The Detroit River

The Detroit River is unique in Canada, the United States, and the world because, although its shores embrace the largest metropolitan area on any international border, it connects communities culturally and economically rather than separating them. Archaeological finds place First Nations communities at the river as early as 400 A.D., and French settlers reached the area by the mid-1600's. The river and its watersheds represent the history of North America in a way not duplicated elsewhere, and local communities, major industries, and both Canada and the United States owe part of their development to the Detroit River and the people who took advantage of its potential. The river was the site of major battles, the first permanent agricultural community in Ontario, and a terminus of the Underground Railway. Today it is one of the premier boating areas in North America, with more than 12,000 marina slips, and its riverfront offers extensive park systems, recreational opportunities and historic sites, bird watching, canoeing, and one of the finest urban fisheries in North America. This 51 kilometre waterway is the busiest international border crossing point in North America and a key transportation route in the Great Lakes system. It is the only major Canadian river and watershed that lies completely within the Carolinian zone, featuring diverse ecosystems and rare species found nowhere else in Canada. Honoured as an American Heritage River in 1998, the Detroit is the first river with dual designations, and its Canadian Heritage River designation encourages binational cooperation in wise management and environmental restoration and reflects its significance as a national treasure.

Ontario · Canada