Detroit's Unique Neighborhoods: Southwest Detroit

Southwest Detroit is one of Detroit's oldest, most historic, and strongest neighborhoods. Although ethnically diverse, Southwest Detroit is often considered a "Hispanic Enclave", mainly because of the commercial district known as Mexicantown.

Southwest Detroit is located near the Ambassador Bridge and the I-75 Freeway, helping the area to become a strong tourist attraction. Mexicantown is thriving with new housing, historic homes, the Mexicantown International Welcome Center, and the Mercado. Southwest Detroit was originally inhabited by immigrants from Hungary, Poland, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.

The Delray residential section of Southwest Detroit, dating back to the mid-1800s, is still active and fighting back after decades of poverty after the industries that drew immigrants left the area in the 1950s and 1960s. The Hubbard Farms area is a still-famous historic residential area.

St. Anne's Church, founded in 1701, two days after Antoine de la Monthe Cadillac founded Detroit, is the oldest continuous churches in the United States. Southwest Detroit continues to grow and thrive because of the many successful community organizations and strong cultural identity.

 

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Happenings Only in Detroit: The Detroit Princess Riverboat Staycation

If you've lived in Detroit long enough, you remember fondly summer excursions to Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park on the Bob-Lo Boat with Captain Bob-Lo! (Obviously, I remember!)

In the years since Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park closed, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to bring back the "Bob-Lo Magic". For those of us who remember, it is a toss-up of which was more fun, the rides at the Park, or the voyage down the River by way of Amherstburg Ontario on the boat! (Remember, Bob-Lo is actually a part of Canada...always has been...)

Well, Bob-Lo Island is now a marina resort community (still only accessible by boat or plane), but we in Detroit can still experience that cruise up and down the Detroit River under the Ambassador Bridge by booking a lunch or dinner aboard the new Detroit Princess Riverboat.

The Detroit Princess is a true riverboat, with five levels (the top two levels almost totally outside), and perfect for summer fun. Both lunch and dinner public cruises are available every day of the week in warm weather; charters are available for private parties and special events.

If you are looking for a great way to enjoy your summer in Detroit with family and friends, cruising the Detroit River, seeing the beautiful sights of the skylines of both Windsor and Detroit, book a 2 1/2 hour on the Detroit Princess. Unlike Gilligan and the SS Minnow, you'll be back on land in less than 3 hours!

Today's "Betcha Didn't Know This About Detroit": The World's Only Floating Post Office!

Just about every day of the year, even in winter, the Detroit River has long and low freighters making their way around the Great Lakes. Of course, the freighters have people working on them for long periods of time...did you ever wonder how the workers got their mail? (View a live Detroit River webcam and see freighters going up and down the River in realtime...)

Betcha didn't know that Detroit has the world's only floating United States Post Office! Located just south of the Ambassador Bridge is the headquarters of the J.W. Westcott II Mailboat. Founded in 1874 by Great Lakes Captain J. W. Westcott who originally used just a rowboat to deliver orders to passing vessels, the company began its unique and official mail service in 1895.

The J.W. Westcott has its own ZIP Code (48222), to send mail to a vessel, one just addresses the mail to the vessel in care of the the "Marine Post Office, Detroit MI 48222". If you need to send an invitation to your next party to a sailor on the Detroit River, you can find the schedule of the freighters from the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, where you can also view a live webcam of the freighters on the Detroit River.

(All MailBoat/Westcott Pictures by Jim Hebert)

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