Dearborn Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dearborn Township

Ok so a bit of a red herring to start the quiz. Dearborn was incorporated as a city in 1927. Prior to that the area was Dearbornville Village, which itself had come from Dearborn Township. In 1928 the city merged with neighboring Fordson but retained the name of Dearborn.

Answer: Automotive baron

Henry, Clara, and Edsel Ford moved to Dearbornville in 1916, many years before it would become a city. Henry was actually born in Greenfield Township in 1863. A little more than a decade later, that township no longer existed as it had been annexed by Detroit and Highland Park. Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, would later start the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in honor of his birthplace.

Answer: 100,000

The census bureau reported 98,153 as the official population of the city. At that time the city had the largest population of Arab people living outside of the middle east in the entire world. About 41.7 percent of the city's population was Arabic at the time.

Answer: The Rouge River

The city popped up on both sides of the Rouge River, using it as a base to become a heavily industrialized city in the early 20th century. Not only was the city home to Ford Motor Company, but several steel factories and other industrial factories were built there.

The other three rivers don't come anywhere near Dearborn.

Answer: Melvindale

Of the options only Detroit and Melvindale actually share a border with Dearborn. The deal between the two cities was unique in that the former Melvindale Firefighters were all offered jobs and at similar ranks as to what they had obtained in the other city. Melvindale's department was small, only 15 members, whereas Dearborn's department had over 100 members at the time.

Answer: False

A non-contiguous city would mean that parts of the city can't be accessed without going through another municipality. Under Michigan law, there can't be a city that is non-contiguous. Townships don't have to be completely connected, but in order to become a city they have to be self contained.

The city owns a large (626-acre) parcel of land in another city in Michigan. It is one of very few cities in the United States to do so. This however doesn't make the city non-contiguous, as they serve only as a property owner of that large parcel; it did not become a part of Dearborn. The city is forced to act as any other property owner would if they owned it.

For a time the city also owned Dearborn Towers which was an apartment building in Clearwater, Florida.

Answer: Michigan State University

HFC was founded at Fordson High School in the city. The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus was the largest satellite campus for UM through the end of the 20th century. Central Michigan University offered in-person classes at various locations in the city from the late 1980s through the end of the 20th century. Among the options, only Michigan State didn't offer some type of in-person class work during that time frame.

Answer: Mosque

The Islamic Center of America dates back to the mid 1960s. A new building opened in 2005, and at that time it was the largest largest mosque in the United States. The center was initially established in Detroit, but moved to Dearborn with the new building. It was founded by Muhammad Jawad Chirri who served the organization until his death in 1994.

Answer: Press & Guide

The first copy of the Dearborn Press came out June 14, 1918. Only 800 copies of that first issue were printed, although it would undergo several owner and publisher changes through the years.
The Dearborn Shopping Guide, an all-advertising publication, was started by Roy Lancaster. Debuted in 1947.
The Dearborn Shopping Guide was published infrequently March 1947-October 1948, when Lancaster brought together investors George McClellan, Cy Aaron, and William A. Ross, and they changed the Shopping Guide into the Dearborn Guide, with regular newspaper format.
Panax Corp. bought the Dearborn Press in December 1973. Panax then bought the Dearborn Guide in October 1976 and merged the two into the Press & Guide.

Answer: Fordson Island

The island is man-made, it was created in 1922. Located within the Rouge River, it is the only large island located in a tributary of the Detroit River. The island was privately owned from its creation through the end of the 20th century.

Not a question, but some bonus information about a geographical quirk of Dearborn.
The Detroit Lions (football) practiced in the city for much of the early 21st century. While their practice facility had an address of Allen Park, most of the property was actually located within the City of Dearborn.