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Automotive Heritage
Day Tour 3:
Detroit Automotive Attractions
Tour Overview
 With nationally-acclaimed tourist draws such as The Henry Ford
in Dearborn, it can be easy to overlook some of Detroit's most interesting automotive sites and attractions
located right within city limits. In
fact, Detroit's automotive legacy acquired a new lease on life in
1996 when General Motors relocated its headquarters from the New Center area to the Renaissance Center located on the Detroit River at Woodward and
Jefferson. This tour makes its way south
from the World's First Concrete Mile down to GM World, an engaging automotive
display located inside the automaker's office center. The tour includes other engaging sites such
as the Detroit Historical Museum and the Ford Piquette Plant (pictured at right) that
provide a unique insight into the history of the automotive industry and its
impact on the metropolitan Detroit region.
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Tour Map
More Information
World's
First Concrete Mile
Woodward Avenue between 6 Mile (McNichols) and 7 Mile
 Although concrete had been used previously for small
street surfaces in other parts of the country, Wayne County is credited for building the first full mile of
concrete road in 1909 on Woodward
Avenue near Palmer Park.
The project was a test bed for proving concrete's ability to withstand
the heavy traffic of the day. The road
surface has since changed and Woodward Avenue is now a major thoroughfare. Nevertheless, the first mile of concrete
contributed significantly to the development of the modern automobile
highway. A Michigan Historical Marker
is located along Woodward in this vicinity.
Nation's First Modern Highway
Davison Freeway
(M-8) between the Fisher (I-75)
 and Lodge (M-10) freeways
Opened in 1942, the short (a
little over 2 miles) Davison Freeway is considered to be the nation's first
modern highway. The $3.62 million
freeway was the first to be built below existing roads and demonstrated
significant durability with its concrete construction. In fact, the original road surface was so
durable that it lasted over 50 years until its reconstruction in 1997. The Davison Freeway led to the use of
concrete as the primary road surface during the construction of the majority
of Michigan's highway system thereafter. Take a drive on the historical Davison
Freeway during your visit to the Detroit area!
Ford Piquette Plant
(Birthplace of the Model T)
411 Piquette Avenue, Detroit
Website
 This 66,000 square foot factory was the proving
ground for the moving assembly line and birthplace of the Model T, the car that would change the
world. Otherwise known as Tin Lizzie,
the Model T was designed and developed by Henry Ford and a small group of
dedicated engineers in a secure third floor room inside this plant located on
Piquette Avenue just east of Detroit's New Center area. The
factory assembled nearly 12,000 Model Ts between 1908 and 1910 before Ford
opened his Highland Park Model T facility.
There, the assembly line technique was improved and another 12 million
Tin Lizzies produced. Tours of the
Piquette Plant are offered periodically and for special events.
Detroit Historical Museum
5401 Woodward Avenue, Detroit
Website
 Your exploration into Detroit's and southeastern Michigan's rich history begins at the Detroit Historical Museum. The museum
traces the region through over 300 years of history through a number of
creative displays. Of particular
interest is the 8,000 square foot Motor City exhibition focused on Automotive Heritage and
featuring an actual working auto body drop from the General Motors Clark Avenue facility.
GM World
100
Renaissance Center, Level A, Detroit
 Opened in 2000, GM World features a
50,000 square foot showroom with 26 GM vehicles, visual and audio displays,
and interactive elements. The vehicles
are positioned around a circular pool on the lower level of the
spectacularly-redeveloped Renaissance Center,
Detroit's most recognizable icon. The exhibit is anchored by a showpiece 320 degree
video system with water and lighting effects.
The vehicles, visual and audio displays, and interactive features are
rotated periodically to keep the exhibits fresh and exciting and to attract
both new and repeat visitors. GM is
open weekdays and offers free public tours.
A fantastic end to the tour.
Tour
Map
Number of Destinations: 5
Overall Tour Time: 1 day
More Information
Click on the links below for
more information on other attractions and links to the other Experience
Detroit Automotive Heritage tours:
Day Tour 1:
"Must-See" Dearborn Attractions
Day Tour 2:
Other Dearborn Attractions
Ford Motor Company
General
Motors
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