On Detroit’s eastside, Conner Creek once flowed from what is now the City of Warren to the Detroit River. It was a significant natural feature for Native American and European settlers. At one point ribbon farms dominated the landscape along the creek and Detroit River to maximize landowners’ access to the water. In time, the old Indian trails and the village plank roads gave way to railroads and other developments. The Detroit Terminal Railroad, constructed parallel to the creek, attracted many of the early American auto makers. Chrysler, Hudson Motor Car, Continental Motors, Budd Motor Company, Briggs Manufacturing, Cadillac and Liberty Motor Car Company are just some of the car makers who chose this stretch to house their factories.
While much of the original creek was tunneled underground, the planned Greenway follows the creek’s historic route to connect residents, neighborhoods and commerce via landscaped paths and bike trails instead of water. From the Fisher Mansion at the Detroit River to the Huppmobile and Chrysler Viper Plant near Eight Mile, the Greenway at Conner Creek gives historians, auto enthusiasts, and visitors a chance to experience the past and present of America’s auto heritage.
