Boynton and Oakwood Heights are the two southernmost neighborhoods of the city of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan . The two neighborhoods occupy the only portions of Detroit located south of the River Rouge .
61-474: Delray is the name of several communities in the United States of America: Delray, Georgia Delray, Detroit , Michigan Delray, Texas Delray, West Virginia Delray Beach, Florida Delray Gardens, Florida Delray Shores, Florida See also Battle of Molino del Rey , inspiration for the name Delray of Detroit, in turn inspiration for
122-508: A Detroit Edison power plant, and the Detroit Iron & Steel Company, whose blast furnaces on Zug Island were just across the River Rouge from Delray. Despite the economic uptick, Delray's 15,000 inhabitants still lacked serviceable water, sewage, fire, and lighting infrastructure, and sought civic improvements via either incorporation or annexation by Detroit. On October 26, 1897,
183-461: A combined industrial expo and agricultural fair designed to show off the rising economic prominence of Detroit, whose population of 206,000 made it the nation's 15th largest city. The expo's main building, located on the riverfront west of Fort Wayne, was designed by architect Louis Kamper , and featured 200,000 square feet (19,000 m ) of exhibition space. The fair was a resounding success, drawing 300,000 attendees, which prompted officials to make
244-483: A common phrase was "Within Delray the village life flows on" ( Hungarian : Delray-ben foly a falusi élet ). Various Hungarian social clubs including athletic, altar, dramatic, sick benefit and insurance, singing ( Dalárdák ), and social clubs were formed. Each club included a membership and a wider group of adherents or pártolók . Beynon wrote that "Practically every Hungarian of Detroit who has not broken away entirely from
305-600: A gas line explosion, until the building itself was torn down in 2009. The neighborhood is home also to the now-abandoned Cary Elementary School. Students at the elementary level (grades preK-5) previously attended Roberto Clemente Elementary or Phoenix Elementary. Students in grades 6–8 attended Mark Twain Elementary School or Earhart Middle School. High school students attended Southwestern High School or Western International High School . At 6921 West Fort Street , Southwestern High School can be considered part of
366-768: A list of Hungarian surnames in the Detroit City Directory published by the company Polk, Beynon concluded that 44.27% of the Hungarians lived in the Delray colony and 55.72% lived outside of the Delray colony. During the Great Depression the Daughters of Divine Charity served in a Hungarian-operated orphanage on South Street. From January 1, 1927, to March 11, 1932, the Wayne County Juvenile Court received 462 complaints filed against Hungarian boys, with
427-544: A malfunctioning flare from the facility released "horrific, stomach churning odors" that forced some residents to stay indoors. In response to the growing criticism, Jamal T. Kheiry, communications manager for Marathon, wrote, "Over the past 20 years, we have reduced our emissions more than 75 percent, and the refinery comprises only three percent of the emissions in this heavily industrialized area of Southwest Detroit." The refinery has received permission for an expansion of its facilities and has sought to buy out properties in
488-429: A second Detroit River crossing for trade between the United States and Canada . Construction has resulted in large-scale demolition of houses and streets that lie in the footprint of the bridge. The city's Bridging Neighborhoods Home Swap program allows Delray residents in the affected area to relocate to new houses in the city. In 2021, as demolition and construction continued, the U.S. and Canadian governments declared
549-687: A total of 380 boys involved. Of those boys, 140 were from the Delray Hungarian colony. One wave of Hungarians arrived after the end of World War II . Another wave of Hungarians escaped the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 , causing more to arrive in Delray. The construction of Interstate 75 in the mid-1960s destroyed large parts of Delray and divided the community into two pieces. Middle and working class Hungarians moved to Allen Park , Lincoln Park , Melvindale , and Riverview . The Holy Cross parish school closed. The Holy Cross Hungarian Church
610-528: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Delray, Detroit Delray is a neighborhood in southwest Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan . Its area extends south to the River Rouge , east to the Detroit River , west to Fort Street , and north to Clark Street. The two census tracts that cover the neighborhood had a population of 2,783 at
