July 24, 1701

Detroit has its origin in the French settlement Fort Pontchartrain
established July 24 on the strait between
Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair by
Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac, 43, who needs a fort to control the
entrance to Lake Huron from Lake Erie and thus control trade with the
Illinois country of Louisiana.
The name Detroit will be based on the French word for strait