MotorCities National Heritage Area offers a broad array of programs across its 10,000 square miles. Follow our current programming below.
Fort Street Bridge Interpretive Park
On March 7, 1932 workers organized to march from Detroit to the Ford Rouge Factory in Dearborn. This event became known as the Ford Hunger March and became one of the most significant activities in labor relations. The march laid the foundation for the formation for the United Auto Workers in 1935.
The Fort Street Bridge, central to the march, stood for 90 years until it was decommissioned in 2013. A new park is now open adjacent to the new bridge that remembers the five marchers who lost their lives that day.
A group of community partners gathered... Learn more here...
Michigan Auto Heritage Day
Our 10th annual Michigan Auto Heritage Day is Wednesday, November 8.
It is a day where supporters of automotive heritage preservation come together in celebration of the state’s unique history of automotive industry.
Awards of Excellence
Each year, we recognize individuals and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the areas of auto and labor heritage. Nominations for the 2023 awards are open until September 30, 2023.
Pollinator Pledge
MotorCities invites businesses, nonprofits, public entities, neighborhood associations and service clubs to do what they can in support of pollinators, including creating pollinator-friendly habitats and planting pollinator-friendly plants. Take the Pollinator Pledge... Learn more here...
Making Tracks
The auto industry provided a new opportunity for those who lived in Michigan, as well as those who traveled from near and far. MakingTracks.org looks back at the African American experience in the auto industry. This culture represented the migration of workers and families to the Motor Cities. Their work was hard, and their paths were not smooth. The website talks about adjustment to the north, the climate in their communities and treatment at their jobs. It also highlights the triumphs and tragedies of a people who contributed to building the auto industry.
This video serves as a preview of the Making Track website and how the project came together.
MotorCities Auto Themed Tours
New MotorCities Automotive Themed Tours Now Available!
MotorCities is partnering with six Michigan tour operators to offer public tours related to the automotive or labor heritage of Michigan. Learn more here.
Speakers Bureau
MotorCities National Heritage Area provides a resource for speakers on our organization and automotive history. Learn more here.
Highway Signs
Drivers in metro Detroit, as well as the Flint and Lansing areas, are likely to notice something new along the highways -- those familiar brown National Park Service signs with a message welcoming them to the MotorCities National Heritage Area! A total of 14 signs have been installed to date and are the culmination of many years of work with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Learn more here.
2022 Lunch and Learn Series
MotorCities offers great opportunities to hear from experts, get practical advice and network with other nonprofit professionals. Learn more here.
Southwest Detroit Auto Heritage Guide
This new part of the MotorCities website chronicles the auto legacy built by the entrepreneurs, workers, businesses and unions of Southwest Detroit over more than a century. Learn more here.