Packard Entry

[CWebster]

http://www.packardmotorfdn.org/projects.htm

There are some efforts to maintain some of Detroit's History. Since my uncle left the Chrysler corp. he has spent his time helping to restore what is left at the Packard Proving grounds. Although it's a fraction of the available history of Detroit (actually Shelby Township), at least there will be some left for the future generations.

On a side note, I drive by the old AC Delco plant on Dort Highway here in Flint and they are in the process of tearing it down.....it was there for something like 100 years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_East)... This community in Flint has really been devestated by the automakers withdrawal, Coldwater road plant, Buick City, Chevy in the hole, and now the AC Delco plant, all gone. I agree what others have said, this area of the United States CHANGED THE WORLD with autommobile manufacturing, and nobody cares....

[KIRK!]

Here's a shot I took about ten years ago.

[KIRK!]

Another from the same day. The side of the building.

[Tricknology]

lets not forget the

http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/

Pics on lots of automotive stuff, drive inns, race tracks, and more

http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/carsanddrivers.asp

http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com...=6&noinfo=true

[Tricknology]

Originally Posted by Lucky77

Detroit suffered through "white flight" and deindustrialization starting in the 1950's. Whites moved out to the the suburbs and took their tax base and industry with them. Minorities were isolated in the heart of the city with limited jobs and even harder to find housing. .

Yes that is the politically correct history they teach you in college, but is it too simplistic and also False as the major casue of the Cities down fall.

Many of us here lived in detroit until we forced out by CRIME and No police protection.

The major cause for Detroits fall was, LBJ's "war on poverty" and a Corrupt Mayor and city council which raised taxes, was weak on combating crime, and did not provide city services, like police protection.

I lived thru the riots, AA thugs threatened to burn down our house and rape my mom and sister just because we were not AA.

After the riots, All the married YT men, moved their families to the burbs, where they would be safe from being raped, robbed, and mogged.

Detroit went to hell because of Coleman Young and his ilk, not because of the YT's.

[CWebster]

Originally Posted by Tricknology

Yes that is the politically correct history they teach you in college, but is it too simplistic and also False as the major casue of the Cities down fall.

Many of us here lived in detroit until we forced out by CRIME and No police protection.

The major cause for Detroits fall was, LBJ's "war on poverty" and a Corrupt Mayor and city council which raised taxes, was weak on combating crime, and did not provide city services, like police protection.

I lived thru the riots, AA thugs threatened to burn down our house and rape my mom and sister just because we were not AA.

After the riots, All the married YT men, moved their families to the burbs, where they would be safe from being raped, robbed, and mogged.

Detroit went to hell because of Coleman Young and his ilk, not because of the YT's.

Lots o' truth right there.....Looks like the current mayor is from the same family tree....

[Lucky77]

Trick,

It was a broad overview, not a microcosm of the reasons the city started to decline. I wasn't there so I don't doubt any of the reasons you gave. I simply stated Detroit experienced white flight, I didn't say why because this isn't a political site. In 1950 there were 1.8 million people in Detroit with only 300,000 non-whites. By the early 70's there were less than a million people and only fifteen percent were white. I'd say that constitutes white flight. Detroit experienced riots from the Civil War era through WWII, but everyone seems to reference the big one in 1967 as the reason they left or would never go to Detroit again. I think that's a rather poor excuse to avoid such a historic city. Are there some scary parts? Oh Hell yeah, but there's also a lot of history and vibrance especially downtown. I just wanted to give a simple explaination for those outside of Michigan as to why things went the way they did.

[mcload]

White or not, isn't it only NATURAL for people to want to move from a congested city out to a neighborhood where they can actually have a front yard, a little peace and quiet, and a good school for the kids? Why is it always called "white flight"? How about "people flight"?

[jimdillon]

Watched it go thru the auction today and I believe the Packard Museum in Dayton ended up being the high bidder at $150,000. As I understand now they have to go remove it from the building. It does belong in one of the Packard museums and I hope I am right that they were the high bidder. Pretty neat to think of who walked thru the doors and when. I did a number of paint projects for GM during the mid-eighties in the old Gemmer gear plant, a stone's throw away and drove past the building almost every day over a three year period and it always made me look. I am a Packard nut but for some reason the building seemed to be magical to me. They used to store cars there and we stored a 23 Packard touring car thinking it was kind of cool to store it there but stupid in retrospect as it was stolen in the eighties (and now more than likely sits in someone's collection). Place had its ups and downs but a bunch of great cars were designed and built there. Sad what has happened to Detroit, it WAS a great city, with a great history. Sad is a common word when you talk about Detroit today.-Jim

[hotrodladycrusr]

Originally Posted by jimdillon

Watched it go thru the auction today and I believe the Packard Museum in Dayton ended up being the high bidder at $150,000. As I understand now they have to go remove it from the building. It does belong in one of the Packard museums and I hope I am right that they were the high bidder. Jim

Jim, you are correct. The owner of the Packard Museum in Dayton, OH purchased it. I believe it went for $155,000 which includes the buyers premium. It could not have gone to a better home.

Here are a few photos I took last month as I left John Dixon's Porsche warehouse on my way to The Egypian's warehouse. TONS of car stuff in downtown Dayton.

[toddc]

~3.5 million square feet of early art deco for a hundred and fifty five grand????
Here $150k won't buy a 35 year old 1 bedroom unit.

Detroit can't be as bad as people say, can it?

[hotrodladycrusr]

Originally Posted by toddc

~3.5 million square feet of early art deco for a hundred and fifty five grand????
Here $150k won't buy a 35 year old 1 bedroom unit.

Only the "entrance way" was for sale....

Detroit can't be as bad as people say, can it?

No, it is not. In fact me and a girlfriend just drove Big Olds downtown and parked and left the top down on Michigan Ave, a block down from the old Tiger stadium and went into a resturant for dinner. I was not worried, the car was fine.

[jimdillon]

Denise I believe you are correct on the price. Todd although you may have your tongue in cheek, the $155,000 was for the limestone (and marble?) entry. It may take a few more nickels and dimes to take the rest of the plant home with you.-Jim

[theHIGHLANDER]

There was also another doorway sold as well after the 1st offering and I believe it's going to the Warren Packard Museum.

[Deuce Rails]

Originally Posted by Hot Rods Ta Hell

There's an amazing amount of automotive history in Detroit;
Forgotten detroit is an amazing yet sad tour http://www.forgottendetroit.com/
Another site; http://detroityes.com/industry/02modelt.htm

Thanks for the links to those sites. I just spent a good amount of time in the past.

My dad grew up in Detroit. I live in Pittsburgh. It's surprising how much better Pittsburgh survived the collapse of the steel industry, compared to how Detroit survived the collapse of the auto industry. There are many otehr differences, to be sure. Steel plants lined the rivers, which were then easy to level and "beautify". They didn't take up acre after acre of downtown. And there isn't the bitter irony: steel didn't make it easier for people to abandon the city for the subrubs.