WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - What's in a Name?: Detroit

Episode Date: January 25, 2024

In this episode of What's in a Name, host Megan Pidcock gives a brief origin story behind the name of one of the oldest cities in the Midwest, Detroit. 

You're listening to What's in a Name? Though this particular Michigan city's name at first look has a fairly simple origin story, it's a bit more complicated than at first seems. The name Detroit comes from a French word that means straight like a body of water, which in turn comes from the city's positioning around the Detroit River. The river comes from Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes. The city's snow remains as one of the oldest and most important cities in the Midwest. Though the name comes from French settlements in the early 18th century,

which was roughly 300 years ago, the land itself has been populated for over 11,000 years by many different peoples, including the Iroquois and the Huron. Rich in resources, it was highly contested, and after many battles ultimately ended up within the United States, first as a territory and then as part of the state of Michigan. It has since earned the nickname of the Motor City due to its history with Henry Ford. This has been What's in a Name.

My name is Megan Pitcock, and you're listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. Thank you.