Belle Isle

Belle Isle is a former state park located on the Detroit River and one of the districts of the Motor City Wasteland. Like other districts, it has multiple locations within its boundaries. In 2287, much of the island has been taken back by wildlife, making it prime hunting ground for the Hunters.

Background
Before the War, the island was a state park run by the Belle Isle Conservation Office. The group owned and operated the historic lighthouse on the northern coast of the island, as well as the Belle Isle Aquarium, and kept track of all the wildlife on Belle Isle. Once a year the island was also the home to the Belle Isle Grand Prix, the closing event of the annual American Auto Show, where auto companies showed off their hottest and fastest cars for the coming year. The Conservation Office disliked the island being used as such and had protested the race for years. They reasoned the wildlife was terrified of the loud engines and fast cars, and the vibrations were actually shaking the tanks at the aquarium. However, local officials turned a blind eye to their pleas, saying the race brought in a lot of revenue and was important advertising for local companies like Chryslus.

Belle Isle was also home to a Coast Guard station. Due to food and medicine shortages in Canada, an abundance of smuggling occurred on the Detroit River between Michigan and Ontario. People were smuggled out of Canada as well, some desperate and wanting a fresh start, some affiliated with the Canadian Resistance intent on striking back against America. The Coast Guard station on Belle Isle was investigating the smuggling and was determined to put an end to it. Unknown to the Coast Guard however, Belle Isle was an important way station for the smugglers. A hidden room in the Belle Isle Aquarium served as a meeting place for smugglers, as well as a warehouse for goods destined for Canada and a home for Canadian citizens until papers were forged and they could be moved to the mainland.

In 2287, the Prisoner arrives on Belle Isle looking for the Smugglers' keys. All five keys are required to unlock a warehouse in Detroit, full of weapons, medicine, and other supplies the smugglers were dealing.

Locations
Belle Isle Aquarium:

Belle Isle Lighthouse: A historic lighthouse once run by the Belle Isle Conservation Office. The nearby lagoon is full of ships washed ashore since the bombs fell, including one of the smuggling boats containing a Smuggler's key. The lagoon is also a den of mirelurks, including a queen. The remains of a Brotherhood soldier is nearby, who was sent on a food procurement mission. The mirelurk queen's poison ate away his power armor and killed him. At the top of the lighthouse is the remains of a Hunter who became trapped by the mirelurks and died of dehydration.

Coast Guard Station:

Detroit Yacht Club:

Trivia

 * The Belle Isle Grand Prix is based on the real-life Detroit Grand Prix, which takes place on Belle Isle. Conservation groups have tried to get the race relocated.
 * The real-life Belle Isle Aquarium contains a secret room that was once a speakeasy during Prohibition. This was the inspiration to make it affiliated with smugglers.