671-542: Is roughly conterminous with two Census Bureau tracts that cover 2.938 square miles (7.61 km ). The city of River Rouge , including Zug Island , borders Delray to the southwest, and is connected to Detroit by the West Jefferson Avenue–Rouge River Bridge . The major thoroughfares through Delray are West Fort Street , Interstate 75 , and West Jefferson Avenue . In 1935, Delray formed the southern portion of Wards 14, 16, 18, and 20. Since 2013,
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#1732851897785732-851: Is the Marathon Petroleum Company LP refinery located at 301 South Fort Street in Oakwood Heights. The facility was originally built in 1930 by the Aurora Gasoline Company. Today, the expanded facility is the only petroleum refinery in Michigan, and it has a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day and around 540 employees. The refinery received the Energy Star Award in 2007 and 2008 from the Environmental Protection Agency for reducing energy usage and protecting
793-785: Is the Campbell Branch at 8733 West Vernor Highway just north in the Springwells neighborhood. Also, the Lincoln Park Public Library is about one mile south of Boynton at 1381 Southfield Road in Lincoln Park . Southwest Detroit contains heavy industrial development, and this has reportedly raised health concerns for some residents living in Boynton and Oakwood Heights. In February 2019, the Detroit Metro Times reported that
854-577: Is the only public school located within the Boynton–Oakwood Heights neighborhoods. The school was originally known as the Frances G. Boynton School. It was built in 1926. The school served 220 students for the 2017–18 school year—down 23 students (9.5%) from the previous school year. Of the 220 students, there were 199 (90.5%) African Americans, 17 (7.7%) Hispanics, and four (1.8%) Caucasians. The only other school located within these neighborhoods
915-419: Is the smaller of the two neighborhoods and borders Melvindale to the south and the city of Dearborn to the northwest. The two neighborhoods are connected to the rest of the city of Detroit by two bridges across Interstate 75 and Fort Street (formerly known as U.S. Route 25 ) connecting to the neighborhood of Carbon Works, which lead to the neighborhoods of Springwells and Delray . Dix Avenue also crosses
976-585: The Detroit Free Press in June 2010, they reported, "For the past six months, a rain of mysterious sparkly dust of unknown origin has landed on their homes and gardens. Odd odors and clouds of dark particles float overhead." This dust pollution has been shown to contain high levels of harmful metals, such as lead, that can be harmful to the health of long-term residents. Even the soil may be unsuitable for growing gardens. The Detroit Free Press stated that
1037-432: The 2010 census . Delray was platted in 1836. Initially a rural area, heavy industry arrived in the 1890s, beginning a prosperous era leading to Delray incorporating as a village in 1897. Delray's population swelled, fueled largely by immigrants from Eastern Europe, and the village's 7 square miles (18 km ) were annexed into the city of Detroit in 1906. By 1930, Delray peaked at approximately 24,000 residents, but
1098-1136: The National Register of Historic Places : the Fort Street–Pleasant Street and Norfolk & Western Railroad Viaduct , which was constructed in 1928. The 2,800-foot-long (850 m) bridge carries six lanes of Fort Street over Pleasant Street and four Norfolk Southern Railway lines before crossing the River Rouge. Being part of Detroit, residents of Boynton and Oakwood Heights are automatically zoned to Detroit Public Schools Community District . Students are currently zoned to Mark Twain School for Scholars for elementary and middle school through eighth grade. High school students are zoned to Western International High School . High school students were previously zoned to Southwestern High School until that school closed in 2012. Located at 12800 Visger Street, Mark Twain School for Scholars (sometimes referred to as Mark Twain Elementary–Middle School)
1159-405: The U.S. Census Bureau at the 2010 census , the two neighborhoods had a total area of 2.80 square miles (7.25 km ) and a population of 8,832. The population decreased 21.9% from 10,516 at the 2000 census . The majority of residents reside in the larger Boynton neighborhood, as entire blocks of Oakwood Heights have been cleared out to make room for potential industrial expansion. Located in
