Detroit Neighborhoods: Warrendale

If it's Monday, it's time to find out about another one of Detroit's wonderful neighborhoods! In this weekly series, we're circling the City: Eastside, Westside, Central...this week we're back on the Westside...WAY west!

Warrendale is so far west, most people have to go through two other cities to get there. Originally a separate village in the 1800s, Warrendale annexed itself to Detroit at the beginning of the last century to take advantage of the Detroit Water System. Today, Warrendale is an ecletic mix of different ethnicities: about 1/3 white, 1/3 African-American, and the rest Arab, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American. Although most of the houses were built in the 1940s after WWII, there are many which date much farther back.

In Michigan we have two peninsulas--land areas surrounded on three sides by water; in Detroit, we have a neighborhood that is like a peninsula--Warrendale is surrounded on two sides by Dearborn and one side by Dearborn Heights. The boundaries include Greenfield going east to the city limits, and Joy Road going south until you reach the edge of the city.

Probably one of the best reasons to live in Warrendale is its proximity to Rouge Park; and the Rouge River literally "runs through it". Rouge Park, which is actually larger than Belle Isle, has 1,181 acres of greenland, bike paths, (3) outdoor swimming pools (Olympic-sized), soccer fields and (14) baseball diamonds, fitness trails, playgrounds, picnic tables, 14 regulation size baseball diamonds; a nature study area, water frontage on the Rogue River, and of course that 18-hole public golf course I posted about last week.

If you are looking for an exciting ethnic conclave, lots of recreational options within the City, and a long-standing working-class neighborhood, take a drive up the Southfield freeway, or drive west (way west!) on Warren...and take a look at Warrendale!

All Photographs Copyright Dave Krieger

Shameless Plug: please read my husband's blog The "D" Spot...

If you enjoyed this post, please share it, and sign up for a subscription!