Detroit-- Never a "motor city"
At least according to the ramblings of some kid from California, posting on some message board tag following a news article discussing the recent woes of Ford and GM, which also covered the continuing surge of the juggernaut-like Toyota Corporation.
Now, I can accept the view of some of the other posters I read stating that Detroit is no longer a "Motor City"-- this argument I can grudgingly, painfully accept (hurtful as it is to my pride of home and history). Detroit, and Michigan overall has been closing and demolishing plants left and right since my adult years began. But never a "Motown"? Horse hockey kid! I myself spent a summer feeding Ford Ranger fuel lines into a "crimping machine" (while trying not to feed my fingers in at the same time); and the ghosts of relatives whom had worked at the old Dodge Main and Lincoln Assembly (both the people and the plants now long gone) rise up as well with a loud razzberry for this Californian's skewed view.
When I first read his post ( and I wish I could find the link- but I was using my wife's laptop, and can't recall what page or site that was) I almost spewed the tomato soup I was slurping. "Never a Motor City? Arrrgh!"
Well, California dude how about a short list... Not even a complete list (just through the letter 'K' ) of Automobile MANUFACTURERS that once called Detroit home.
Aerocar Motor Co (ah, yes who could forget the famous Land Yachts of Aerocar!).... Alden-Sampson... American Voiturette (Keeton cars)... Anderson Electric Car Co... Anhut Motor car Co(buy an "Anhut Six" anyone?)... C.H. Blomstrom Motor car co(Oh, nothing like their "Queen gasoline engines!)... Briggs-Detroiter Co... Buell Co... Cadillac Motor car Co... Chalmers-Detroit Motor Co(remember their "Champion Car" of '09?)... Chevrolet Motor Co... Commerce Motor Co... Day Automobile Co... Detroit-Dearborn Motor Car Co... Dodge Brothers, Inc... E-M-F Co... Ford Motor Co.... General Motors... Graham-Paige Motor Co... Herreshoff Motor Co... Huber Automobile Co... Hudson Motor Car Co... Hupp Motor Car Co(ah, yes! the playboy's fave "The Huppmobile!")... King Motor Car Co... K-R-I-T -Motor Car Co.....
Obviously, there's more, and of course many of those listed perhaps were in business but a few years and maybe turned out only few cars before merging with someone else or going under. The point is, the city of Detroit was once a powerhouse of manufacturing and engineering know-how, and although this perhaps is no longer the case, to state that it never was the motor city of yore..... Is misinformation pure and simple.
Now, I can accept the view of some of the other posters I read stating that Detroit is no longer a "Motor City"-- this argument I can grudgingly, painfully accept (hurtful as it is to my pride of home and history). Detroit, and Michigan overall has been closing and demolishing plants left and right since my adult years began. But never a "Motown"? Horse hockey kid! I myself spent a summer feeding Ford Ranger fuel lines into a "crimping machine" (while trying not to feed my fingers in at the same time); and the ghosts of relatives whom had worked at the old Dodge Main and Lincoln Assembly (both the people and the plants now long gone) rise up as well with a loud razzberry for this Californian's skewed view.
When I first read his post ( and I wish I could find the link- but I was using my wife's laptop, and can't recall what page or site that was) I almost spewed the tomato soup I was slurping. "Never a Motor City? Arrrgh!"
Well, California dude how about a short list... Not even a complete list (just through the letter 'K' ) of Automobile MANUFACTURERS that once called Detroit home.
Aerocar Motor Co (ah, yes who could forget the famous Land Yachts of Aerocar!).... Alden-Sampson... American Voiturette (Keeton cars)... Anderson Electric Car Co... Anhut Motor car Co(buy an "Anhut Six" anyone?)... C.H. Blomstrom Motor car co(Oh, nothing like their "Queen gasoline engines!)... Briggs-Detroiter Co... Buell Co... Cadillac Motor car Co... Chalmers-Detroit Motor Co(remember their "Champion Car" of '09?)... Chevrolet Motor Co... Commerce Motor Co... Day Automobile Co... Detroit-Dearborn Motor Car Co... Dodge Brothers, Inc... E-M-F Co... Ford Motor Co.... General Motors... Graham-Paige Motor Co... Herreshoff Motor Co... Huber Automobile Co... Hudson Motor Car Co... Hupp Motor Car Co(ah, yes! the playboy's fave "The Huppmobile!")... King Motor Car Co... K-R-I-T -Motor Car Co.....
Obviously, there's more, and of course many of those listed perhaps were in business but a few years and maybe turned out only few cars before merging with someone else or going under. The point is, the city of Detroit was once a powerhouse of manufacturing and engineering know-how, and although this perhaps is no longer the case, to state that it never was the motor city of yore..... Is misinformation pure and simple.
posted by Rob at 10:53 AM
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