Detroit is a place.
Detroit ( [ dᵻˈtrɔɪt ] ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan , the largest city on the United States -- Canada border , and the seat of Wayne County . Detroit is a major port on the Detroit River , a strait that connects the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway . Detroit is best-known as the center of the American automobile industry , and the `` Big Three '' auto manufacturers General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler are all headquartered in Metro Detroit . Detroit was founded on July 24 , 1701 by the French explorer and adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a party of settlers . In 2015 , Detroit was named a `` City of Design '' by UNESCO , the first U.S. city to receive that designation .