Mexicantown, Detroit

Mexicantown is a community in Southwest Detroit, Michigan.

Andrew Eckhous, a columnist for the Michigan Daily, said that Mexicantown was "one of Detroit’s most vibrant communities". John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press said that the commercial activity on West Vernor in Mexicantown is an example of what the Detroit Future City report suggested as something to replicate throughout the city.

Detroit's Mexican population began settling in Mexicantown in the 1940s. The Mexican community established itself on Vernor Street. The community was originally known as "La Bagley". The Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church began holding weekly masses in Spanish by 1969. At one point the Lithuanian Hall building was renamed the Hispanos Unidos Hall. Waves of immigration came in the 1970s and 1980s which added to the community. In the late 1980s the neighborhood was christened "Mexicantown" as part of a public relations campaign. A wave of immigration from Mexico in the 1990s greatly increased the number of Mexicans in Detroit. In one period Mexicantown's population increased with seasonal immigrations of about 2,000 people while Detroit as a whole had population decreases. Benedict Carey of The New York Times said that Mexicantown was "on the rise" in 2005.

In December 2012 Ford Motor Company announced that it would open the Ford Resource and Engagement Center in the Mexicantown Mercado facility and spend $10 million to finance the operations of the center. Prior to the Ford center opening, the building was closed.

The main thoroughfares are Bagley Street and Vernor Street. Meghan McEwen of Model D said "Nebulous are the borders of Mexicantown" and that "Some say it begins at the old train station and ends at Clark Park. Others passionately insist it includes Clark Park. More than a few people expand its spread all the way to Livernois." Vince Murray, the executive director of Vince Murray, argued that the community could include Springwells Avenue and that the name "Mexicantown" may be too limiting. McEwen said "Perhaps even more important to defining the neighborhood, though, are its enviously unique traits and robust character, attracting visitors, as well as residents, from all over the state and even Canada." McEwen also said "Mexicantown is a place where vibrantly colored buildings, decorated with even brighter murals and hand-painted signs, dot" Bagley and Vernor. As of 2011 there are many restaurants at the intersection of Interstate 75 and Vernor that cater to customers from the suburbs. Mcewen said "One might guess there are more restaurants per square foot than any other neighborhood in Detroit"

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