What was Detroit like in the 1920s? These vintage photos take you back in time.

Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·1 min read
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It's hard to imagine what life was like about 100 years ago in the city of Detroit.

Going back a century in time, the Motor City was experiencing a period of significant growth and prosperity, largely due to the booming auto industry.

Detroit's population was skyrocketing, as people from all over the country flocked to the city in search of employment opportunities in the auto factories, including Ford's $5 work day. Between 1920 and 1930, Detroit's population soared from 993,678 to 1,568,662. That's a nearly 58% increase.

There was also an incredible building boom during this time, resulting in a transformed city skyline. The Penobscot Building, the Book-Cadillac Hotel, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Guardian Building and the Fisher Building were all constructed in the 1920s and still stand today as architectural marvels of the city.

Detroit has always been a great place for a party, too. In 1924, Hudson's started downtown Detroit's Thanksgiving parade, a tradition the city still enjoys today. The first parade featured horses pulling a float decorated with Mother Goose, four papier mâché heads and seven marching bands, according to the Detroit Historical Society.

Our photo gallery will take you deep into Detroit's history, when the city featured an amusement park with rollercoasters, construction was booming, crowds of people swarmed the Boblo Island steamers for a trip down the Detroit River and Campus Martius was much different than you know it today.

Detroit in the 1980s

Feeling like a trip to 1980s Detroit? This photo gallery takes you back in time.

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Contact Elissa Robinson: erobinson@freepress.com.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What was Detroit like in 1920s? Historic photos take you back in time.