Detroit Cycling Tour: Riding through Corktown

My discoveries of Detroit were slowly but surely coming to an end, and I had seen so many interesting places already. Just before I was ready to hop across the border to Windsor again, I had one more adventure on my schedule: a biking tour of Southwest Detroit to cover Corktown and Mexicantown.
After a filling breakfast at the Inn on Ferry Street I took their complimentary shuttle downtown to Rivard Plaza, right next to the Detroit Riverwalk. At 10 am I met Kelli Kavanaugh, co-owner of Wheelhouse Detroit, downtown Detroits first bike rental facility. Wheelhouse also provides bicycle repairs and service and offers a variety of tours of different Detroit neighbourhoods.

On a windy day (October 21, 2008) we started our ride along Detroits Riverwalk and took in several major sights: the Renaissance Centre, Hart Plaza, the Cobo Convention Centre and Joe Louis Arena. Then we cycled into Detroits oldest neighbourhood: Corktown, an attractive neighbourhood originally settled in the 1830s by Irish immigrants.

We then stopped at one of Detroits most stunning buildings: the Michigan Central Depot, a gigantic Beaux Arts railway terminal that was opened in 1913 and is flanked by an 18-storey office tower. The last Amtrak train departed from here in 1988 and since then this imposing railway station has sat empty and been exposed to the elements and urban vandalism. Despite the graffiti and broken windows, the giant structure still hints at the former glamour of the era of railway travel.

Our next stop was in Mexicantown, a vibrant neighbourhood that has experienced significant growth during the past few years. Popular eateries include places like the Mexican Village, El Zocalo and Xochimilco. The surrounding neighbourhood revealed an extensive collection of late Victorian homes.

Kelly also took me to St. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church whose construction started in 1886 while the parish itself was founded in 1701, two days after the French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, arrived in the area and founded Detroit. Today St. Annes congregation also includes many Hispanic parishioners.

We cycled back on Michigan Avenue and stopped regularly to have a look at various bars, cafes and galleries along this main thoroughfare. The remains of the Old Tiger Stadium, opened in 192 and partially demolished in 2008, came up next. We finally returned to Wheelhouse Detroit through the Central Business District and ended at Rivard Plaza.

After a nice lunch in the late October sun in front of the Renaissance Centre and a quick stop in Greektown I picked up my luggage at the Inn on Ferry Street and headed back home to Canada. My five days in Detroit had come to an end, but there were many more things to discover. They will have to wait until next time

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• USA
• Michigan
• Detroit
• Belle
• Isle
• Fisher
• Building
• Eastern
• Market
• Heidelberg
• Project
• Central
• Depot
• Book
• Cadillac

[LadyElaineFairchilde]

Corktown is a pretty neighborhood. I like going there. The neighborhing Mexicantown is nice, too.

[tylerkuite]

@TheRealBlackula You need therapy

[Jfriday714]

@TheRealBlackula This is the typical response. I think it may be the other way around Buckwheat! Live in yer den of thieves called detroit! with the parasites...........lol Bilk on brother bilk on!

[TheRealBlackula]

@Jfriday714 Nothing was handed to blacks! Blacks were the majority working in the plants. Without Blacks, Detroit wouldn't existed! You useless white people can't structure the city's economy. That's why Detroit is shit! Your people have no culture, no talent, and that's why you parasites copy and try to steal from BLACKS. Without BLACKS, you parasites wouldn't exist.

[Jfriday714]

I sure get sick of people bashing people that say bad things about Detroit. This area is owned by predominantly white people. They seem to care about things the blacks don't and that's to bad. The black race was basically given a city in decent repair and run it into the ground plain and simple. Mind you not perfect but very livable. They do not want white people there plain and simple. So let it rot! Simply the pot is running dry in Detroit, there isn't much left to bilk!! Good Grief!

[antoniodcz]

very nice, I'm curious to know what camara you used? I'm presuming it was small and easy to carry?

[MaximumLantern]

Corktown is wedged between the downtown financial district to the east, and a fairly stable Mexican Village / Mexicantown to the west. WIth the right planning and investment, the "good" of Corktown could spread north along Trumbell Avenue, reaching into the Midtown / Wayne State area which is currently seeing a boom in investment.

[MaximumLantern]

Corktown truly is a wonderful neighborhood. It's a rare gem in a city that is largely uninhabitable. There certainly are some nice pockets in Detroit, but those places are few and far between.

[squirmypuppy]

hmm...so few comments when there's a positive video about Detroit, especially compared with the barrage of, often racist, comments littering the negative Detroit videos.

Detroit still has beauty, still has spirit, still has character, still has charm

[PamK36]

Filming while riding? Doesn't sound too safe.

I like those row houses on Leverette.