Crazy for Cars

NORTHVILLIANS,

The summer theme continues this week as we touch on our “Car Crazy” culture in the Detroit area. In today’s newsletter, I will talk about the Woodward Dream Cruise and the auto touchpoints in the Northville area. Cars have been part of our DNA since the turn of the last century. Northville was an automobile town long before the construction of the longest stretch of cement highway in the country, starting in Detroit and ending in Northville (built over 100 years ago!).

This coming weekend is the annual automobile celebration on Woodward Avenue called the Woodward Dream Cruise. When I was young, we took our hot rod cars up Woodward and down Telegraph.…today we have an official weekend of cruising called the Woodward Dream Cruise.

As many of you know, the Dream Cruise is an annual automotive enthusiast event held in the northern suburbs of Detroit. It’s held each year on the third Saturday in August. FUN FACTS TO KNOW:

Although the cruise officially takes place on one day, each year the celebration starts earlier and ends later as the classic vehicles from around the world begin to appear on local streets.

The Cruise is the world’s largest one day automotive event, drawing about 1.5 million people and 40,000 cars, trucks, motorcycles and supercars from around the globe. Spectators can see muscle cars, street rods, custom and special interest vehicles.

Communities involved include the City of Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Pontiac, and Oakland County. Sponsors are Ford, Channel 7 ABC, 104.3 and Cruis’n Media.

The event was established in 1994 (30 years ago), and I’ve been attending since.

Let’s take a look Northville’s Car Crazy Environment…

The first registered car in Northville dates back to 1899, when we transitioned from horse & buggies to automobiles rumbling down our dirt roads in the early 1900’s.

• NORTHVILLE AUTOMOBILE CLUB – In 1918, the Northville Automobile Club was established with 100 members. This was the precursor to the American Automobile Association (AAA) which merged with the Northville group early on.

• SEVEN MILE ROAD – In 1929, The Detroit News reported that 7 Mile Road from Detroit to Northville was the longest paved road in the USA and was 40 feet wide, connecting these two towns for commerce and entertainment. (At one time, Detroit & Northville were ranked #1 & #2 in production in the State.) 
• LARGEST AUTO SHOW IN MICHIGAN WAS IN NORTHVILLE – Also in 1929, to celebrate this new stretch of concrete, Wayne County Fair Grounds (the Downs) hosted the largest auto show up to that point in Michigan (Northville Record). This was the forerunner to the Detroit Auto Show and was sponsored by the Detroit Metro Dealers who displayed brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler and Pontiac, along with REO & Studebaker. More than 50 new models were shown. 
• CAR BRANDS IN TOWN – Early on, there were various types of cars registered in the area including: Maxwells, Oaklands, Graham-Paiges, along with the traditional Ford Model-T’s and then Model-A’s. We also had our share of Mercedes Benz, Packard, & Studebaker as well as Chrysler and GM owners in town. Most dealerships were on Northville Road and on Main Street. In 1949 after WWII, the following dealerships were in town: Ford, Chevy, Studebaker, Kaiser/Frazer, Packard, Mercedes, Chrysler-Plymouth and Dodge.
• CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE OF AMERICA – This world-renowned event was previously hosted in the area, featuring some of the finest and rarest cars available. It historically took place on the golf course of the Inn of St. John’s, at the Northville/Plymouth border. Today, we have one of the finest youth-run Concours events at the Mill Race Village each summer.
• MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY in Brooklyn Michigan has been a gathering place for Motorheads dating back to when I attended the first event in 1969. Coming up this weekend is the FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR race (August 18^th.)
• LOCAL CAR SHOWS – Over time, car shows have been hosted in many places in Northville, including our downtown social district, Northville Downs, the Cider Mill, and the Mill Race Village, along with various parking lots.
• THE NORTHVILLE DOWNTOWN CARS & COFFEE takes place on theSecond Saturday of every month on the surface lot behind Old Village School (Main St.)
  next to the Library (212 Cady St.) @ 8-10AM. The sponsors of this Northville show are Alexander’s Custom Clothiers & the Mayor.

At the show, attendees mingle with Auto Execs and other enthusiasts conversing about the eclectic array of exotics (Ford GT’s, Maserati’s, Lamborghinis, Ferraris), Detroit Muscle, and a mix of sports cars & classic pick-up trucks. I invite you to be part of this mobile art show and stroll around town after attending the event monthly.

Get out and enjoy the Journey of Summer in an old hot rod, exotic, pickup or any vehicle of life… remember it’s not the destination that is important but the journey itself. Enjoy the ride!

Keep that Summer Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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