This Detroit-area freeway was the first of its kind in America

Maybe you drive the Davison Freeway every day. Maybe you've driven by the signs. But did you know about its historical significance?

Morning Musings 🤔

Last week, one of this newsletter's faithful readers, Cindy Jenkins, noticed that at the bottom of this newsletter, I mentioned soup multiple times, as an example of a newsletter we don't offer. Here's a bit of what she wrote to me:

"So I wonder, if you had to mention this twice, did you receive an influx of pro-soup emails? Have you upset the soup community? Maybe there are more soup-lovers out there than you previously thought. If that's the case, dedicating a blurb or two honoring the delicacies best enjoyed with a spoon wouldn't be a bad idea."

Cindy has good ideas. The thing about soup is, it can really be anything you want it to be. My favorite soups to cook are the "throw every thing in the kitchen into a pot" soups. 

So, I'd like to know -- what's your go-to soup recipe? Send me your best and I'll try some out. Tis' the season for warming our souls.

- Ken

Morning Dive 🏊

Detroit is the Motor City -- so it should be no surprise to find automobile related history being made, outside of actual cars. Here's one of those historic moments.

The Davison Freeway, which runs east-west between M-10 and Interstate 75, was the first urban freeway constructed in America.

The birth of Davison Avenue 

Davison Avenue, which predates the freeway and M-8, was named after Jared Davison, an English immigrant and early settler whose farm bordered what became Davison Avenue.

In 1914, the area was incorporated into a 2.9 square mile city called Highland Park, which exists within the boundaries of the City of Detroit.

Davison Avenue was the only viable east-west street that crossed Highland Park connecting to Detroit. Because of heavy traffic, the Highland Park Council approved a proposal to replace the road with a six-lane freeway and construction began in 1941.

As production progressed, defense plants during World War II needed access to the freeway, so the pace was increased.

Avenue turns to Davison Freeway -- history is made

In 1942, the freeway was opened without a dedication ceremony and thus the first urban, below grade freeway in the United States was born. 

In 1968, the freeway was extended eastward almost to Conant Street in order to connect to the new I-75 or Chrysler Freeway, making it approximately five and a half miles long.

In 1993, the road was transferred from Wayne County's jurisdiction to the Michigan Department of Transportation and designated as M-8.

In 1996, it was closed for a $45 million reconstruction project. The construction lasted over a year, and the freeway reopened in April 1997.

Chatter 🗣️

• 25 best Michigan school districts: Niche released their 2020 best school rankings, looking at the top schools and top districts in every state.
• I-75 porn billboard on SNL: If the I-75 porn billboard situation wasn't embarrassing, or funny, enough for us to handle as a state, then Saturday Night Live has helped us take it to a national level.
• Costco supersized tiramisu: Costco, keeping in line with American tradition, ensures we have access to everything and anything on a bigger and better scale. And that's why we love it.

Housekeeping 🧹

Hey, if you like this newsletter, let us know. We'd love your feedback. We also offer several other newsletters that probably cater to at least one of your interests -- unless you're only interested in sticky notes. We don't have one for sticky notes. Sorry.

- Ken Haddad (Have something to say or a topic idea? Contact me: Email | Twitter)

Let's Link 🔗

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