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1918 Map of Detroit

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Detroit
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

The industrial might of Southeast Michigan is on full display during the late Great War period, centered on the Detroit River and the sprawling rail networks of Wayne Co. The map documents the rapid expansion of the automotive industry, notably featuring the Ford Motor Co. and the massive Ford Motor Co. Blast Furnaces along the Rouge River. To the west, Dearborn and Oakwood show early development, while the northern sectors include the State Fair Grounds and the Detroit Golf Club near Royal Oak.

Extensive rail infrastructure defines the landscape, with lines like the Grand Trunk R.R. and the Detroit United Ry. connecting burgeoning suburbs like Hamtramck and Greenfield. Across the water, the international boundary separates Detroit from Windsor and Walkerville. This survey records a critical era of transition as stone roads and electric railways began to unify the growing metropolitan area.