Two square miles: The evolution of Hamtramck

In Hamtramck, Michigan nothing stays the identical

There isn’t any place like Hamtramck.

This small island of two sq. miles in the course of Detroit was once so Polish that it was as soon as generally known as ‘Little Poland’. It was so Polish that the pope himself as soon as took a detour to go to right here.

Then all the things modified. Waves of immigrants flowed on this small enclave – from Jap Europe, from Asia, from the center -old – who shortly remodel it into America’s first majority of Muslim metropolis.

How did these completely different individuals come collectively in Hamtramck? Can individuals get alongside right here? What’s life like for the outdated -timers who stayed? And the way do the newcomers match?

Columnist John Carlisle and photojournalist Ryan Garza spent virtually a 12 months in Hamtramck to search out the solutions to these questions, by the voices of the individuals who name it at residence.

That is what they returned.

One mission. 5 tales. Dozens of images.

Two sq. mile.