Ashamed to be Detroit? Not this tiny Oregon town

[November 04, 2010]  DETROIT, Ore. (AP) -- Detroit -- the one amid the conifers of Oregon and not to be confused with a certain Midwestern Motor City -- will remain Detroit.

Residents voted 47-37 on Tuesday not to change the name of the tiny town southeast of Portland to Detroit Lake.

In September, the Motor City mayor's office criticized California gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman for comparing Fresno to Detroit and calling it "awful."

In Detroit, Ore. -- population 271 -- those who pushed the name change found nothing wrong with the shared name.

Lodge owner Doug DeGeorge says Detroit Lake just "has a better sound," and would attract more tourists to the town at the 9-mile-long reservoir of that name.

But the name Detroit was imported by early settlers from Michigan, and longtime residents weren't persuaded a change was needed.

[Associated Press]

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