U-M Clements Library acquires rare hand-drawn map of Detroit from 1761.

**Former_Detroiter** · December-08-21, 05:36 PM

https://news.umich.edu/u-m-clements-...-crowdfunding/

**Jimaz** · December-08-21, 07:48 PM

Wow, what a gem.

Interesting how that "View from the west" conforms to the slope of the hill. Nowadays we just bulldoze the land flat before building but that would have been unnecessary back then.

**Richard** · December-09-21, 01:06 AM

Yea,that’s some cool history,not only for Detroit but for the entire country as it was being formed.

I am kicking in to the fund raiser.

I agree with the flat land aspect,thats why we have so many flooding issues across the country,the natural water flow was disrupted and when water has no where to go it goes where we do not want it to.

The pictures of the flooded highway,who thought sinking a highway into a valley with large hills on each side was a good idea,all of that run off is going to seek the lowest point and head to the river,the highway just created a natural path.

But then again it was the French that built New Orleans in a bowl so ….

**Dumpling** · December-09-21, 09:15 AM

Richard, that's an awesome donation that you are making!!
Thank you!

Both Michigan and Florida share the history that in their earliest
decades they were health sucking swamps. Their residents
as groups need to keep a swamp fighting spirit in order to
maintain community health standards. Tell me I'm wrong now...

**CassTechGrad** · December-09-21, 12:34 PM

Family history says that my great, great, great, great, great grandfather opened the first saloon and brothel on Anne St. and now we have proof.

**Honky Tonk** · December-09-21, 01:51 PM

Actually that's the first rendition of Gilbert's plan for the Hudson building.

**wolverine** · December-09-21, 02:14 PM

I think this is a really cool find, but I’m a little confused. Unless things have changed, being able to view historical documents was a pain back in the early 2000’s with Clements library, as a student, with a special assignment to obtain digital copies of maps, with a faculty letter to access the facility..by appointment. Understandable these documents need to be carefully protected, but the term “general public” is quite the stretch. Are they saying the library will make high resolution digital scans available for everyone to view by having the copyright?