Detroit Looks Dazzling After Dark in 14 Historic Postcards

You're unlikely to find a major American city with darker nights than Detroit. Yes, the ancient streetlight system is undergoing a major overhaul, but it's porch lamps, headlights, and glowing businesses that truly keep cities aglow after dark. In many parts of the city, these are still in short supply. These postcards depict nighttime in the bustling Detroit of yesteryear when streetcars, passenger ships, and the Guardian Building's giant searchlight (shown above) illuminated the city in ways we're unlikely to ever see again.

All photos come from the Burton Collection, most undated.