboard at 2:04. Can any confirm if that billboard stayed until the early 2000s?

[@QueueHammer]

About 30% of these shots are not even in the same direction as the originals. The one of Jefferson at Woodard is compared to Woodward going toward Jefferson missing the remodeled COBO center entirely.

[@richardgoldman8761]

Christopher Smith Nobody cares.

[@nicoleturnet1238]

So much changed

[@ammisudipto]

Detroit is growing with 4%. Detroit is booming again. Stop making stereotypes.

[@ryanmacleod3969]

Bungholio Being built.....

[@ryanmacleod3969]

Bungholio 0:40 is also a great shot for you.

[@lissaleggs4136]

Bungholio Airplanes don't bring Detroit bldgs down. Detroit isn't built like NY Detroit built like Empire State bldg, Not WTC. Intuit is building HQ in Detroit a new skyscraper. You are kinda stupid.

[@firefightergoggie]

Sudipto Das - you're delusional. The city is a cesspool.

[@evelanni6174]

Bungholio not all big city’s have to have skyscrapers sooo boom. Bye Felicia

[@holidayfellow6407]

Good thing Brush Park is currently bringing back historic homes

[@ednorton47]

Yes, but many were so far gone that there is not much left to bring back.

[@maxrockatansky1772]

what the song called the main one ty

[@lindutchka]

What is that funky, jazzy 60-70ish music playing? Anyone know?

[@johngreen3543]

Detroit's new boom is directly connected to a substantial investment by service industry giants and to a lesser extent tourism. It can only go so far on that, the critical need is to return manufacturing to Detroit and that is difficult to do as foreign competition is too entrenched in the US market. The Chinese can produce steel at 1/3rd the cost of US steel, ship it here and make a huge profit. Will time be required to bring the Chinese labor market to US levels, I won't be around to see it but it will happen and that will put us back in business. Maybe in 50 years?

[@bubblygabbigirl]

They keep making movies like Detroit and 1968 and showing people how bad Detroit WAS, but now they're influencing people to not want to help it get better !

[@EmilyTienne]

Not bad, but I wish the camerawork matched up with the old footage a little more precisely. Would have made this video that much cooler.

[@csnide6702]

maybe we can go find those original photographers for you.... or perhaps YOU can do better

[@EmilyTienne]

@@csnide6702Sure, you come with me and be my lookout for flying bullets.

[@lil_lyrix]

Within 20 years this video will be very outdated, the city is currently planning and constructing multiple new high rises/skyscrapers, many other projects around the city and underway, they are removing and expanding certain highways, and much more.

[@zigman8550]

I'll take the old Detroit.

[@rudiruttger]

Oh yeah, left looks like a much healthier city

[@DX-ny8ob]

At 1:54, how can the same streets now be the opposite?

[@cliffandersson4964]

Piquette Avenue museum featured!

[@JediTiga]

The housing is where you see the real difference

[@raintwomoons291]

Back in the days.

[@stevealterman6666]

Do Boston

[@starsiegeplayer]

So many more people on the left hand side.

[@dianawilliams4856]

How about Motown Hitzville?

[@juliefine2200]

Hi

[@johnw2026]

My .... How things change.

[@AK-zn1pt]

Старые кадры намного живее и жизнерадостней на мой взгляд,современные технологичнее, удобней ,безопаснее.

[@joyjoyoo]

Thanks, globalization

[@Snardvark25]

JӦYの貓 you're welcome for the highest increase in wealth in the history of the world. But ya, some people lost jobs. But many more were created.

[@DemHialeahBoyz]

And decentralization and deindustrialization. They all played a part, but Detroit is on the rise again!

[@frankgillis1529]

No Bill Clinton, then Granholm !

[@Rapture582]

Da fuq you talking about?

[@chriswells1440]

morons

[@Ninja-hn9vo]

it looked better back then.

[@sydguitar99]

Thankfully more tech and biomedical companies have moved in

[@jessemurray1757]

so many beautiful buildings just gone...makes me sad to think what Detroit would have been if not for decades of corrupt management.

[@marlak4203]

i wish there were more buildings. It is sad that so many are gone. I understand the factories going and the lots being empty for a few years due to pollution but the non-factory ones? Sheesh.

[@kenopsia6748]

SHEEEEEEEIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTT

[@lisawebb1977]

So 😥 sad. What a wonderful thriving place! Wish it was all back like the start. These people were robbed, just like many cities have been. It must stop!!

[@davidmccann9811]

Why did it get like that? It looked booming in the 1950s.

[@hadihatab3126]

Is it just more or did it appear more lively before, most of the after shots look so plain and empty compared to the past which seemed to be bustling with life and retail.

[@kakadeperro2326]

Vine por el plech

[@patricksaxon3983]

I did not know that they had automation back then.

[@angelcalifornia215]

We want a miami video

[@angelcalifornia215]

Bungholio why?

