Corktown’s blue-collar Victorian cottages tell immigrants’ stories

Detroit’s Victorian-era homes are often associated with the opulence and grandeur of the city’s wealthiest former residents. But Metro Detroit, and Corktown in particular, are home to collections of Victorian-style row cottages, built by immigrants who came here for blue-collar jobs in lumber and steel mills during the late 1800s.

Excerpt:

When these workers earned enough money, they built homes for their families. And like the rich folks of that day, they wanted Victorian. But they weren’t able to afford large, fancy homes. So they built tiny houses on lots 20-25 feet wide.

How did Detroit’s workers end up in row cottages, while East Coast immigrants largely lived in tenements? Read more about the history of these Corktown cottages here.