MotorCities National Heritage Area is an affiliate of the National Park Service dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the automotive and labor heritage of the State of Michigan.

National Heritage Areas are places where natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography.

The programs and activities of the MotorCities National Heritage Area are designed to increase tourism throughout the State of Michigan; develop and deploy educational and informational programs that tell the story of the automobile industry and labor in our region; and encourage revitalization.

What is a National Heritage Area?

The easiest way to describe a National Heritage Area is to call it an identified place in the United States that best represents a specific theme and story in American history.

In the 1930's, the National Park Service added to its responsibilities the job of preserving our Nation's cultural and heritage resources, in addition to our great natural spaces. Heritage areas focus on geographic boundaries and have regional connections between people, their place, and their history. The National Heritage Areas present a diverse range of natural, cultural, and historical resources. Urban, rural, recreational, and educational activities provide excitement and enrichment for visitors and residents alike. Whether you choose to explore these varied regions by bike, foot, car, or boat, National Heritage Areas offer unusual and engaging ways to experience the diversity of America at its best.

National Heritage Areas can be small and made up of a few counties or towns, or they can cover an entire state. They can be governed by a board or by some type of commission. Most importantly, all National Heritage Areas are public/private partnerships that not only recognize the importance and value of their region's unique cultural and heritage resources but understand they have a special piece of the American story to preserve and share with others.

It is worth noting that not just "Any Place, USA" can be a National Heritage Area. It requires a unique story that is important to the heritage of America and an act of Congress to become a National Heritage Area. It encourages residents and visitors to recognize, celebrate, and share with others that they are part of a region where great things happened and continue to happen in ways that shape and mold America.

MotorCities National Heritage Area is proud to be among the regions in our country recognized for making significant contributions to America's story. We encourage you to visit the region's museums and towns, drive our backroads and byways and pause for just a moment to think about the impact the auto industry has had on your life. Look around the corner and listen for the story for we all are contributors.