[@angelcalifornia215]

Just dude plss say i hate summer :P

[@yuhboii7862]

Lol all you would see is a bunch of crackheads

[@ImaLeshLushnIcantgetmyPhil]

Apparently none of you have been in Miami or anywhere in Dade county. Miami Beach is beautiful, even as the Atlantic Ocean is reclaiming it. You think Detroit was bad Ha! During the cocaine years, if you saw a black garbage bag floating in Biscayne Bay or the Intercostal water way. You should let it float on bye. It more than likely had body parts in it. Watch anything about the cocaine cowboys lots of documentaries. There was also a woman who was more violent than the men. Cities can and do come back to life and flourish!!!

[@Kurt_Outdoors]

“Then”..had so much more enthusiasm than “now”.......kinda sucks now......

[@ongkondeb3928]

They showed the skyline, but not the ren cen

[@orlandofields1973]

Built in 1977

[@Rivermontana]

Still a very scary city...One wrong turn.....

[@2.0jacob76]

I like it before lots of classic cars 👍👍👍👍👍👍💫💫💫😄😄😄😁😁😁👍👍👍👍😃😃😍🥰🤩👍👍

[@XoADREADNOUGHT]

Sad that you don't show the truth of the urban decay.

[@wirasary3411]

It's all goes down when robocop leave Detroit

[@moneymker6276]

3:57 sad... very sad. Shows how we as humans are treated

[@ryanmacleod3969]

Cristian Toth What do you mean?

[@JJRR50]

Difference - a city lived in on the left, and a city that you go to and get out. Poor and Failed leadership for too long. Do one on Atlanta. We went the same way and I remember when it was a livable city. (Not any more!)

[@onslaughtmp]

oh my god...as a metro Detroiter I ask what happened? what changed and what's the problem? LOL LOL LOL lets not talk about it or address the problem though:)

[@Snardvark25]

Let's turn it into a big movie studio, like Schenectady NY

[@SwimmersItch]

let's not

[@user-yb4ub5qx1b]

Тут тоже как в Москве. Пусто и очень все заброшено

[@StudioUAC]

boy. the populous now sure are tanner!

[@vanderson5226]

This is not 100 years ago

[@soulflower666]

Once almost all cars on the road were American, now about half are Asian imports (and not as good as people think) - buy domestic! let's support our own!

[@williamtoad8040]

What automation and being too reliant on one industry did to Detroit

[@jamesrobiscoe1174]

Detroit certainly suffered when the auto industry deserted its parent city. As usual, the bigwigs were to blame and the average citizens fell victims. IT once was a vibrant and beautiful city.

[@tkdemian6701]

New Yorker aint racist, like H,Post n NY times

[@mayoman-pv1lj]

Just visited Detroit no where near as bad as ppl make it out to be there’s still definitely some problems but no where near as bad you’d think I’d much rather live there than Portland Seattle or LA also saw a bunch of new offices and apartments being built downtown

[@marlak4203]

The issue is that its ONLY the downtown where its all "lively" and "happening" Folks who look at the WHOLE city know and it is why they say this. Not even going to mention the crime on the news, etc.

[@mayoman-pv1lj]

@@marlak4203 lol like I said there’s still definitely some problems but the way the news and social media paints it you’d be expecting much worse going for the first time

[@tray-oq1nj]

Sad what those people did to that once magnificent city.

[@waynewash]

tray4168 And what might that be?

[@Fx_Explains]

detroit become human

[@jdemo7167]

The houses in the city were built way to close to each other because: Greed.

[@michaelcanney7218]

Too fast

[@GT47179]

Then everyone had a job...now a hundred million have no job

[@lbennhtx6072]

So sad. What happened?

[@MrNateenochs]

All of the money left to the suburbs

[@wowfrosted13]

Blacks

[@kylec748]

Ephemeral City democratic presidents

[@SarumanOrthanc]

The collapse of the American auto industry as a result of the UAW keeping labor costs too high to compete with foreign companies.

[@stevenasante8662]

Waluigi McSpermDump What an idiot...

[@bruceklmichigan9535]

All of the renovations that have been done downtown over the course of the last 7 years and the incredible amounts of people walking around going into shops that are completely full and all the New Yorker could do was take small video clips of random old buildings why not showcase the new Renovations of Detroit go down to campus marshes and see all of the shops show Greektown with all of the Commerce and all of the Redevelopment of the waterfront. This little video clip is a horrible representation compared to how far Detroit to come back over the course of the last 7 years.

[@ednorton47]

Detroit is 140 square miles. You are referencing an area of about 15 sq. miles. Most of the city looks like Hiroshima after it go nuked.

[@gregschrag7848]

Because new Yorkers suck!!

[@firefightergoggie]

So sad to see what this city once was and compare it to the abandoned garbage pit that it is today.