[3] The proximity to Canada across the Detroit River, coupled with residents associated with The Purple Gang, made Downriver one of the nation's major bootlegging hubs during Prohibition.

According to Intemperance: The Lost War Against Liquor by Larry Englemann, "Soon after the passage of prohibition thousands of residents of the downriver communities began participating in rum-running and consequently reaped nearly unbelievable riches from their activities.

Newer developments have featured larger single-family houses for contemporary tastes, and improved freeways have made commuting longer distances feasible.

While these communities have been developed for residential use and had significant population growth and suburbanization since the late 20th century, some working farms can still be found in these towns.

Downriver communities near Detroit and Dearborn (such as Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, River Rouge, Melvindale and Ecorse) were developed in the 1920s-1940s and are identified by brick and mortar homes (often bungalows), tree-lined streets and Works Progress Administration-designed municipal buildings, typical also of the homes within Detroit's city limits.

Communities that developed further south in the postwar period of the 1950s-1970s, such as Southgate, Taylor, Riverview, and Trenton, are more closely identified with tract homes and subdivisions.

Downriver communities were once known for their numerous residents of Southern origin, who had migrated to Michigan to work in the automotive industry during the early to mid-20th century.

One of the largest employers is the Ford Motor Company, which has a large industrial complex in nearby Dearborn and numerous other area plants.