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Greektown (Detroit, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Greektown Historic District, also known as Greektown, is a historic neighborhood, commercial, and entertainment district in Detroit, Michigan
, located just northeast of the heart of downtown, along Monroe Avenue between Brush and St. Antoine Streets with a station on the city's elevated downtown monorail transit system known as the Detroit People Mover
. Greektown is also situated between the Renaissance Center
, Comerica Park
, and Ford Field
. The district is dominated by Greek-themed restaurants and includes St. Mary Roman Catholic Church
, Second Baptist Church
, the Athenium Suite Hotel, and the Greektown Casino Hotel within its boundaries. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982.
However, by the 1920s, the area was becoming primarily commercial rather than residential, and the Greek residents began moving out; however, the restaurants, stores, and coffeehouses they established remained. The next thirty years brought a menage of immigrants to the few residential spaces left in the neighborhood. Redevelopment in the 1960s led to the neighborhood becoming more commercialized to provide space for municipal buildings and parking.
Realizing the culturally significant neighborhood was at risk, Detroit's Greek leaders banded together. With the help of the Mayor's office, the streetscape and building exteriors were improved, and additional street lighting was installed. The neighborhood threw a Greek festival in 1966, timed to coincide with Fourth of July celebrations. The festival was a success, and was continued for years until turnout grew too large. By that time, Greektown was firmly established in Detroit. The Greektown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982.
Greektown today remains distinctly Greek. The neighborhood is a popular restaurant and entertainment district, having many restaurants that serve authentic Greek
cuisine, as well as one of the city's three casinos, Greektown Casino
. Certain buildings on Monroe Street are themed to resemble the Parthenon
, Pegasus
, and other forms of Greek architecture
. Greek music is also played on Monroe Street throughout the day. Well known restaurants include The Golden Fleece, Laikon Cafe, Cyprus Taverna, Pegasus Taverna, and Pizza Papalis. The Detroit People Mover
has a station at the Greektown Casino on Beaubien Street between Monroe Street and Lafayette Boulevard. Greektown is featured in the 2005 video game, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, located just northeast of the heart of downtown, along Monroe Avenue between Brush and St. Antoine Streets with a station on the city's elevated downtown monorail transit system known as the Detroit People Mover
Detroit People Mover
The Detroit People Mover is a automated people mover system which operates on a single set of tracks, and encircles downtown Detroit, Michigan....
. Greektown is also situated between the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
, Comerica Park
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
, and Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
. The district is dominated by Greek-themed restaurants and includes St. Mary Roman Catholic Church
St. Mary Roman Catholic Church (Detroit, Michigan)
St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, formally the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the third oldest parish in Detroit, Michigan. It is located at 646 Monroe Street in heart of Greektown Historic District within Detroit's downtown area. It is often called Old St. Mary's...
, Second Baptist Church
Second Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan
Second Baptist Church located at 441 Monroe Street within Greektown in Detroit, Michigan is the oldest African-American church in the Midwestern United States...
, the Athenium Suite Hotel, and the Greektown Casino Hotel within its boundaries. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982.
History
The area known today as Greektown was first settled in the 1830s by German immigrants, who created a primarily residential neighborhood in the area. However, in the earliest years of the 20th century, most of the German residents began moving from the neighborhood into areas further from downtown. As the Germans left the area, new Greek immigrants moved in, spurred by Theodore Gerasimos, the first documented Greek immigrant in Detroit. The newly-arrived Greeks established businesses in the neighborhood.However, by the 1920s, the area was becoming primarily commercial rather than residential, and the Greek residents began moving out; however, the restaurants, stores, and coffeehouses they established remained. The next thirty years brought a menage of immigrants to the few residential spaces left in the neighborhood. Redevelopment in the 1960s led to the neighborhood becoming more commercialized to provide space for municipal buildings and parking.
Realizing the culturally significant neighborhood was at risk, Detroit's Greek leaders banded together. With the help of the Mayor's office, the streetscape and building exteriors were improved, and additional street lighting was installed. The neighborhood threw a Greek festival in 1966, timed to coincide with Fourth of July celebrations. The festival was a success, and was continued for years until turnout grew too large. By that time, Greektown was firmly established in Detroit. The Greektown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982.
Greektown today remains distinctly Greek. The neighborhood is a popular restaurant and entertainment district, having many restaurants that serve authentic Greek
Cuisine of Greece
Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine, sharing characteristics with the cuisines of Italy, the Balkans, Turkey, and the Levant. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including poultry, rabbit and pork. Also...
cuisine, as well as one of the city's three casinos, Greektown Casino
Greektown Casino
Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan is one of three casino resort hotels in the city, and one of four in the Detroit-Windsor area. Greektown Casino, LLC is majority owned by Greektown Superholdings, Inc. and Greektown Newco Sub Inc...
. Certain buildings on Monroe Street are themed to resemble the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
, Pegasus
Pegasus
Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
, and other forms of Greek architecture
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
. Greek music is also played on Monroe Street throughout the day. Well known restaurants include The Golden Fleece, Laikon Cafe, Cyprus Taverna, Pegasus Taverna, and Pizza Papalis. The Detroit People Mover
Detroit People Mover
The Detroit People Mover is a automated people mover system which operates on a single set of tracks, and encircles downtown Detroit, Michigan....
has a station at the Greektown Casino on Beaubien Street between Monroe Street and Lafayette Boulevard. Greektown is featured in the 2005 video game, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition is a racing game, developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games, and is the third game in the Midnight Club series. Like previous installments in the series, the game is an arcade-style racer and focuses on wild, high-speed racing, rather than...
.