Please say Detroit when visiting

agrahlma · July-12-11, 09:09 AM

When I travelled I would always say “Detroit”, even though I lived in the suburbs – it was just easier to explain than Gibraltar, Michigan [[LOL) – now that I live in Detroit, my answer is easy!

One thing that I’ve noticed about people from the Eastside suburbs is that they tend to give you the cross streets [[example: 14 and Gratiot) rather than the city – has anyone else noticed this? When I lived in Gibraltar and Trenton, I would always tell metro Detroiters that I was from Downriver [[but it should be called Upper Lake – lol).

**John** · July-12-11, 09:33 AM

Some people will go to great lengths to avoid the use of the word "Detroit." Remember the city of East Detroit changing its name to "Eastpointe" a few years back.

While visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes one summer, I overheard a man from Chicago asking another visitor where she was from. Her reply: "Redford Township, Michigan." He looked puzzled and asked what part of the state Redford Township was. Her reply: "Its East of Ann Arbor" The woman refused to use the word "Detroit" even though Detroit & Redford border each other.

**Rocko** · July-12-11, 12:00 PM

I grew up in Dearborn but always say "Detroit" when people ask. It's easier and the reaction is usually much more interesting. And I love to say it's where I'm from!!

**rencense** · July-12-11, 12:05 PM

haha John thats awful [[yet believable)

In many cases over the years people have gotten so desperate to disassociate themselves with detroit that they try to basically adopt a new town as our city center [[and frame of reference to give when traveling) seems like royal oak and ann arbor are the favorites for this. Granted these are nice towns with plenty to do but lets not kid ourselves. Deny it all you want but we're still from detroit to the rest of the world.

I grew up downriver and I kind of like how the little towns were more often referred to as downriver instead of a million different names. I might be biased but it always felt like a bit more unified than a lot of metro detroit.

I guess its a sticky situation all around, i hope in my lifetime i see it improve.

**Detroitnerd** · July-12-11, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by John

While visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes one summer, I overheard a man from Chicago asking another visitor where she was from. Her reply: "Redford Township, Michigan." He looked puzzled and asked what part of the state Redford Township was. Her reply: "Its East of Ann Arbor" The woman refused to use the word "Detroit" even though Detroit & Redford border each other.

That's sad. We had a publishing project at work that was all about metro Detroit. We had to leave Detroit out of the name, though. The sales reps said anything with Detroit in the name wouldn't sell in Ann Arbor... sigh ...

**Gistok** · July-12-11, 01:00 PM

I guess it all depends on whom you're talking to... would you tell a fellow Michiganian that you're from Michigan?

I've lived on the eastside for decades, and if you're talking to a fellow eastsider you may indeed tell them 14 and Gratiot. But westsiders don't always have that luxury... most metro Detroiter's won't know the difference between Telegraph @ Quarton and Telegraph @ Voorheis.

But even fellow eastsiders I always tell them the city first, and if they ask specifics, I then refer to the mile road.

But I always tell other USA folks I live just outside of Detroit... and overseas folks I tell simply Detroit.

To overseas folks especially... Michigan is virtually meaningless... while Detroit gives them an idea...

**BrushStart** · July-12-11, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

But I always tell other USA folks I live just outside of Detroit... and overseas folks I tell simply Detroit.

To overseas folks especially... Michigan is virtually meaningless... while Detroit gives them an idea...

In my experience, Michigan is totally irrelevant to anyone outside of North America. They don't even know that it's a state. They always know Detroit, though, usually for the 3 "M's" - Motors, Music, and Murder.

**Gistok** · July-12-11, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

In my experience, Michigan is totally irrelevant to anyone outside of North America. They don't even know that it's a state. They always know Detroit, though, usually for the 3 "M's" - Motors, Music, and Murder.

Brushstart... I have to respectfully disagree on your 3rd "M".... most outside the USA know that Detroit has seen its' better days but the "Murder Capital" comment is mainly a USA thing [[although that Australian's murder didn't help)...

Detroit is considered almost "chic" among Europeans... in a gritty industrial sort of way. I've found "Detroit Jeans" being sold in England... and we do get a LOT of Europeans coming here for DEMF, Motown Museum, and other locations. Even Detroit's ruins [[former Michigan Theatre, MCS) have a large number of folks from outside the USA making pilgrimages here.

If the crime image were as bad outside the USA as it is within the USA, we wouldn't be getting so many overseas visitors...

**Detroitnerd** · July-12-11, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Brushstart... I have to respectfully disagree on your 3rd "M".... most outside the USA know that Detroit has seen its' better days but the "Murder Capital" comment is mainly a USA thing [[although that Australian's murder didn't help)...

What??!! Disagree? Why, I'LL KILL YOU!!!

XD

**iheartthed** · July-12-11, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

If the crime image were as bad outside the USA as it is within the USA, we wouldn't be getting so many overseas visitors...

That's not necessarily true. Rio attracts a lot of foreign tourists [[both American and European), and it has notorious international reputation for crime.

**DanFromDetroit** · July-12-11, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

If the crime image were as bad outside the USA as it is within the USA, we wouldn't be getting so many overseas visitors...

Having lived in Europe - [[Germany, Sweden, UK) I have to disagree with that. The very first question I heard when I said I was from Detroit was "is it really that bad?" meaning as bad as the image on the news is portrayed. I would often have to tell them yes it is, but temper it with the many good things about the area. You'd be surprised how often Detroit is mentioned in the international news media, and it's rarely puppy dogs and rainbows - it's mostly ruin-porn and the Big 3.