1220-691: The Wayne County Board of Supervisors authorized the incorporation of Delray as a village by a vote of 25–19. By 1900, Delray had become a magnet of immigration from Eastern Europe, drawn by the village's job opportunities. Hungarian immigrants predominated, so much so that by 1911, the Detroit Free Press estimated their population as 5,000 and referred to Delray as a Hungarian colony. Newspapers frequently reported on Hungarian immigrants living in overcrowded rooming houses, engaging in crime, and frequenting Delray's saloons, which numbered 33 at
1281-478: The 48217 ZIP Code—occupied solely by Boynton and Oakwood Heights—is "Michigan's most polluted [ZIP Code], according to analysis by environmental scientists from the University of Michigan ." Halting the growing industries could discourage job growth, and the state continues to issue permits for heavy industries. Industries comply with both state and federal regulations. However, the number of industries proximate to
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#17328518977851342-663: The Campbell Annex Branch opened at the Holy Redeemer Cultural Center and closed in August 2004, only to reopen as the Campbell Branch at Lawndale Station. The neighborhood currently contains no libraries but is closest served by the Campbell Branch Library. It is located outside of the neighborhood at 8733 West Vernor in the Springwells neighborhood. Boynton%E2%80%93Oakwood Heights According to
1403-689: The Delray neighborhood, although most properties along this stretch of Fort Street are not normally included as part of the Delray neighborhood. In September 1907, Branch 8 of the Detroit Public Library system opened as the Delray Branch on West End Avenue. In January 1922, the branch was replaced with the James Valentine Campbell Branch on M-85 (West Fort Street). The branch operated until its closure in December 1996. In July 1999,
1464-521: The Detroit City Planning Commission adopted the plan that Delray's future was to be purely industrial, spurring outrage from longtime residents. In 1975, residents staged a mock funeral for Delray—reported then as "dilapidated and dying"—to draw the city's attention to the pollution and crime, but the neighborhood's downward spiral continued. Using data from the 1980 census , the Detroit Free Press calculated that Delray had
1525-664: The Hungarian colony is within an area that extends from Fort Street to the Detroit River and from Clark Street to the Rouge River . He stated that even though the former Delray municipality had "definite" boundaries the boundary of the "Hungarian colony of Delray" was "zonal" and that the lines "fade off indeterminately into areas that do not belong to the colony." He wrote that within this colony, immigrants from all parts of Hungary lived next to each other and did not settle in different areas according to their places of origin. The exception
1586-404: The Hungarian population began resisting the actions of the town police. In 1907, some Hungarians in Delray and Wyandotte who feared a lack of work returned to Hungary. After World War I a second wave of Hungarian refugees arrived, who emigrated due to religious and political reasons. Hungary had been reduced in size so many Magyars were escaping discrimination, intimidation and deprivation in
1647-413: The Oakwood Heights community. It remains unclear if Marathon would actually expand into the area or if they are just buying out nearby properties to create a larger buffer from the remaining communities in order to avoid further complaints. The neighborhood of Oakwood Heights once contained about 500 homes, but large areas and entire blocks have been bought out and demolished. Many local residents welcomed
1708-579: The U.S. in order to escape the Austro-Hungarian Empire 's political issues. In 1904, a society to establish a Hungarian Lutheran church had about 60 members, There were also plans to establish a Catholic church, but by 1905 the Hungarians had difficulty agreeing on a final site. Later that year the Holy Cross Hungarian Church , a Hungarian Catholic church, opened in Delray. By 1911, about 5,000 Hungarians lived in Delray. In 1906,
1769-447: The buyout as a means to leave the area. Marathon offered 350 homeowners buyout packages totaling nearly $ 60,000 per home in the Oakwood Heights community, even though some homes were valued at much less. A similar offer was requested but not granted to the Boynton community, which has few major industries itself and is mostly separated from the facility by Interstate 75 and Fort Street. Not all residents have accepted Marathon's offer, as
