1936 Map of Highland Park

About this map

Highland Park and Hamtramck are shown as bustling urban enclaves surrounded by the northward expansion of Detroit during the mid-1930s. This survey, compiled from aerial photographs, illustrates the dense grid of residential streets punctuated by essential infrastructure like the Highland Park Reservoir and Detroit City Airport. The transition from industrial city life to the suburban and agricultural fringes is evident as one moves north toward Ferndale and Centerline, where drainage features like Bear Creek and Beaver Creek still define much of the open land.