**Gistok** · July-12-11, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by DanFromDetroit

You'd be surprised how often Detroit is mentioned in the international news media, and it's rarely puppy dogs and rainbows - it's mostly ruin-porn and the Big 3.

... and that would be "gritty industrial" as I mentioned....

**EastsideAl** · July-12-11, 03:34 PM

I always say I'm from Detroit, because, well, I'm actually from Detroit. Several times I've had people who are familiar with the Detroit area accuse me of lying.

**milt721** · July-12-11, 03:58 PM

Back in the '80s on a trip to Disneyland, one of the ride operators asked my family where they were from, and my dad replied "Detroit."

The operator then said [[in front of everyone on the boat)..."Awww....and they look like such nice people."

It was at that point that I decided to always reply "Detroit," regardless of which suburb I live in...

**Gistok** · July-12-11, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by milt721

Back in the '80s on a trip to Disneyland, one of the ride operators asked my family where they were from, and my dad replied "Detroit."

The operator then said [[in front of everyone on the boat)..."Awww....and they look like such nice people."

It was at that point that I decided to always reply "Detroit," regardless of which suburb I live in...

I guess being philosophical and intelligent sounding is not a requirement to work there....

**youngdetroiter** · July-13-11, 03:37 AM

Lowell, included Windsor in his "Detroit," which I like to do; but that got me thinking. Do Windsorites ever claim Detroit? Most Canadians know where Windsor is, but if traveling abroad are they more likely to just say "Canada", "Ontario, Canada", "in Canada near Detroit" or "Toronto"?

I was raised in Detroit just across from Southfield, where my family still resides. We'd get the Southfield dispatchers when dialing 911, and the Southfield Police seemed to patrol the neighborhood more than the Detroit Police. We'd also get both the Detroit and Southfield Yellow Pages and Whites Pages.

Yet, in spite of my father living within the actual city limits of Detroit, he still claimed "Southfield, Michigan" while traveling in Aruba.

When I moved to Mexico, some people knew about Detroit and others did not. I would proudly claim "Detroit." If they didn't know where Detroit or Michigan was, I'd tell them, "I live 5 hours outside of Chicago" or "I live midway between Chicago and Toronto." For some others, I'd just say, "I'm from the United States-Canadian border."

In Mexico, someone told me, "Hey, there's another guy here from Detroit." I met him, said, "Oh, cool! What part of the city?" I was surprised when he said, "Monroe."

Also, during the 2006 World Series, I was thrilled to see tons of Mexicans wearing Detroit gear and the Ol' English D.

bartock · July-13-11, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Hamtramck is enclave of Detroit.

Is that what it is? Gee, thanks.

Doesn't a place have to be entirely surrounded by another place to be considered an enclave? Or, by that definition, is Detroit an enclave of Michigan?

**iheartthed** · July-13-11, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

Is that what it is? Gee, thanks.

Doesn't a place have to be entirely surrounded by another place to be considered an enclave? Or, by that definition, is Detroit an enclave of Michigan?

Hamtramck is entirely surrounded by Detroit, although it does share a small border with another city that is also entirely surrounded by Detroit. Detroit is part of the state of Michigan. Hamtramck is not part of the city of Detroit.

bartock · July-13-11, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Hamtramck is entirely surrounded by Detroit, although it does share a small border with another city that is also entirely surrounded by Detroit. Detroit is part of the state of Michigan. Hamtramck is not part of the city of Detroit.

By actual definition, Hamtramck is not an enclave of Detroit.

bartock · July-13-11, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Hamtramck is entirely surrounded by Detroit, although it does share a small border with another city that is also entirely surrounded by Detroit. Detroit is part of the state of Michigan. Hamtramck is not part of the city of Detroit.

...and, by defnition, a place can be "part" of another place and still be an enclave.

**iheartthed** · July-13-11, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

...and, by defnition, a place can be "part" of another place and still be an enclave.

Detroit is not an enclave within Michigan. It is a territory of Michigan.

bartock · July-13-11, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Detroit is not an enclave within Michigan. It is a territory of Michigan.

I never said that Detroit was an enclave within Michigan.

**DanFromDetroit** · July-13-11, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

... and that would be "gritty industrial" as I mentioned....

Sorry - should have been more clear, by "ruin-porn" I intended to mention the crippling crime issues as well as abandoned homes that lead to neighborhood destruction. But the fact that we're a former murder capital and always in the running to reclaim the throne is always mentioned when any human interest piece on the city hits Europe's airwaves.

tl:dr - you're still wrong & crime is featured heavily when Detroit is mentioned abroad

**Detroitnerd** · July-13-11, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

Is that what it is? Gee, thanks.

Doesn't a place have to be entirely surrounded by another place to be considered an enclave? Or, by that definition, is Detroit an enclave of Michigan?

Hahahaha. Bartock doesn't even know that Hamtramck is surrounded by Detroit? Hahahahaha!

bartock · July-13-11, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Hahahaha. Bartock doesn't even know that Hamtramck is surrounded by Detroit? Hahahahaha!

I know, crazy, isn't it? I had the audacity to think that Hamtramck is not an enclave because it is bordered by Highland Park, even though both SUBURBS lie within the C of D borders. Well, Wikipedia says I'm wrong, so I guess I am such an idiot, WAY TO GO!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_and_exclaves