1830-552: The census officially accounted for only 8,832. The majority of the population lives in Boynton. The median income for a household in these neighborhoods was $ 26,316, and the median income for a family was $ 28,789. About 27.3% of the population was below the poverty line . Interstate 75 , known locally as the Fisher Freeway, runs north–south through the Boynton and Oakwood Heights neighborhoods and has two exits: Outer Drive (#42) and Schaefer Highway (#43). Outer Drive represents
1891-475: The city of Detroit. It is the only area of the Detroit city limits that fall south of the River Rouge . Boynton is the southernmost neighborhood, stretching as far south as Outer Drive on the border with the city of Lincoln Park . The city of Melvindale is to the west, and the cities of Ecorse and River Rouge lie to the east. Interstate 75 (I-75) bisects the two neighborhoods north–south. Oakwood Heights
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1952-684: The completion of the bridge "a top infrastructure project" for both nations. In the early 20th Century the Delray- Springwells area served as the " Little Hungary " of Detroit and Michigan's Hungarian culture was centered in that community. In 1898, the Michigan Malleable Iron Company began operations in Delray. Hungarian immigrants moved to Delray from cities including Cleveland, Ohio ; South Bend, Indiana ; and Toledo, Ohio , in order to get better working conditions and better wages. The first wave of Hungarian refugees came to
2013-509: The conquered lands of the former enemies of Hungary, often because of the roles they had played in the war. They selected Detroit because the automobile plants paid high wages. As the number of Hungarians in Delray increased, a new church of the Holy Cross Hungarian Catholic Church opened in 1925. In 1935, Doanne Erdmann Beynon, author of "Crime and Custom of the Hungarians of Detroit," wrote that "it may be assumed" that
2074-399: The destruction of 600 housing units, the neighborhood's first large-scale residential demolition. By 1940, Delray's population dropped to 20,000. After World War II, many residents moved to the suburbs, following the broader trend in both Detroit and the nation. By 1950, Delray's population dropped to 17,000. In 1957 and 1974, further expansion of the water treatment plant demolished all of
2135-454: The environment through energy efficiency. The refinery has added green space around its facility, although it is still viewed negatively by the surrounding communities. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has issued 13 violations to the facility since 2013 and at least three fines, especially after a massive cloud of burned petroleum coke blanketed the area and blew into neighboring Windsor on July 27, 2013. In February 2019,
2196-626: The expo an annual affair, but declining attendance ended the event by 1894. In 1895, Delray's era of heavy industry began when the Solvay Process Company , drawn by the area's underground salt deposits, cleared the Detroit International Exposition site and opened a chemical plant to manufacture soda ash . More heavy industry followed, including the Michigan Malleable Iron Company, the Michigan Carbon Company,
2257-510: The few non-industrial businesses remaining in Delray, and forced U.S. Steel , a major employer operating on Zug Island, to impose crippling layoffs. Despite the population loss, journalist John Carlisle wrote in a 2009 that "a foul stench" was still present in Delray due to the wastewater plant and the industry still operating. In 2013, Delray was chosen as the site of the Gordie Howe International Bridge , which will provide
2318-750: The former Springwells Township tract lacked street lighting. In the 1920s, Delray's industrial base continued to grow. In 1922, Fisher opened an auto body factory at the southwest corner of Fort Street and West End Street. Directly east, the Detroit Union Produce Terminal opened in 1929, serving as a food distribution center which spread over 40 acres (0.16 km ) and had 10 miles (16 km) of railroad track. Two miles west of Delray, Ford completed its River Rouge Plant in 1928, which employed 85,000 workers at its peak. By 1930, Delray's population peaked at an estimated 24,000 residents. A wastewater plant opened in Delray in 1940, leading to
2379-408: The heavily industrialized southwestern area of Detroit, the two neighborhoods occupy the entirety of the 48217 ZIP Code . Boynton and Oakwood Heights are densely populated yet highly polluted by major industrial development. The neighborhoods are consistently ranked as the most polluted ZIP Code in Michigan. Boynton and Oakwood Heights occupy the southernmost 2.80 square miles (7.25 km ) of
