CuriosiD by WDET

02.08.2024

What's the highest point in Detroit?

Get ready to uncover the heights of Detroit like never before! In the latest episode of "CuriosiD," join Outlier Media's Koby Levin as he delves into the city's unique pursuit of peaks.

01.11.2024

What's the history behind Detroit's Outer Drive?

Outer Drive is an epic street in Detroit and the suburbs that winds for more than 40 miles. But the roadway isn't continuous, it's broken up into pieces. One listener wants to know why. WDET's Pat Batcheller has the answer....

12.14.2023

What happened to the 'World's Largest Stove' in Detroit?

Before Michigan was known for making cars, it was known for manufacturing stoves. As part of that legacy, the city of Detroit became host to “The World’s Largest Stove.” In this episode of CuriosiD, WDET's Laura Herberg tells the story...

11.09.2023

What's with all the white tile burger joints in metro Detroit?

All around metro Detroit there are tiny, white tile, old-fashioned buildings that sell hamburgers, or more specifically, sliders. There's Brayz, Hunter House, Telway and more. But if these places are owned by different companies, why do they all look so...

10.12.2023

What's the story behind Black motorcycle clubs in Detroit?

A group of bikers formed the Outcast Motorcycle club in Detroit in 1969. Some say that this was the first all-Black club that eventually spread nationwide. These days, if you cruise around Detroit you'll see dozens of clubhouses with members...

09.14.2023

How did the Giant Tire end up in Allen Park, MI? And what's it like inside?

Just outside Detroit, along the side of a I-94, sits a very big tire. In this episode of CuriosiD, a listener asks how the Uniroyal Giant Tire ended up there, and what it's like inside. Plus, did the it...

08.10.2023

What's the story behind metro Detroit's mile roads?

Where do the mile roads in metro Detroit begin? And why do we have mile roads in the first place? WDET's Pat Batcheller answers those questions and explains what you need to know about mile roads in Southeast Michigan. Then,...

07.13.2023

What is Superman ice cream? And where does it come from?

In Michigan -- and a few other select states -- you can buy a red, yellow and blue ice cream often called Superman. One WDET listener wants to know the flavors behind this iconic treat and how it came to...

06.08.2023

How do you catch fish in the Detroit River? And are they safe to eat?

Listener Jack Nagle knows that it's possible to catch your limit in fish down on the Detroit River, but he hasn't had any luck. For this episode of CuriosiD, WDET's Laura Herberg tries to find out how to fish the...

05.11.2023

Who was Bagley?

On Detroit's westside there's an area known as the Bagley neighborhood. There's also Bagley Elementary and Bagley Street. But who was Bagley? In this epsisode of CuriosiD, WDET's Sascha Raiyn delves into the history behind the Bagley neighborhood and its...

04.13.2023

What is on Boblo Island today? And what happened to the Boblo boats?

For nearly 100 years there was an amusement park on an island in the Detroit River that you could only get to by boat. Two large steamships, the Columbia and the Ste. Claire, ferried people to Boblo Island. The amusement...

03.09.2023

Why are there so many Coney Islands in Detroit?

Today, Coney Island restaurants are all over Detroit. These establishments sell Detroit's own specialty hot dog, the Coney Dog. A listener wanted to know why there are so many Coney Islands spread across the city. WDET's Quinn Klinefelter sniffs out...

02.09.2023

Could Detroit's buried streams see the light of day?

Streams are buried underneath Detroit. A few other cities that had covered streams have dug them up and restored them to a more natural state. One listener asks CuriosiD if 'daylighting,' as it's called, has happened anywhere in Detroit. WDET's...

01.12.2023

What’s up with all these pheasants?

Pheasants are often spotted darting around the city of Detroit. In this episode of CuriosiD, a listener asks "why?" Reporter Shelby Jouppi takes her out to find one of these large, colorful birds in the urban wild. Then, WDET's Laura...

