The third exhibition in the Wayne County History Project features Romulus, Taylor, Brownstown, Ecorse, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Flat Rock, and Southgate, eight communities that helped shape Wayne County.
Explore how diverse cultures and generations of resilient residents transformed farm towns, riverfront villages, and industrial hubs into the vibrant Downriver cities that we know today. See how Allen Park grew into a cultural melting pot fueled by Ford’s $5 workday; how Brownstown traces its roots to Wyandot leader Adam Brown; and how Ecorse launched the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald. Learn how Flat Rock powered Ford’s Village Industries through its headlamp plant, and how Lincoln Park became the historic gathering site of Chief Pontiac’s 1763 war council. Explore Romulus, once home to a major Gray Iron Foundry that supplied materials across the region; revisit the spirited school rivalry that defined Southgate; and discover Taylor’s deep agricultural roots, from early corn and soybean farms to bustling 20th-century growth.
The Wayne County History Project honors the people, places, and moments that built Wayne County’s 43 vibrant communities in six rotating exhibitions and an online history archive. Exhibitions will be on display at the Guardian Building (500 Griswold St, Detroit, MI 48226). Presented by the Detroit Historical Society and Wayne County Executive Office.
Join us to celebrate the exhibition opening with a family friendly open house on Saturday, December 13!
