Along the coastline of Detroit sit three unusual structures that resemble lighthouses — these are water cribs, manmade intake islands that contributed to Detroit’s transformation into one of America’s most powerful industrial cities. This episode delves into Detroit’s 1800s pumping stations, the Belle Isle intake crib, the deadly 1971 tunnel explosion, and the extensive Lake Huron project that reshaped Michigan’s water future. Discover how compressed-air sandhogs constructed tunnels 60 feet below the riverbed, the historical impact of typhoid on the city, and how Detroit established one of the largest freshwater systems in North America.

#Detroit #Engineering #AmericanHistory

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