Discover Downtown Detroit Walking Tour 11/18
About this Event
Discover Downtown Detroit Walking Tour is an in-person event for the general public.
About the Tour
A one-hour walk through downtown Detroit’s history and architecture. Holiday lights, skyscrapers, and hidden stories.
On this walking tour, an award-winning city planner and researcher leads an exploration of downtown Detroit’s streets, squares, and skyline, offering historical context and celebrating a remarkable journey.
We begin on Woodward Avenue at Campus Martius, Detroit’s town square. Its story begins with Judge Augustus Woodward’s bold 1807 plan for the city, and it later served as a gathering point where troops mustered for the Civil War. This time of year, the square is at its most festive: Detroit’s Christmas tree glows next to the ice rink, and holiday markets fill nearby Cadillac Square.
From there, we head down Griswold Street, once known as the “Wall Street of the Detroit.” Here you’ll see the interiors and exteriors of some of America's finest early 20th-century skyscrapers, including the Chrysler House and the dazzling Art Deco Guardian Building.
We finish at One Woodward Avenue, Minoru Yamasaki’s first skyscraper, built years before he designed other notable buildings throughout the United States, and at Spirit Plaza, home of the iconic Spirit of Detroit.
Come for the holiday lights, and leave seeing downtown in a whole new way.
Agenda
🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:10 PM
Walk Woodward Avenue to Campus Martius
Info: Hear the stories of one of downtown Detroit's oldest commercial blocks as we walk to Campus Martius.
🕑: 02:10 PM - 02:20 PM
Visit Campus Martius - Detroit's Town Square
Info: This site was part of Augustus Woodward's 1807 Plan of Detroit, and today it is one of the best public squares in America. Learn about Campus Martius history, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, nearby Cadillac Square, Civil War and Underground Railroad connections, and view Detroit's Christmas Tree and Cadillac Square Holiday Markets.
🕑: 02:25 PM - 02:35 PM
Discover the Chrysler House, a Daniel Burnham Masterpiece
Info: Famed Chicago architect Daniel Burnham designed this 1912 skyscraper in a Neo-Classical style. We will learn about Burnham's legacy as an architect and urban planner. This building was originally known as the Dime Savings Bank Building (Dime Building). We will learn the story of the bank and its pioneering President, William Livingstone. Interior access is subject to availability.
🕑: 02:35 PM - 02:40 PM
View the Greater Penobscot Building, by Wirt Rowland
Info: Discover Wirt Rowland's inspiration for the exterior design of this art deco masterpiece. At 47 stories, this building held the title of Detroit's Tallest Building for 50 years.
🕑: 02:45 PM - 02:55 PM
Explore the Guardian Building, Wirt Rowland's "Aztec Deco" Gem
Info: There is no building in the world like the Guardian Building, a National Landmark. Designed by Wirt Rowland, this building has a complex history and is made of materials from around the world. Learn about the "Cathedral of Finance" and the challenges Detroit's largest bank faced during the 1929 stock market crash and the banking crisis that followed. Interior access is subject to availability.
🕑: 02:55 PM - 03:00 PM
See Yamasaki's One Woodward Avenue and Spirit Plaza
Info: See Minoru Yamasaki's One Woodward Avenue (MichCon), his prototype skyscraper, and learn how his design inspired an iconic building in New York City. Also see Spirit Plaza, home to Marshall Fredericks' Spirit of Detroit.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 46.65
