Roaming Dogs On The Riverwalk

If you've ever read the DetroitYES forums, you know that any thread with more than 10 replies is a microcosm of Detroit itself. If you're not from here, it makes for entertaining reading, ranging from the worst of reality tv to the best of PBS in tone, history, and intelligence. It's a quick way to get a feel for the strengths of our city, from the thoughtful and the generous, the neighborhood activists, urban explorers, die-hard city boosters and documentarians, and the regular folks who have stayed; and to hear us be our own worst enemies, from the racists who can't see either way across Eight Mile, the blowhards from the 'burbs who haven't actually set foot in the city in years, and those who long for a city that exists only in their memories and will never be again.

This week there is a thread started by someone who will be visiting from Toronto, asking about walking from the Omni Hotel to downtown along the Riverwalk. The responses ranged from helpful and accurate to hmmm, well, not so much. Someone even brought up carrying mace to protect against the roaming dogs. The little girl above is typical of Riverwalk dogs... there are some spots in Detroit where mace might be needed for aggressive strays, but the Riverwalk isn't one of them. 

I've covered most of the Riverwalk in previous posts, and meant to get to this part, so here it is:

The Omni Hotel is in the old Parke-Davis pharmaceutical complex. Other parts of the complex are now office buildings, restaurants, condos, and apartments. The hotel is right on the Riverwalk, with a terrace overlooking the Belle Isle Bridge. From here the Riverwalk continues northeast through the Harbortown marina and ending at Mt. Elliott Park. From there you have to head back out to Jefferson for a short stretch till you get to the bridge.

Shown below...the Talon Centre, with the Omni Hotel in the distance. The Riverwalk stretches on the right.

These tour boats that cruise the Detroit River are docked just off the River Place building, near the entrance to the Rattlesnake Club. This section of the Riverwalk is typically pretty quiet, with only the occasional jogger, biker, or walker passing by. Sometimes the office workers sun themselves or stroll.

At the entrance to the Talon Centre and the Rattlesnake Club is where the Riverwalk cuts inland to Atwater for a few blocks. A little history:

There are several very welcoming restaurants and bars along Campau, including a microbrewery.... if you want to take a break before setting off for downtown.

This section of Atwater was the heart of Detroit's maritime history and a bustling manufacturing district from the mid 1800's to after the turn-of-the-century. The railroads ran right up to the water, and the shipbuilders were along this street. These buildings have ghosts, stories, and names of early Detroit tycoons connected to them.

You'll pass Chene Park, an outdoor amphitheater, along this stretch. When there are concerts here, boats anchor out in the river to watch and listen to the music.

...below, the harbor at Milliken State Park ...

....the new Atwater entrance to the Dequindre Cut, an old railbed converted to paved trail. You can take this to Eastern Market (when there isn't work on the overpasses happening.. you can't get all the way thru right now)...

The building above was the Detroit Dry Dock Company. It built some of the biggest ships on the Great Lakes. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison both served as apprentices in this complex of buildings. The inlet below is what remains of one of the dry docks. You could spend hours reading more about this building and Detroit's maritime history at these sites (I have):

Maritime History of the Great Lakes: Around The Lakes - this is an online version of a book that is a history of the Detroit Dry Dock Company and the ships it built. You can see illustrations of the whole shipyard complex, photos of ships being built in the dry docks, and all kinds of other fascinating things.  

Detroit 1701 - a brief history of the building from Ren Farley, one of the website/blogging pioneers documenting significant buildings of Detroit

Fabulous Ruins of Detroit - an earlier tour of this area, from another Hall of Fame leader in documenting Detroit's buildings, Lowell Boileau, with wording from the historical marker/model of the dry dock shown below

Wikipedia article on Detroit Dry Dock complex - details of all the buildings, diagrams, historical photos  

There is construction on Atwater, so cars can't get thru here, but it is fine for walking. The Detroit Dry Dock Building is in the distance on the left.

From here, if I turn around and face in the other direction, I am at the point where the Riverwalk cuts back to the river's edge, in Milliken State Park, with Rivard Plaza in the distance.

More of the Riverwalk here, here, here, and here.