Delray (Detroit)

History of Delray

Delray is a neighborhood and former incorporated village, located on the south side of Detroit, Michigan. It is isolated from other areas of Detroit by industrial warehouses and Interstate 75. As a neighborhood, Delray has no legally defined boundaries, but its area usually extends south to the River Rouge, east to the Detroit River, west to Fort Street and Interstate 75, and north to Dragoon Street at Fort Wayne or sometimes further north to Clark Street.

In 1930, Delray had approximately 23,000 residents. While there are no precise population statistics for the neighborhood today, estimates range from approximately 1,900-6,000 residents. This substantial loss is due to the increase in polluting industries that moved to Detroit. Today, Delray is considered one of the most polluted areas in Detroit. Much of Delray today consists of riverfront industries, while a number of residential properties are not maintained. Due to this high level of disrepair, in 2007, the Detroit Metro Times described Delray as "the closest thing to a ghost town within a city."

A ghost town is a completely abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as a flood, government action, uncontrolled lawlessness, or war. The term is sometimes used in a deprecated sense to include cities, towns, and neighborhoods which, while still populated, are significantly less so than in years past.