Bebob, Boulevards, and Boomtown: A Detroit Story

Detroit Jazz and History Tour

Detroit comes alive through a two and a half hour walking tour that explores the citys streets, architecture, music, and changing neighborhoods. Beginning at Campus Martius, the experience follows the story of Detroits growth after the 1805 fire and introduces the people and ideas that shaped the city. Guests then continue through Griswold Street and Cadillac Square while discovering historic buildings, public spaces, and fascinating connections to Detroits past.

The tour turns toward Black Bottom, a neighborhood that became an important center of Black community life during the 1930s and 1940s. Guests hear about local businesses, cultural traditions, the Underground Railroad, and Detroits first Black church. Stories also reveal how urban renewal and freeway construction dramatically changed the neighborhood and affected the communities that had developed there.

Paradise Valley offers another important chapter in the citys musical and cultural history. Once a thriving Black business and entertainment district, the area was home to celebrated jazz and blues clubs and musicians. The tour explores locations where historic venues once stood and connects their stories with the modern Stadium District, including Comerica Park and Ford Field.

The journey concludes at Grand Circus Park, once planned as the central point of Woodwards ambitious street design and later surrounded by a celebrated theater district. Throughout the tour, guests discover lesser known stories of music, architecture, business, migration, and resilience. Participants should arrive five minutes early at One Campus Martius near the KAWS Waiting statue and wear comfortable walking shoes.