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Growing up in the Detroit area, most of even what I knew about the largest city in Michigan consisted of crime, the Big 3 (car companies), Motown, Canadian borders separated by the Detroit River, fun festivals and what I learned from Eminem and Kid Rock songs. I'm sure I learned more in school, but I don't remember it...like Spanish class. I can ask for tacos in Spanish and that's about it.

Detroit has been in the movies a lot lately as people rally to help rebuild the city to its former glory. It's also extremely cheap for movies and TV shows to be made here. But there are a lot of very interesting facts about Detroit most people, including Detroiters, probably aren't aware of outside of other famous reference names like Motown, The Motor City, The "D", Hockey town, "Paris of the Midwest, and Rock City....

1. Founded in 1701, Detroit is probably most famous for the music of Motown where many music legends started like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson (and the Jackson 5), The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, etc. In modern times, most notably, Eminem, Madonna, Ted Nugent and Kid Rock.

Did you know that Detroit is also the birthplace of Techno? Detroit is where techno originated underground by "The Godfathers of Techno", Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson in the 1980's. Techno is mostly associated with European style music when in fact it started right here. DJs and partiers from all over the world converge on the city to celebrate it's birth every Memorial Day weekend at the Electronic Music Festival in Detroit.

2. The Great Salt Mines that run beneath the city and downriver area where it's estimated there is enough salt under the Detroit area to last 70 million years. You may see Morton Salt canisters sitting on your local grocery shelves. Once in a while you may hear the faint sound and vibration of dynamite beneath your feet as miners blast their way through the massive salt deposits.

3. Detroit is the only place in the 48 contiguous states where we can look South to Canada.

4. Detroit held the first ever radio news broadcast.

5. Detroit had the very first concrete roads paved in the world and the first freeway (The Davison)

6. Detroit was Michigan's capital from 1805-1847.

7. Detroit was captured by the British in the war of 1812, but recaptured a year later.

8. Its first Mayor, John R. Williams, spoke only French.

9. Detroit hosts some of the most beautiful mansions dating back 200 years and exquisite French architecture in the world.

10. Detroit built the first auto tunnel connecting two countries.

11. Coney Island Hot Dogs are not native to New York, but Detroit.