Prakash Sharma

Professor Rowley

Honors 1000

5 November 2017

Where are we going?

The city of Detroit was a popular destination for many people because of the way it was

being modernized during its early stage. As new ways of seeing emerged, urban form took

place within the city in a very short time frame. While the city was in the phase of

modernization, one of many urban forms that emerged in the city of Detroit was the Chene Ferry

Market. The Chene Ferry Market was one of several open-air markets established in the 1850's,

along with the Eastern Market. However, as the city of Detroit started to move along the line of

modernity, the Chene Ferry Market failed to progress along with it. The social, technological,

and economical structure of Chene Ferry Market differs significantly from the modern city of

Detroit. Therefore the Chene Ferry Market and its neighborhood does not accurately represent

the city of Detroit and its footsteps along modernity.

People of different races and ethnicities make up the city of Detroit. It is an urban form that

serves to bring people together. Walking around the city, one can observe diverse groups of

people communicating and interacting with each other. Even though Chene Ferry Market is

located within the city of Detroit, it has been burnt down and abandoned for a long time. While

the city of Detroit is made up of different groups of people, Chene Ferry Market has almost no

interaction between people. Furthermore, during the exploration process of Chene Ferry Market,

social and cultural impact around the neighborhood was very rare. Since the neighborhood

differs significantly from the city of Detroit, this site doesnt represent a way to bring people
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together. The Chene Ferry Market rather illustrates how failing to progress with the city can

contribute to an abandonment overtime.

While the foundation of the city of Detroit is mostly based on industrialization and

technology, few buildings and skyscrapers exist around Chene Ferry Market and its

neighborhood. When the futurama was illustrated at the exhibition in worlds fair, many

people did not believe that buildings and skyscrapers would be possible after the big economic

depression of 1929. People had very few hopes because of the impact of economic depression.

Later as new ways of seeing and urban forms emerged, industrialization and tall buildings

multiplied rapidly in the city of Detroit. The tall GM building, which was once a dream, has been

one of the many attractions that defines the city of Detroit. Moreover, what lies in the heart of

Detroit, the Renaissance Center, further contributes to the definition of modernity in the city of

Detroit. The Chene Ferry Market on the other hand, has been burned down several times and its

surrounding environment is abandoned. The roads, streets, and pavements surrounding the Ferry

Market are dilapidated. While there exist some deteriorated buildings around the neighborhood,

the ways of seeing differ significantly compared to what truly defines the city of Detroit.

There are numerous amounts of corporates and businesses that contribute to the economic

infrastructure of the city of Detroit. It is predominantly dominated by the automotive industry as

it contributes to the big part of the the economy of Detroit. In fact, when Henry Ford first

introduced the city of Detroit to the immigrants, it was mostly for its economic infrastructure.

The city of Detroit, which emerged from the famous dollar 5 a day, now provides hundreds and

thousands of jobs for workers from all around the city. Chene Ferry on the other hand, has no

base for economic foundation since the building itself is abandoned. The flow of economy

among markets in Detroit differs significantly in Chene Ferry market. Although the market itself
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was first established to exchange goods and services among people, marketplaces are very rare

around the neighborhood of Chene Ferry Market. The process of exploration with the group

showed very few, if any, exchange of goods and services.

Detroit, a city that emerged primarily from automotive industry, differs significantly from

Chene Ferry Market and its neighborhood. Its social, technological, and economic infrastructure

is very intricate. In the city of Detroit, people of different races and ethnicities engage together to

form a diverse community. Chene Ferry Market on the other hand represents a lack of different

ways of seeing that contribute to urban form. Therefore, this site does not accurately depict the

modern city of Detroit and its movement along the line of modernity.
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Works Cited

"Want a New Market." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 8. Mar 20 1894. ProQuest.

"The City Council." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 1. Jul 16 1879. ProQuest.

"Who Controls the Streets?" Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 10. Dec 23 1900. ProQuest.