Appendix H - Historical Archaeological and ... - CBP.gov

transfiguring industry in general with the establishment of the assembly line (Catlin, 1926).
Detroit-based Albert Kahn and his brother Louis revolutionized the appearance and functionality
of the modern factory.
By the early twentieth century, the automobile manufacturing firms of Ford and General Motors
(GM) were headquartered in or near Detroit. Ford maintains its world headquarters in Dearborn.
GM was headquartered in downtown Detroit and its GM Tech Center was in nearby Warren. In
1940, much of the military’s tank construction took place at the Chrysler-operated Warren Tank
Factory, which operated in this capacity for over 50 years before closing in the 1990s.
Commerce and Trade
Like most of the country, Michigan developed trade centers to serve the rural hinterlands;
however, unlike most of the country, Michigan also has port cities that facilitated both intra- and
interstate shipping and trade. Among the more remarkable products from Michigan
manufacturers are catalog homes designed, prepared, and shipped from Bay City to points
around the state and country. Tourism has also been an important aspect of Michigan’s
commerce, with cultural heritage tourism sites across the Lower Peninsula. Entire communities,
such as Marshall, Alpena, and Mackinac Island, claim heritage tourism as a major part of their
local economies. Lighthouses, a favorite tourist attraction, dot the shores of Lakes Erie, Huron,
and Michigan.
Government
The Michigan Territory was carved out of the Northwest Territories in 1829, with boundaries
closely resembling those of today. In 1837, Michigan reached sufficient numbers to gain entry
into the United States as the 26th state in the Union (Dunbar and May, 1995). By the time
statehood was granted to Michigan, the land was divided into 37 counties. Today, the State
contains 83 counties. Within each county, cities, villages, towns, and townships may also have
local jurisdiction, depending on their local population and level of incorporation. A number of
Michigan’s counties continue to boast courthouse squares, a centrally placed courthouse building
surrounded by commercial enterprises that often include attorney offices and other court-related
businesses. One of the best examples of this is found in Howell, Livingston County.
Social and Cultural
The first waves of immigration into Michigan consisted largely of people of western European
ancestry who were later joined by Germans and Irish. Michigan’s status as a “free” state (i.e.,
without legalized slavery) offered African Americans a permanent home or a refuge during their
journey on the Underground Railroad. Later, the automotive industry attracted African
American workers from the South. Eastern European communities developed in communities
such as Delray in Detroit (Hungarian) and Hamtramck (Polish). In the early twentieth century,
Hispanics found employment as migrant workers in Michigan’s fields and orchards. The most
recent major influx of a single ethnic group has been that from the Middle East. Dearborn, just
west of Detroit, represents one of the largest Arabic populations outside the Middle East.
Northern Border Activities H-99 July 2012