The Roads Of Detroit
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Ever drive through Detroit and wonder where the name of the streets you travel on came from? You’re not alone! Detroit and its vast metropolitan area has a centuries-old rich, diverse history. The names of our streets weave a wonderful story that literally connects us all. Let’s take a drive!
Destination: Hull’s Trace
Michigan’s First Road
The wooden remains of an old military road known as Hull’s Trace emerges when the water level is low near the spot where the Huron River empties into Lake Erie. Gen William Hull was Michigan’s 1st Territorial Governor and led his militia through mid-Ohio to Detroit in the war of 1812. The road has been in this spot underneath modern-day West Jefferson Avenue in what is now the southern tip of Wayne County for more than 200 years, connecting Ohio and Detroit.
Check out this great story by Eric D. Lawrence in the Detroit Free Press:
Resting below modern-day Jefferson Ave is Michigan’s first road, Hull’s Trace
