From the Collection

There is a long and illustrious history of aviation in the Detroit area, but many of the early airports and airport buildings have all but disappeared, being replaced by new buildings completely redeveloped.

Detroit’s seldom-seen official flag seems to have gained more traction recently. Once almost completely relegated to government buildings, it now can be spotted on stickers, draped on the backs of attendees at outdoor festivals, and in miniature form at the Detroit Historical Museum gift shop. This gradual warming toward the flag mirrors its history. Detroit was without a flag for 206 years, and after David Emil Heineman finally remedied this in 1907, it took the city another forty-one years to adopt it officially.