The rise and fall of Detroit

The sad story of how one of America's great cities boomed, transformed the country, struggled, went bankrupt, and became a cautionary tale

A woman walks next to the abandoned Packard Motor Car Company building, which ceased production in the 1950s, in Detroit on December 18, 2008.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook)

On Thursday, Detroit made history — and not in a good way. The heart of the U.S. auto industry and home to the Detroit Tigers, Eminem and the White Stripes, Motown, and (maybe) Jimmy Hoffa's body became the largest city ever to file for bankruptcy. In many ways, this financial crisis is 60 years in the making. As the Motor City faces an uncertain future, here's a look back at some key dates in the long, storied past of one of America's great cities:

July 24, 1701

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.