DEADLINE EXTENDED: Get Your Tickets By October 26 for MotorCities' 25th Anniversary Gala

Tickets are STILL available for the MotorCities National Heritage Area’s 25th Anniversary Gala event, scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Ford House Visitors Center, located at 1100 Lake Shore Road in Grosse Pointe Shores.

Guests will enjoy dinner, drinks, a silent auction featuring a variety of items and experiences, the opportunity to view exhibits and stroll the grounds, and more including the following:

 - Our keynote speaker Frank Markus of Motor Trend discussing “Trends Driving the Automotive Future”;

 - MotorCities’ annual Milestone Award winner Bill Chapin;

 - The chance to meet and mingle with General Motors founder "Billy Durant," courtesy of Dore Productions;

 - The announcement of the 25th Anniversary Awards of Excellence (finalists listed below);

 - and a tribute to a quarter century of MotorCities’ achievements.
 
This celebration also marks the observance of MotorCities’ 10th annual Michigan Auto Heritage Day, with special recognition from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature.

Tickets for the Gala are $100 for MotorCities members and $125 for nonmembers. RSVPs are required by the end of the day TOMORROW October 26, so reserve your place now by clicking the animated graphic above or at www.motorcities.org/25th-anniversary-events.

Proceeds will help MotorCities continue to fulfill its mission of preserving and promoting Michigan auto and labor heritage.

The finalists for our 25th Anniversary Awards of Excellence are the following:

In the Heritage Tourism category, the finalists are:

 - Lloyd & Judy Ganton, the operators of Ye Ole Carriage Shop in Spring Arbor;

 - Russell Brothers City Tours for their interactive tours of Detroit;

 - and Wheelhouse Detroit for their Detroit Auto Heritage Bicycle Tour.
 
In the Interpretation/Education category, the finalists are:

 - The Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn for their Achievement series of exhibits about African Americans in the automotive industry.

 - Russ Dore’ of Dore’ Productions in Northville for his interactive historical presentations that bring early automotive pioneers to life;

 - and the Historical Society of Greater Lansing for the I-496 Pave the Way Project.
 
In the Revitalization category, the finalists are:

 - The Ford Piquette Plant Museum in Detroit for their first floor restoration;

 - M1 Concourse in Pontiac for their work transforming a former General Motors industrial site into a road racing course and event space for auto enthusiasts;

 - and the Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township for their work preserving the site.
 
Visit Detroit is the Presenting Sponsor for the Gala. General Motors is a Founding Partner/Award of Excellence Sponsor. The UAW International Union is our Michigan Auto Heritage Day Sponsor. Ford House is an Award of Excellence Sponsor. Supporting Sponsors include Albert Kahn Associates, Choose Lansing, Destination Ann Arbor, and The Henry Ford. Event Sponsors include Doeren Mayhew, Don Nicholson Enterprises, Gilmore Car Museum, Grigg Graphics, and Project Arts and Humanities.

Story of the Week

Remembering the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Super Sport Show Car

by Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher

The Chevrolet Corvette has always been looked upon as a true American sports car, with fans across the world. Upon reviewing the history, however, the Corvette was not the first American sports car to be introduced.

For example, in 1949, talented race car designer Frank Kurtis (January 25, 1908 - February 17, 1987) developed and manufactured his Kurtis sports car, a two-seater with an aluminum body. Other sports car designs followed shortly after, including the Cunningham C 5R, the 1951 Nash-Healey and the 1952 Crosley Super Sport.

The Corvette was developed in early 1952 under the direction of GM design chief Harley Earl (November 22,1893 - April 10,1969). Robert McLean, a Cal Tech-trained engineer, designed the unique chassis that places the passenger seats immediately ahead of the rear axle. The engine and transmission were also pushed back as part of the engineering design.

To learn more about the 1957 Corvette and see advertisements and more images, click below.

This Week's Story

Celebrating 25 Years with Great MotorCities Programs

As part of the celebration of our 25th Anniversary, today we are continuing a series highlighting 25 MotorCities Programs introduced over the last 25 years.

The 23rd is Many Voices, One Story.

Back in 2019, our leadership team utilized resources available from the Michigan Nonprofit Association to assess where our organization stood with regard to respecting our National Heritage Area’s diversity.

A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee was formed to take the results of the assessment and put together concrete plans to improve our organization’s overall awareness of DEI and implement new policies and tactics to share and promote a broader array of stories reflective of our region’s population. As an important first step, our organization’s Vision Statement was revised. You can find it on our website.

Then, in January 2021, a new page of our website was launched entitled “Many Voices, One Story.” This page shares stories of how this region put the world on wheels across a diverse and inclusive range of people with a wide variety of backgrounds, languages and cultures. In the almost three years since, an amazing array of previously unheard stories have been told.

The 24th is the Sloan Museum of Discovery

In July of 2022, the new Sloan Museum of Discovery opened to the public after a five-year $30 million reinvention. The new Museum combined elements of the previous Sloan Museum, including Flint’s history and the story of the birth of General Motors, with an interactive, more STEM-focused set of galleries and experiences. MotorCities played its part in the reinvention process, providing a grant in support of a new permanent exhibit on the construction of I-475 and its positive and negative effects on the Flint community.

Watch for two more programs in this space next week! Catch all the previous entries by clicking here.

This Week in Auto Heritage

On October 25, 1864, John Dodge was born in Niles, Michigan. He and his brother Horace grew up working on marine engines in their father's machine shop.

In 1901, Ransom Olds approached the Dodge Brothers about building transmissions for his fledgling auto manufacturing company. The Dodge's early success and quality products caught the eye of Henry Ford, who offered them the opportunity to supply parts for Ford Motor Company. The brothers broke their contract with Olds to work with Ford, ultimately becoming large shareholders in the company.

By 1913, the Dodge Brothers' Ford stock had grown in value to $50 million, and they felt confident enough to stop supplying Ford and produce their own cars starting the next year. The first Dodge models proved to be strong sellers and almost challenged Ford for domestic market share.

Unfortunately, the Dodge Brothers wave of success came to a tragic end in 1920, when both became sick with influenza and pneumonia after attending an auto expo in New York City. John died on January 14, and Horace died in December of the same year.

If you enjoy our historical content and would like to see it more regularly than weekly, please like MotorCities National Heritage Area on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @motorcities.

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Events Coming to the MotorCities

Tonight: Trunk or Treat at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners

Tonight from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Gilmore Car Museum welcomes Halloween fun-seekers for Trunk or Treat.

Kids can trick or treat in a safe and fun environment, combing cars with good old fashioned spooky fun. This event is FREE and will run like a typical Cruise-In. Trunk or treaters do NOT need to RSVP to the event and will enjoy donuts & cider and Halloween music. In addition, George & Sally's Blue Moon Diner and the Gilmore Bar will be open.

For more information, click here.

Saturday: Trunk or Treat at the Michigan Military Technological & Historical Society in Eastpointe

This Saturday night from 5 - 7 p.m., check out the Halloween Trunk or Treat at the Michigan Military Technological & Historical Society in Eastpointe.

The Trunk or Treat event takes place in the parking lot, while other Halloween events take place inside the Museum. Enjoy beverages and snacks! Bring your car, decorate your trunk and have some fun!

For more details, click here.