Google Street View Car has Interesting Encounter at Detroit’s Off-Limits Zug Island

There may be few places around Michigan with as much intrigue as Zug Island. Not in Detroit officially, but rather the neighboring city of River Rogue on Detroit's border, Zug Island is exclusively industrial and once hosted facilities like a steel mill.

The island is almost fully off limits to the public. Because of that, the island has become the subject of rumor.

Cameras are prohibited on the premises, so pictures of the island's interior are rare. Due to its location and relative security, many urban legends exist regarding the island. One popular legend claims that the island is home to a correctional facility or prison, but no such facility exists on the island.

After all, there's a giant sign before crossing the bridge to Zug Island proclaiming 'Cameras Prohibited...Violators Will be Prosecuted to the Fullest Extent of the Law.'

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Google Maps Street View, as you have likely used as some point or another, is a nearly nationwide network of photos that gives a virtual look at streets and highways. Zug Island is one of those off-limits places that Street View can't quite get to.

Access to Zug Island is via Jefferson Boulevard in Detroit. The road is listed as a private road but can (using can here, not may - it's physically drivable but permissible?) be driven up to the bridge to Zug Island, as seen above.

As the road is listed as private, it may be likely that truckers who are working transferring material to and from Zug would question the odd Google Street View Car with it orb camera sticking up from the roof. Check out this shot the Street View Car caught when driving Zug Island Road. The driver appears to be given the international symbol of, 'hey what ya doing?!'

The most recent Street View visit down Zug Island Road was 2013, so Google has not driven the roadway in more than a decade.