[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 192 (Wednesday, December 5, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7315-S7316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              100TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN

 Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of Highland Park, MI. Situated in Wayne County of southeast 
Michigan, Highland Park is endowed with a rich history of innovation as 
the ``birthplace of mass production.'' It is also the site of the 
Nation's first urban highway, and was fondly referred to as the ``City 
of Trees'' for its beautiful foliage.
  In its infancy, the settlement that would eventually become Highland 
Park underwent two name changes, Nabor and then Whitewood, 
respectively, before it was incorporated as a village in 1889 and then 
as a city in the early 20th century.
  The small farming community experienced an economic boom in 1910, 
when Henry Ford opened his first Model T factory, now recognized as a 
historical site. The opening of the plant paved the way for new 
infrastructure, which changed the rapidly growing Highland Park 
Village's landscape from rural to urban. The news of abundant economic 
opportunity in the village spread nationally and internationally. 
Immigrants came to Highland Park aspiring to earn the impressive $5-a-
day wage that Henry Ford's factories offered, while new residents 
traveled from across the Nation to the village in hopes of becoming 
newly minted members of the middle-class. The population grew from a 
little under 500 residents at the top of the 20th century to over 
50,000 in 1930.
  The city of Detroit, Highland Park Village's southern neighbor, also 
began to expand. From the early 1800s and into the early part of the 
1900s, the city of Detroit's footprint increased as the city moved to 
annex surrounding townships. To prevent annexation by the bustling city 
of Detroit, Highland Park officially incorporated as a city in 1918. 
Detroit continued to enlarge its boarders, ultimately encircling the 
city of Highland Park, leading to the city within a city phenomenon 
seen today.
  Before Highland Park became the epicenter of production, with the 
presence of Ford and later Chrysler, it was appropriately named the 
City of Trees, for its abundance of elms, reminiscent of a forest. 
Beautiful arrays of elm trees lined neighborhood streets as trees were 
planted in front of every home. Unfortunately, the once striking 
display of greenery diminished toward the 1970s, due to the spread of 
Dutch elm disease, which impacted surrounding cities as well.
  In another historic first, Highland Park was the site of the 
country's first urban highway, the Davison Freeway. Construction began 
in 1941 and was expeditiously completed in 1942 to ease transport for 
Defense manufacturers assisting in the Nation's ``Arsenal of 
Democracy'' during World War II. The Davison Freeway greatly improved 
the flow of traffic to and from the city of Detroit.
  The Highland Park community includes a diverse and hard-working 
population, and many notable figures in government, sports, and popular 
culture have called Highland Park home.

[[Page S7316]]

Some former residents include comedian Tim Meadows, singer Jackie 
Wilson, animator Butch Hartman, football player and community leader 
Reggie McKenzie, and the sixth-longest serving member of the U.S. House 
of Representatives, Congressman John Conyers.
  As the city of Highland Park celebrates its 100th anniversary, I am 
honored to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing its residents, 
businesses, and elected officials who continue grassroots efforts 
toward revitalizing a community which has such significance to Michigan 
history as well as to the Nation. I wish the city of Highland Park 
continued growth and prosperity in the years ahead.

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