In the 20th century, Detroit developed into the automobile hub of the world

Paris is referred to as the ‘City of Lights’ and Kolkata is regularly called as the ‘City of Joy’. Different cities in the world hold such nicknames from visitors or the populations residing there because of the city’s way of life, behaviour and other notable attributes. In this feature, we introduce you to a city called as the Motor City of the world. Also recognized as Motown, we are talking about Detroit, Michigan, from the United States of America. Why Motor City? Well, in the 20th century when the automobile industry was in its introductory stage; Detroit turned into the automobile hub of the world.

Why?

In 1900, Detroit was an important place where carriages and coaches were produced by large factories. For this infer, several families landed in Detroit as it offered better career opportunities and livelihood. Furthermore, the city’s location helped it grow into the Motor City. Several manufacturing components were conveniently accessible near Detroit, such as iron ore from the Mesabi Range and the myriad of timber in Michigan itself. Not to mention, Detroit was remarkably well connected by rail and water routes. Therefore, it was easy to transport new automobiles to principal metropolises like Chicago and New York.

Motor City

While it was noted for manufacturing horse-driven coaches and carriages, Detroit’s early encounter with an actual automobile company happened in 1896 when Henry Ford test-drove his first car in the downtown. He did not just drive the car but Henry Ford was a native of Michigan along with another famous automobile pioneer Ransom Olds. In 1899, Ransom Olds set up the first automobile manufacturing plant in Detroit by the name Olds Motor Works, followed by the Ford Motor Co. in 1903. Later on, several firms such as Chrysler, General Motors and Packard Motor Car Co. entered the party. By 1950, Detroit had an automobile manufacturing plant in every intersection of the city and offered the most manufacturing jobs in the world.

Downfall of the Motown

Detroit is still identified as the Motor City, but businesses have shifted since the 50s and the place is not the ‘Motor City’ any more. By 1958, Packard Motor Car Co. completely locked down their plant in the city. The escalating cost of gasoline lead a course for offshore corporations to penetrate the roadways of America. The reason being that the automobiles from Japan or Italy offered better mileage and less pollution. By the late 2000s, Chrysler and General Motors filed for bankruptcy, whereas the city itself filed for bankruptcy in 2013.