Hamtramck

[Detroitej72]

I was thinking about the difference between Hamtramck and Highland Park. I was touring Highland Park yesterday, and the housing stock is just so beautiful, or at least it was. Some of the streets looked like they could rival areas of Grosse Pointe had they not been abandoned. You also have Woodward running right through the middle of it. With this great housing stock and commercial thoroughfare, why did Highland Park decline so much more than Hamtramck? Why did immigrants chose Hamtramck over Highland Park? I know the Ford plant closed in Highland Park, but Hamtramck also experienced the closing of Dodge Main. Perhaps the final blow was Chrysler moving from Highland Park to Auburn Hills? I also wonder if Hamtrack being 90% polish had anything to do with it? Perhaps being dominated by one ethnicity there was more a sense of community and more a sense to stay.

The other thing that is interesting is that Hamtramck was mostly line workers, very blue collar while Highland Park was more management. In fact, at one time HP rivaled Grosse Pointe, complete with their own water system.

I think the biggest reason for the two cities treading in opposite directions is due to immigrants. Hamtown has been a destination and has welcomed multiple waves of immigrants over the years. Meanwhile, HP never really attracted any new ethnic groups once the white folks moved out to greener pastures.

I would hold this up as another example why immigration is good for the United States, they stabilize older neighborhoods and create jobs.