300^th Anniversary of Cadillac’s Landing

Detroit, Hart Plaza

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

I just want you to know: I drove down here in my Cadillac!

It is great to come back to Detroit after such a festive kick-off last Thursday.  It’s been so heartening to see all the newspaper accounts of the spirit of this great city just soaring!

As we enter the 4^th century of Detroit’s existence, one senses that it stands at the threshold of an exciting new era full of possibilities.

Not far from here, in front of Cobo Hall, stands an historical marker commemorating Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac. It recounts some of the highlights of his life.

But we know that his story is even more colorful than that marker reveals.  You know: they say behind every great man stands a surprised mother-in-law.  Well, if Cadillac’s mother-in-law had listened to the gossip and reports of her day, there is no doubt that she would have been surprised at all he managed to accomplish!

He was born Antoine Laumet in 1658 in a small town in southern France. Upon marrying Marie-Therese Guyon in 1687, he took the name de Lamothe Cadillac and created a coat of arms for himself based on several upscale neighbors in France.  A real ingenious fellow, when it came to social climbing, this Cadillac.

In 1694, the governor-general of New France appointed him the military commander for Fort Michillimackinac. This proved to be the big break he was waiting for.

Although he did not do well commanding a fort, he did EXTREMELY well commanding a profit. Through trading fur and liquor with the Native Americans and trappers, he managed to amass a considerable personal fortune – as well as make permanent enemies of the Jesuit missionaries.

In 1696, the French court shut down the fur trade and closed several forts, including Fort Michillimackinac.

But Cadillac was not out of work or ideas for long.  He envisioned a permanent settlement that would prosper and help make Native Americans friendly toward France. He also saw this new settlement as an agricultural center, a gateway to Michigan, and a gateway to the New World.

So on this day in 1701 he landed roughly where the Joe Louis Arena is today with his 9-year old son, Antoine, and 200 French and Native Americans.

He then built Fort Ponchartrain, named after his longtime supporter and France’s Minister of the Marine. But while he led Fort Ponchartrain, news of his commercial dealings at Michillimackinac and Ponchartrain began to reach the French court. One emissary stated: "He was hated by the French and Indians alike."

Another report accused him of trading equally with the French and their archenemy, the British. Cadillac, it seems, invented bipartisanship in Michigan. 

In any case, these reports eventually got him demoted to governor of Louisiana.  Even the French of that day knew that Michigan was a more desirable place to be than Louisiana… especially this time of year.

Seems he continued his commercial dealings in Louisiana, earning him and his son a year in a prison cell in the dreaded Bastille a few years later.  Historians alternately call him – quote – "one of the worst scoundrels ever to set foot in New France" or a great man betrayed by his foes. And yet – and yet – despite his checkered past, Cadillac was just what this wilderness Michigan needed.

His background may have been unflattering, but his instincts and "skills set" were vitally important in establishing Detroit. There is no imagining Detroit and Michigan without him.

Of course, he didn’t do it alone, because behind every great man stands a great woman. I think that we too often overlook the influence of another pioneer named Cadillac: his wife, Marie-Therese.

Madame Cadillac saw that the outpost was threatened by the same lack of permanence that had doomed Michillimackinac and several other settlements around Michigan. In mid-October, less than three months after her husband landed near this spot, this strong, determined woman followed him to Fort Ponchartrain.

Madame Cadillac, along with the wife of Cadillac’s second in command, were the first European women to settle in Michigan.

The presence of these two remarkable individuals "astonished" the Native Americans. They had never before seen French women so willingly adopt this wilderness as their homeland.

Her friends in Montreal pitied her and tried to dissuade her from coming to Michigan. But Madame Cadillac was heroic in her resolve. She replied:

"Do not waste your pity on me, dear friends. I know the hardships, the perils of the journey, the isolation of the life to which I am going; yet I am eager to go. For a woman who truly loves her husband has no stronger attachment than his company, wherever he may be."

Kind of reminds me of Michelle…Not that coming to Michigan for Michelle was fraught with the same perils, hardships, or isolation! But who knows?

If Madame Cadillac had not "stood by her man" in 1701, Fort Ponchartrain may never have achieved permanence and become the nucleus for the community that would grow into the Detroit we know.

Antoine AND Marie-Therese. BOTH founded this great city, and BOTH should be recognized for their vision.

Earlier this year, the question came up as to what to name the former GM building, which will now house state offices. We wanted to name it after someone who had been instrumental in the creation and building of the City of Detroit. It didn’t take long to settle on Cadillac Place.

Now, given Antoine Cadillac’s checkered past, Michelle thinks it should be named after Marie-Therese!

We cannot settle that debate today. What we do know is that the word "Cadillac" has entered the English language and is synonymous with excellence. We say the "Cadillac of hotels," the "Cadillac of pens," the "Cadillac of health insurance," and so forth.

Today I think we can say we are having the "Cadillac of celebrations" in this, the "Cadillac of cities"!

Happy birthday, Detroit!