About: The 1700s and early 1800s were transformative periods in the history of the Detroit River Region. European settlement began with the establishment of Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in 1701, in a region surrounded by the homelands of the Anishinaabeg (Chippewa, Odawa, Bodéwadmi) and Wyandotte peoples. Settlement grew slowly the under British Empire (1760–1796) and accelerated after American forces arrived in Detroit in July 1796. The creation of the U.S.-Canadian border that same year, conflicts such as the War of 1812, treaties with Indigenous nations, and increasing waves of settlement all shaped the region. This website illuminates that history to increase awareness about an often overlooked period in regional history.
Map: The map identifies places in the Detroit River Region (southeastern Michigan, southwestern Ontario, and Indigenous homelands) where traces of Indigenous, colonial, and Early Republic era history remain visible. Historic buildings, street names, toponyms, waterways, interpretive plaques, memorials, battlefields and other important sites are identified with pins. Simply click on the pins to pull up short descriptions and links to additional information.
Click the symbol on the top right of the map to open the map in fullscreen. The symbol in the top left opens the legend. With the legend opened, one can add and remove categories, for example battles, historic sites, etc. Click on individual pins and bolded lines to view more information about the site or event.