Detroit is celebrating its 313th birthday today, so take a look back at some memorable moments in Detroit history over the last 60 years.
1960 – Cobo Center opens. The $68 million convention center is one of the largest in the nation. Detroit’s population drops 9 percent.
1967 – The Detroit riot, known as the 12th Street riot, began on July 23 and lasted 5 days. Police confrontations with patrons and observers evolved into one of the deadliest and most destructive riots in U.S. history. The riot resulted in 43 people killed, over 1,100 injured and over 7,200 arrested. It also resulted in more than 2,000 buildings being destroyed. It was estimated that 10,000 people participated in the riots.
1968 – The Detroit Tigers win their third World Series championship, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals. Mickey Lolich is named MVP.
1971 – Henry Ford II announces plan for $357 million Renaissance Center to revitalize downtown. It opens six years later. It was sold to General Motors in 1996 for $75 million.
1973 – Coleman A. Young becomes the first black mayor of Detroit.
1979 – The Detroit Red Wings move to Joe Louis Arena.
1983 – Downtown’s last department store, the 25-story J.L. Hudson’s, closes after horrible sales. The building was demolished in 1998.
1987 – The Detroit People Mover is born.
1988-1999 – The Detroit Pistons win back-to-back NBA championships.
1996 – Michigan voters approve proposal to build three casinos in Detroit.
1997 – The Detroit Red Wings end their championship drought by winning the Stanley Cup.
2000 – The Detroit Tigers move into their new home, Comerica Park.
2002 – Kwame Kilpatrick takes office (you know how that went), and the Detroit Lions move downtown to Ford Field.
2004 – The Super Bowl comes to Detroit.
2009 – GM and Chrysler file for bankruptcy. They are given billions in federal loans.
2013 – Detroit files for bankruptcy, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, citing more than $18 billion in debt.
