North Corktown, Detroit
Encyclopedia
North Corktown was originally part of the Corktown
Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
neighborhood. This changed with the construction of I-75, which severed Corktown
Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
into two separate neighborhoods.
History
North Corktown came into existence after the construction of I-75. Before this period North Corktown was part of the CorktownCorktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
neighborhood.
Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
comes from the neighborhoods early residents. In the 1830s Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Immigrants from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
began living in the area that is today Corktown
Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
and North Corktown. The early residents built many Queen Anne style homes as well as row houses
Row houses
The Row at Stanford University is made up of 36 student-managed houses, from the Cowell Cluster to the Lake Houses and all along Mayfield Avenue, with a total population of a little over 1600 students. Houses range in occupancy from 22 to 59...
on relatively narrow lots. In the 1960s the neighborhood began to steadily decline, largely due to freeway construction and urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects.
Redevelopment
Since the 1990s the neighborhood has seen increased investment. Older homes have been restored, and new housing has been constructed throughout the neighborhood. In 2007 the MotorCity CasinoMotorCity Casino
MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan is one of three casino resort hotels in the city, and one of four in the Detroit–Windsor area. The $825 million complex incorporates the historic Wagner Baking Company building designed c.1915 by architect Walter W. Ahlschlager, who went on to design the...
and hotel resort was completed in North Corktown. This has brought much attention to the neighborhood as well as jobs, retail, restaurants, and tourists.
