Talk Like a Detroiter

Hamtramck (HAM-tram-ik)
This small city was once home to Polish immigrants who were drawn to the area when the Dodge Brothers plant opened in 1914. At one time, nearly 90% of the city’s population was of Polish descent, and city council meetings even were spoken in Polish.

Today, the city is home to a new immigrant population –– particularly people from Yemen, Bangladesh and Pakistan. In 2021, Hamtramck became the first city in the United States to have elected an entirely Muslim-American city council.

Although today only about 8% of the city’s residents are of Polish descent, Polish bakeries and restaurants still can be found throughout the city, and on Sundays Mass is celebrated in Polish at St. Florian Catholic Church.

The city was named after French-Canadian Colonel Jean Francois Hamtramck, who helped defend the Americans during the Revolutionary War.

Gratiot (GRASH-it)
One of Detroit’s first avenues, Gratiot starts in downtown Detroit at Woodward and runs north through Macomb County and up to Port Huron.

When driving on Gratiot Avenue, consider making a stop at nearby Eastern Market, whose market vendors work amid the area’s many restaurants, shops and other attractions. Further north on Gratiot, you can pass by the headquarters and factories of iconic Detroit brands Better Made and Faygo.

The street was named after Charles Chouteau Gratiot, a U.S. Army captain who served as chief engineer in Michigan territory from 1817-1818.

Campus Martius (KAMP-es-MAR-shuss)
Named the country’s No. 1 public square by “USA Today,” Campus Martius Park isn’t just a gathering space – it’s also the point of origin for city’s mile-road system. Eight Mile Road is eight miles from the park, Seven Mile Road is seven miles from the park and so forth.

Fully reimagined nearly 20 years ago, the park today is home to an ice skating rink (in winter), sand beach (in summer) and performance spaces. It is said to get its name from the Latin “Field of Mars” due to its former use as a military parade ground.

Cadieux (cad-JOO)
A street located on Detroit’s East side, Cadieux has earned a spot on the list. Cadieux Café, known for its feather bowling, is located on the street. There is also the Cadieux Schoolhouse, in nearby Grosse Pointe, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The name comes from French descendant Isadore Cadieux, who had one of the area’s ribbon farms. Built perpendicular to a body of water, ribbon farms – long, narrow pieces of land –– are common in areas that were settled by the French. They allowed multiple landowners to have direct access to the water.

Grosse Pointe (GROS-POYNT)
Anyone who has lived in this Eastside community can tell you how often an out-of-towner has mispronounced the city’s name. (The E at the end of both words tends to throw people off.)

There are five Grosse Pointes, and locals refer to them simply as the Woods, the Farms, the Park, the Shores and the City. Several of them have their own downtowns with small restaurants and shops, and on summer weekends a trolley runs along Kercheval through three of the downtowns. Grosse Pointe Shores – the only one of the five without a shopping district – is home to the historic Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

Lake Orion (LAKE-OR-E-in)
You might remember the constellation Orion the Hunter, but in this small Oakland County community, Orion is pronounced differently.

The Village of Lake Orion has a quaint downtown with small stores and restaurants as well as a variety of hiking trails and parks. The Paint Creek Trail, the first rail-to-trail in Michigan, runs from Lake Orion to Rochester.