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A blog about the city of Detroit and how to get around the city without using the letter ‘S’.
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The city of Detroit’s history with the letter ‘S’
The city of Detroit has a long and complicated history with the letter ‘S’. In 1837, when the city was founded, its official name was ‘Fort Sainte Anne des Pays Bas’, which was later shortened to ‘Sainte Anne de Detroit’. However, many of the early settlers were from New England and they preferred the spelling ‘Saint Anne’, which is how it appears on the city’s seal.
In 1847, the state of Michigan was admitted to the Union and the City of Detroit was given its current name. However, there was still confusion over how to spell the city’s name, with some people using ‘Detroits’ and others using ‘Detroit’. It wasn’t until 1851 that the spelling ‘Detroit’ became official.
Despite being officially spelled with a ‘T’, the letter ‘S’ still appears in many places around Detroit. The most famous example is probably the Detroit Tigers baseball team, who have been known as the ‘Tigers’ since they were founded in 1894. There is also a popular local beer called ‘Founders Solid Gold’, which features a golden retriever on the label.
So why is the letter ‘S’ so important to Detroit? It’s likely because of its French roots – both Sainte Anne and Sainte Antoine (another early name for the city) are French saints. Additionally, many of Detroit’s early settlers were from New England and would have been more familiar with the spelling ‘Saint’. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Detroit has a unique relationship with this letter of the alphabet!
The city’s efforts to get rid of the letter ‘S’
In the early 1900s, the city of Detroit was on the rise. The population was booming and businesses were growing. But there was one problem: the city’s name.
At the time, many people in the United States pronounced Detroit as “DET-roit” or “dee-TROYT.” But in England, the correct pronunciation is “dee-TROYT,” with the emphasis on the first syllable. This led to confusion among English speakers, who often mispronounced the city’s name.
To solve this problem, the city of Detroit decided to get rid of the letter ‘S’ in its name. In 1909, the City Council voted to change the spelling of Detroit to “Detriot.” This new spelling was intended to make it easier for English speakers to pronounce the city’s name correctly.
The change was not well received by everyone. Some people thought it was silly and unnecessary. Others thought it was an insult to intelligence of English speakers. Regardless of how people felt about it, the new spelling became official on January 18, 1910.
The city kept its new spelling for nearly 50 years before reverting back to “Detroit” in 1960.
The city’s residents’ reactions to the letter ‘S’
The city’s residents have mixed reactions to the letter ‘S’. Some find it humorous and have started calling the city “D-troit” instead of “Detroit”. Others find it annoying and say that it makes the city look like a bad spelling bee contestant.
The city’s businesses’ reactions to the letter ‘S’
The city of Detroit is home to a number of businesses that have come up with creative ways to avoid using the letter ‘S’ in their names. This is due to the fact that the letter is considered very unlucky by many in the city.
Some of the businesses that have avoided using the letter ‘S’ include:
-AJ’s Charitable Garage
-The Change Group
-Dramatic Arts Academy
-Eatery on tooles
-Fountain Bistro
-Tower in the Park
The city’s schools’ reactions to the letter ‘S’
When the Detroit Public Schools district recently announced that it would be changing the way it taught the letter ‘S’ to its students, there was a mixed reaction from the city’s educational community.
Some people applauded the move, arguing that the sound of ‘S’ is too closely associated with violence and that children would be better off learning a different letter. Others were critical, saying that the change would only serve to further marginalize Detroit’s students and make them less likely to succeed in school.
The truth is, there is no easy answer when it comes to solving the problems of education in Detroit. But one thing is clear: if we want our children to have a fighting chance in life, we need to do everything we can to ensure that they have access to a quality education.