2440-408: The highest rates of serious crime, malicious destruction of property, and residential fires of Detroit's 51 subcommunities, as well as the lowest percentage of residents to have attended college. The General Motors Fleetwood body plant closed in 1987, eliminating more than 3,000 jobs. According to the 2000 census, just 3,100 people remained in Delray. The Great Recession further shuttered many of
2501-443: The middle of the neighborhoods, passes under Interstate 75, and crosses the River Rouge leading into Downtown Detroit . Several Norfolk Southern Railway lines runs through the Oakwood Heights section. The Detroit Department of Transportation operates three bus routes through Boynton and Oakwood Heights. Route #41 travels along Schaefer Highway from the city of River Rouge at Jefferson Avenue , through parts of Dearborn, and to
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2562-576: The name Delray Beach, Florida Del Ray (disambiguation) Del Rey (disambiguation) Chevrolet Delray [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Delray&oldid=825452255 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
2623-505: The neighborhood and result in the destruction of numerous structures and roadways, as well as the relocation of some residents. Though Delray has no official boundaries, the Detroit Free Press defines Delray's limits as the River Rouge on the south, east to the Detroit River, west to Fort Street, and north to Clark Street. It is the second most southerly neighborhood in Detroit, lying just northeast of Boynton–Oakwood Heights . Delray
2684-520: The neighborhood has been part of District 6. The area that would become Delray was first platted as Belgrade in 1836. Most of the settlement lay in Springwells Township , with the rest across the River Rouge in Ecorse Township . Fort Wayne was built in 1843 on the Detroit River at the foot of what is now Livernois Avenue to protect against a potential British attack from Canada. The area
2745-408: The neighborhood's houses south of Copland Street and west of Dearborn Street, and the construction of Interstate 75 destroyed even more still. By the late 1960s, Delray was suffering from population loss, urban decay, and heavy pollution. The Detroit Free Press wrote that Delray's "air is so bad it is hard to tell at any moment just where it comes from." With the neighborhood's future looking grim,
2806-506: The neighborhoods has a cumulative effect. Heavy traffic and railroads have also increased air pollution, as do numerous other large industries outside of the neighborhoods. Among these industries, the Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant on the other side of the river and the U.S. Steel facility on Zug Island in the city of River Rouge further add to the poor air quality in the area. The largest of these industries
2867-492: The northern limits of Detroit at 8 Mile Road at the city of Oak Park . Route #19 travels from Outer Drive along Fort Street to Downtown Detroit. Route #89 is a part-time route that runs along Bassett Street from Outer Drive along the border with the city of River Rouge, turns on Schaefer Highway, enters the Fisher Freeway, crosses the river, and meanders into the New Center district. Oakwood Heights has one property listed on
2928-399: The people of his own nationality is connected in some way with one or more of these societies or clubs." As of 1935 many Hungarians in Delray had been socially isolated to the community and persons who had lived 15 to 20 years in Detroit had never visited the city center . Kossuth Day was celebrated in Delray. Beynon argued that due to Delray's fragmentation among many different wards it
2989-482: The population has dropped precipitously since World War II due to increased industrialization, pollution, and urban decay . By the late 1960s, the city's master plan for Delray was to transition it to a purely industrial area. In 2007, the Detroit Metro Times described Delray as "the closest thing to a ghost town within a city." In 2013, Delray was selected for the location of the upcoming Gordie Howe International Bridge . The enormous project will radically alter
3050-419: The racial makeup of the two neighborhoods was 10.38% White, 74.80% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.01% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.94% of the population. 2009 estimates were off significantly from official counts later recorded at the 2010 census. While there was estimated to be 12,129 residents in 2009,
3111-545: The remaining 7,000 residents in the neighborhoods have a higher rate of asthma and cancer than most of the country. While at least 14 states regulate and prohibit how close industries can build to schools and residential zones, Michigan does not have such regulations. Long ago, the city zoned its southwest area for heavy industrial use despite preexisting residential communities. Air pollution in Boynton and Oakwood Heights has reportedly led to respiratory diseases and cancer cases in long-term residents. In an article published by