12.08.2022

Why does steam come out of Detroit’s streets?

Have you ever noticed that it looks like steam is coming out of the sewers in Detroit? Well, it's not actually coming out of sewers, but steam plumes do come out of manhole covers in the streets of Detroit. In...

11.10.2022

Who made Detroit-style pizza first?

Detroit-style pizza has become a bit of a national phenomenon over the last decade. The distinctive square pies have appeared on menus from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Even Pizza Hut has its own version of the pan pizza. But...

10.13.2022

Are Detroit election officials prepared for another 'stop the count' protest?

Back in November 2020, after the polls closed, chaos ensued at a convention center in Detroit where poll workers were counting absentee ballots. Republican challengers stormed the center, banging on the windows, demanding that workers "stop the count." In this...

09.08.2022

Where does the name Hamtramck come from?

Inside Detroit there is a little city named Hamtramck. And no -- that's not a typo -- there really is no vowel between the 'm' and the 'ck.' Where did this unique-sounding name come from? WDET's Nargis Rahman looks into...

08.11.2022

What happened to the swimmobiles in Detroit?

In the late 1960s, the City of Detroit got its first swimmobile. This pool on wheels was carted around to the neighborhoods for kids to swim in on hot summer days. WDET listener Angela Hart is one of many Detroiters...

07.14.2022

Are the woods in Palmer Park a virgin forest?

A listener wonders if the tall trees found in Detroit's Palmer Park are part of a virgin forest, untouched by man. Planet Detroit's Nina Ignaczak looks into it and finds that the answer is actually pretty complicated. Then WDET's Laura...

06.09.2022

Corn Real Good

In this episode we answer the question, "What's up with those CORN REAL GOOD signs around Detroit?" Maybe you've seen them? The red, yellow and blue hand-painted signs. Reporter Eli Newman tracks down the man behind them, Orrin Fields. It...

02.19.2020

CuriosiD: Did you know the Dust Bowl made it to Detroit?

One WDET listener asks if the Dust Bowl ever made its way to Detroit. Spoiler alert: It did!

10.07.2019

CuriosiD: What’s the Origin of the Boston Cooler?

In this week’s episode of CuriosiD, where WDET answers your questions about Detroit and the region, Dan Golodner from Huntington Woods asks: “I moved from Washington, D.C. to Detroit in the mid-’90. And I’ve always loved the root beer float and...

08.12.2019

CuriosiD: We Answered All Your Questions About the Mile Road System

Over the years, listeners have been curious about Metro Detroit’s mile roads. Some have asked if they’re really one mile apart. Others wonder why some are not called “mile” roads. Angela Hoffman lives on Three Mile Drive and wants to...

07.18.2019

Holocaust Bones Find Resting Place in Massive Michigan Cemetery

A cemetery and final resting place for some of the most significant remains in Jewish history is the subject of the latest episode of WDET’s series CuriosiD.

06.26.2019

Listeners Ask, Why Does DTW Have Those Giant Fans?

At Detroit Metro Airport – on the way to the McNamara [Mack-Nuh-MARE-uh] Terminal there’s a tunnel with large fans. Many travelers have wondered why the fans were there. Two WDET listeners contacted us to find out more. As part of...

07.20.2018

CuriosiD: Why Isn't Google's Street View of Detroit Up-to-date?

I’m looking to transition to Detroit to start a new business and it’s difficult to determine the quality and density of the neighborhoods on Google Maps Street View because they haven’t been updated since 2013 and sometimes even longer. I’d...

07.03.2018

Why Does Michigan Avenue Have Brick Pavers?

WDET listener Dan Lombardo asks, why there are brick pavers at Michigan and Trumbull and if they are original or if they are something they redo every now and then.

02.26.2018

Could Electric Cars Increase Pollution

As part of WDET's series CuriosID, a listener wonders if driving an electric car could actually create more pollution, since it would force power plants to generate more electricity to charge it, thereby generating more smog.

