Most collectors appreciate history, which is why they have a passion for vintage cars. With that passion usually comes an interest in the car’s provenance, the manufacturing process, and the legacy of the brand.

As a Cadillac nut, I had to stop in and visit some of the Motor City’s icons.

First on the list: Cadillac Place, the headquarters built in 1919 for General Motors. Designed b Albert Kahn, the ornate and stately building is a National Landmark and houses 1,800 offices. It was abandoned in 1996 for the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit.

GM's former worldwide headquarters. Somewhat larger than Motorpool.com's

The Renaissance Center, GM’s current worldwide headquarters, was ironically the brainchild of Henry Ford II. When GM moved in the CEO quipped in the New York Times that he needed to give GPS devices to employees so they could find their way around. 

Parked in the CEO's spot at GM's Renaissance Center.

Lastly, my friend at Motorpool buddy, Walter Youshock, suggested I go by the Clark Street plant. There’s nothing left on the 47 acres that took over Cadillac production in 1921 and lasted until production stopped in 1987. The buildings were demolished in the 1990’s. Still, I drove the Brougham to its birthplace and strolled the vacant field until I found a brick remnant to take as a souvenir. 

At the Brougham's birthplace: Cadillac's Clark Street plant.

Interested in more information about historical spots to visit in Detroit? Make sure you visit Motorcities.org. They’re a wealth of information and dedicated to preserving the Motor City’s automotive legacy.

Parked at the "Glass House" in Dearborn--a truly beautiful HHQ for Ford.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Tags: Michigan

This entry was posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 2:02 pm and is filed under Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.