13 Facts About Detroit River

The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and Windsor, and is one of the world's busiest waterways.

The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into the Detroit International Riverfront and the William G Milliken State Park and Harbor.

The Detroit River is designated both an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River—the only river to have this dual designation.

However, today, the Detroit River is rarely referred to as a strait, because bodies of water referred to as straits are typically much wider relative to their length.

The largest city along the Detroit River is Detroit, and most of the population along the river lives in Michigan.

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The Detroit River has two automobile traffic crossings connecting the United States and Canada: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel.

Detroit River served as a final stop on the Underground Railroad and was the most active entry point along the United States–Canada border for fugitive slaves.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit River's industrialization took off on an unprecedented scale.

The Detroit River became the world's busiest commercial river and in 1908 was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" by The Detroit News.

American mobsters such as the Purple Gang of Detroit River used violence to control the route known as the "Detroit River-Windsor Funnel, " and continue to gain lucrative returns from the trade.

Much of the land that surrounds the Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, has been used for industrial purposes for more than 100 years.

In 1998, the Detroit River was designated as an American Heritage River by the US Environmental Protection Agency and in 2001 as a Canadian Heritage River.

The millions of dollars spent since that time to dredge pollutants out of the Detroit River has led to a remarkable restoration, although problems remain.