From MilwaukeeJunction.org:
Milwaukee Junction, the city's largest historic factory district, is Detroit’s original center of innovation. The Silicon Valley of the early 20th century. Known as the “Cradle of the Automotive Industry”, Milwaukee Junction is rich with history and prime for restoration and development.
Covering 710 acres in the heart of Detroit, Milwaukee Junction’s building stock is primarily made up of factories dating from 1900-1925. The district includes the Ford Piquette Plant, built in 1904, where Henry Ford developed the Model T and tested the concepts that would later be used to create the moving assembly line. The first 12,000 Model T’s were built at this facility.
Milwaukee Junction is also the home of Detroit’s original Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. Indeed the very concept of Tier 1 and 2 began here. Sadly, this tremendously influential industrial district has been neglected over the years, leading to its present state of blight. But big changes are already evident.
Milwaukee Junction is quickly becoming one of the city’s creative centers with over 100 artist studios within its boundaries. It is also a favorite site for public art installations, including some of the city’s best graffiti and outdoor sculptures.