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#17328518977853172-424: The river to connect Oakwood Heights to Dearborn. Oakwood Heights also connects to Fordson Island in the River Rouge via Riverside Drive. Fordson Island is part of the city of Dearborn and has no public access or residents. Despite the heavy industrialization, several parks exist within the area. Kemeny Park, located along Fort Street in between I-75, is the largest recreation facility. The park opened in 1957 and
3233-434: The southernmost border of the Boynton neighborhood and the southernmost city limit of Detroit with Lincoln Park . The Schaefer Highway (also referred to as Coolidge Highway at various points along its route) runs northwest through the neighborhoods, beginning just east in the city of River Rouge and running north all the way to the city of Rochester Hills . Fort Street (formerly U.S. Route 25 ) runs north–south through
3294-452: The turn of the century. Detroit formally annexed Delray on April 1, 1906, along with the adjacent village of Woodmere and a portion of Springwells Township, forming Detroit's 18th Ward and increasing the city's population by 20,000. Detroit immediately sought to improve the newly acquired area's infrastructure; for example, Delray had only one paved street, River Road (quickly renamed West Jefferson Avenue), Woodmere had no sewage system, and
3355-553: Was "not possible to determine from the population statistics published by the Bureau of the Census either the number of Hungarians resident within the colony or the population which these form of the total Hungarian population of Detroit." Using the Detroit Board of Education 's Detroit City Census, Beynon concluded that in 1925, 45.46% of Detroit's Hungarian population lived in Delray. Using
3416-410: Was absorbed into DPS in 1907. It was converted into a high school but back into an elementary school for the district in 1916. McMillan Elementary School operated until the end of the 1999 school year, when DPS shut down the school. After it was closed, it remained unused with no intentions of being reopened. It subsequently became heavily vandalized and polluted, suffering a number of fires and eventually
3477-536: Was an area on Barnes and Medina Streets called "Magyar Negyed" where the immigrants mainly originated from Sarud in Heves County . Beynon wrote that the residents preserved "the peculiar customs and, to some extent, the costumes of the home village." Beynon wrote that in Delray the individual village cultures in Hungary were mixed into a new pan-Hungarian way of life in Delray. During the time Hungarians inhabited Delray,
3538-555: Was named after local resident Charles Kemeny, who died in combat in World War II. The park closed in 2015 but was reopened in 2018 after a $ 9.5 million renovation—$ 2 million of which was donated by the nearby Marathon Petroleum Corporation . According to data from the 2010 census , the areas of Boynton–Oakwood Heights had 8,832 residents and 3,126 occupied households for an average density of 3,154.3/sq mi (1,217.9/km ). There were 716 vacant units. According to 2009 estimates,
3599-476: Was renamed "Del Rey" on October 14, 1851, at the suggestion of resident Augustus D. Burdeno, a Mexican–American War veteran who had encountered a village named Molino del Rey ("King's Mill") while serving in Mexico. The settlement, by then anglicised to "Delray," received its own post office on February 8, 1870, which remained opened until 1970. In 1889, Delray was the site of the Detroit International Exposition,
3660-463: Was scheduled to observe its 75th anniversary on September 17, 2000. By August of that year, renovations and polishing were underway. Residents of Delray are zoned to Detroit Public Schools (DPS). Clemente Elementary serves Delray for elementary school. All residents are zoned to Western International High School . From 1894 to 1999, James McMillan School was located on West End Street in central Delray. Originally opened as an elementary school, it
3721-495: Was the Pierre Toussaint Academy, which was a charter school located at 2450 South Beatrice Street in Boynton. Managed by The Leona Group , the academy opened for the 1998–99 school year and enrolled around 400 students at one time before closing due to academic viability at the end of the 2011–12 school year on June 30, 2012. While the two neighborhoods contain no public libraries, the nearest Detroit Public Library
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