Detroit, Texas, Zip 75436 (it’s pronounced Dee-troit)

The real pronouncement is probably something like Da-Twa or De-Twa, it being French and all. Why this town of 10 downtown buildings is named Detroit, I don’t know.

East Texas has many uniquely named towns.

In southern Red River County is Bogota, but with a Texas twist on pronunciation – Buh-go-ta.

There is Telephone in Fannin County. “Poke Hindman owned a store in Fannin County and wanted a post office. All of his name suggestions were rejected, so he submitted ‘Telephone’ since he was the only person in the community with one.”

http://www.texasescapes.com/BobBowman/Town-names.htm

Mr. Bowman writes about Direct, Ben Franklin, Cuthand and Pickton, among others, but he does not mention Detroit.

Barely west of Clarksville on Highway 82 is Little Chicago. A longtime resident and frequenter of Dairy Queen coffee said when asked that the community was called that because it wasn’t far from Detroit. I think there’s more to the story – probably something to do with Prohibition and Red River County’s numerous illegal whiskey stills over the years, but who was I to argue with a fan of Dairy Queen coffee?

The best story on how a Texas town got its name: People in a certain locale petitioned the U.S. Post Office Department for a post office. There was a form; it was, after all, the government. Anyway, the man filling out the form came to a blank space before which was “Proposed Name of Post Office (write in ink).” So he did. And that is how Ink, Texas, got its name.

That is a Texas tale, so you know it is gospel truth.

Detroit (Texas) had 776 people living there in 2000. John Nance Garner was born south of Detroit. He was FDR’s vice president, but the president and the vice president got crosswise on New Deal programs, and FDR did not pick Garner for the 1940 election.

Here are pictures:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=detroit+texas&qpvt=detroit+texas&qpvt=detroit+texas&FORM=IGRE

Here is one from a long time ago. The buildings are still there, but with different names.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=detroit+texas&qpvt=detroit+texas&qpvt=detroit+texas&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=0022E230704D62577EDECE353F4F54FE89FD2335&selectedIndex=20

When working for the newspaper in Paris, Texas, I drove through Detroit three times a week for four years, going to various places in Red River County. I think I did three stories there – one about a hardware store, one about an antique store and the other about the Texas Historical Commission marker at the farm where John Nance Garner was born. The maker was lying face down and was too big for me to pick up and put back in place.