We recently got to enjoy some time in city of Hamtramck. I didn’t even know it existed before I moved to Detroit, but it’s a really cool part of our area. I got to learn a lot about the city and it really grew on me.
When you cross into Hamtramck it feels like you’re entering a small town. The shops and buildings are smaller than you would see in Detroit, and there are rows of houses. It looks like any other town, but Hamtramck is different. It’s supposed to be a Polish town. You notice the shops written in multiple languages, but not polish. You see a lot of people out walking around with many different styles of dress, but none of them look polish. The street names are polish.
Historically Hamtramck has been known as a Polish town. The Dodge brothers opened a factory there in 1914 which brought an influx of Polish immigrants. Nowadays the city is a melting pot of cultures, with a majority of people moving in from Yemen and Bangladesh. It was the first city in America with a majority Muslim city council. There are 26 different languages by the kids in Hamtramck schools. It’s a place where you can get pierogis and paczki and also expect businesses close down for prayer.
Hamtramck has a lot to offer. There is a very active music scene. They have a large indie music festival every year. We actually got to sit in on a planning commission meeting where an entrepreneur was finalizing plans to outfit a new studio. The city is walkable, which a lot of residents mentioned they liked. The walkability is nice for older residents and residents that don’t drive. It was mentioned that Hamtramck has a low crime rate and is a good place for families. Fowling is also located in the city, and if you haven’t been yet you need to go. People were super friendly, we spent a lot of time speaking with customers in a hardware store. They were more than happy to help us out with our project. Hamtramck has a long history which is depicted in a mural we got to see at Peoples Community services. Part of the mural commemorates President George H.W. Bush’s visit to Hamtramck. It also commemorates the residents throwing broccoli at the president, since he hated broccoli.
I don’t think you will find a place like Hamtramck anywhere else. You can visit the Polish League of American Veterans, get some friend chicken at a Yemeni deli and buy a dress at a Bengali clothing shop all on the same street. If you haven’t had the chance to check out the city I would say it is worth the trip.