10.24.2017

Rumor of a British Bomber Crash In a Detroit Neighborhood Haunts a Listener

A British plane had a catastrophic electrical failure over Canada while flying to a training mission in Nebraska on Oct.. 24, 1958.

10.24.2017

CuriosiD: Rumor of a British Bomber Crash In a Detroit Neighborhood Haunts a Listener

Listener Tom Batts asks about a fabled plane crash, then discovers the story with WDET.

09.13.2017

Why Is Detroit Sometimes Called "The Paris of the Midwest?"

Detroit's French connection is more than 300 years old, but is the comparison a modern invention?

08.22.2017

What is the History of Detroit’s Times Square?

“There used to be a Times Square in Detroit. I know there’s still a People Mover stop, and I know there’s a street, but there used to be an actual square. And I think it was named after the old...

08.08.2017

How Did Detroit Become a Center for Arabs in the United States?

WDET listener Priya Ganji has a diverse group of friends of Arab heritage, and she’s noticed their family, religious and cultural traditions are sometimes different from her own and other Americans’. So the 14-year-old asked “How did the Arab community grow...

07.25.2017

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CuriosiD episodes:

What's the highest point in Detroit?

What's the history behind Detroit's Outer Drive?

What happened to the 'World's Largest Stove' in Detroit?

What's with all the white tile burger joints in metro Detroit?

What's the story behind Black motorcycle clubs in Detroit?

How did the Giant Tire end up in Allen Park, MI? And what's it like inside?

What's the story behind metro Detroit's mile roads?

What is Superman ice cream? And where does it come from?

How do you catch fish in the Detroit River? And are they safe to eat?

Who was Bagley?

What is on Boblo Island today? And what happened to the Boblo boats?

Why are there so many Coney Islands in Detroit?

Could Detroit's buried streams see the light of day?

What’s up with all these pheasants?

Why does steam come out of Detroit’s streets?

Who made Detroit-style pizza first?

Are Detroit election officials prepared for another 'stop the count' protest?

Where does the name Hamtramck come from?

What happened to the swimmobiles in Detroit?

Are the woods in Palmer Park a virgin forest?

Corn Real Good

CuriosiD: Did you know the Dust Bowl made it to Detroit?

CuriosiD: What’s the Origin of the Boston Cooler?

CuriosiD: We Answered All Your Questions About the Mile Road System

Holocaust Bones Find Resting Place in Massive Michigan Cemetery

Listeners Ask, Why Does DTW Have Those Giant Fans?

CuriosiD: Why Isn't Google's Street View of Detroit Up-to-date?

Why Does Michigan Avenue Have Brick Pavers?

Could Electric Cars Increase Pollution

Rumor of a British Bomber Crash In a Detroit Neighborhood Haunts a Listener

CuriosiD: Rumor of a British Bomber Crash In a Detroit Neighborhood Haunts a Listener

Why Is Detroit Sometimes Called "The Paris of the Midwest?"

What is the History of Detroit’s Times Square?

How Did Detroit Become a Center for Arabs in the United States?

That Waterway in Detroit, Is it a Strait or a River?

What’s Happened at the State Fairgrounds?

CuriosiD: What's Happened at the State Fairgrounds?

Lewis Cass, Michigan Governor, Architect of Indian Removal

Was there busing in Detroit in the early 1960’s?

CuriosiD: Was there busing in Detroit in the early 1960's?

Who Was John R?

Are There Salt Mines Under Detroit?

Who Were the Natives in Detroit?

CuriosiD: Who Were the Natives in Detroit?

What’s That Smell?

Why are there 5 Grosse Pointes?

CuriosiD: Why are there 5 Grosse Pointes?

What Happens to the Stuff I Recycle?

Why Doesn’t Detroit Have A Subway Or Elevated Rail?

Who Chooses Detroit's "Tax-Free" Renaissance Zones?