Business & brands · 1913–2001Bill Hewlettengineer, entrepreneurCo-founder of Hewlett-Packard, born in Ann Arbor, where his father taught at the University of Michigan Medical School.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,940 famous people
- 515 Detroit places
- 18 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
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Business & brands · 1913–2001Bill Hewlettengineer, entrepreneurCo-founder of Hewlett-Packard, born in Ann Arbor, where his father taught at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Music · born 1970Richie HawtinDJ, electronic musician, label founderWindsor-raised techno producer who crossed the river into Detroit's clubs, co-founded Plus 8 and became a leading figure of minimal techno as Plastikman.
Sports · 1886–1983Jam HandyOlympic swimmer and water polo player, industrial filmmakerTwo-time Olympic bronze medalist who built the Jam Handy Organization in Detroit into one of America's largest producers of industrial and training films.
Business & brands · 1804–1870Oliver Moulton Hydemanufacturer, mayor of DetroitHardware dealer turned maker of scales and steamboat engines who was elected Detroit's mayor three times (1854, 1856 and 1857).
Business & brands · 1804–1883Charles Howardshipping merchant, banker, mayor of DetroitFormer schooner captain and Great Lakes shipping agent who built railroad lines, ran two banks and was elected Detroit's mayor for 1849.
Politics · 1801–1878Henry Howardmerchant, lumberman, mayor of Detroit, state treasurerLumber and dry-goods partner who was Detroit's mayor in 1837, the year of statehood, and the first treasurer of the State of Michigan.
Business & brands · 1846–1912J. L. Hudsonmerchant, founder of the J. L. Hudson department storeEnglish-born merchant who founded Hudson's, Detroit's legendary Woodward Avenue department store, and bankrolled the Hudson Motor Car Company.
Politics · 1786–1826Henry I. Huntmerchant, mayor of DetroitEarly Detroit merchant and officeholder who became mayor in 1826 and died in office that September; uncle of the Civil War artillery chief of the same name.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