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More than 20 years ago, Congress and the National Park Service recognized the significance of the American automobile and the people and places that shaped its history by creating the MotorCities National Heritage Area Partnership. Throughout a region of 10,000 square miles in 16 Michigan counties with a population of more than six million people, we tell the stories of how this area put the world on wheels. These stories are our stories: the stories of a region where people grew up with the automobile; where its heritage lives in our neighborhoods to this day; and where an industry begun by a few hundred changed the world for millions. For a complete history, please click here.
Enjoy this brief video looking back on our first 20 years:
1996 American automobile industry celebrates its centennial anniversary and a coalition rallies for designation of various automotive heritage landmarks.
1997 Feasibility study conducted by Wayne Counts Parks and Rec for National Park Service Heritage Area consideration.
1998 Signing of Automobile National Heritage Area Act by President Clinton; MotorCities becomes the 28th National Heritage Area in the country
2001 The General Management Plan is submitted to the Secretary of the Interior and the boundaries of the National Heritage Area are drawn.
MIDDLE YEARS
2002-2018 Implementation of the General Management Plan and its mission ”to preserve, interpret and promote the automotive and labor heritage of Michigan by encouraging revitalization through conservation, increasing auto-related tourism, and developing and deploying educational and informational programs”.
Sub-grants totaling $1.5 million.
Number of grants awarded: 295.
Investments in programs: $1.1 million.
2013 Evaluation conducted by U of M Dearborn
2014 Inauguration of Michigan Auto Heritage Day & Awards of Excellence
2014 MotorCities National Heritage Area is reauthorized by Congress
2015 Evaluation by Weststat completed and presented to Congress
2016 Economic Impact Report concludes a $410 million impact annually and support of over 4,000 jobs by the MotorCities National Heritage Area
2018 20th Anniversary
2018 Revamped website launched
2019 First of 14 Highway Signs Installed
2019 Ground broken for Fort Street Bridge Park
2020 Fort Street Bridge Park opens to the public
2021 MotorCities launches "Many Voices, One Story" webpage as part of its DEI efforts
2022 National Heritage Area Act passed by Congress, providing reauthorization for 15 years!
2023 National Heritage Area Act signed by President Biden
On November 6, 1998, Congress and the National Park Service recognized the significance of the American automobile and the people and places that shaped its history by creating the MotorCities National Heritage Area Partnership. Throughout a region of 10,000 square miles in 16 Michigan counties with a population of more than six million people, we tell the stories of how this area put the world on wheels. These stories are our stories: the stories of a region where people grew up with the automobile; where its heritage lives in our neighborhoods to this day; and where an industry begun by a few hundred changed the world for millions. For a complete history, please click here.
1996 American automobile industry celebrates its centennial anniversary and a coalition rallies for designation of various automotive heritage landmarks.
1997 Feasibility study conducted by Wayne Counts Parks and Rec for National Park Service Heritage Area consideration.
1998 Signing of Automobile National Heritage Area Act by President Clinton; MotorCities becomes the 28th National Heritage Area in the country
2001 The General Management Plan is submitted to the Secretary of the Interior and the boundaries of the National Heritage Area are drawn.
MIDDLE YEARS
2002-2018 Implementation of the General Management Plan and its mission ”to preserve, interpret and promote the automotive and labor heritage of Michigan by encouraging revitalization through conservation, increasing auto-related tourism, and developing and deploying educational and informational programs”.
Sub-grants totaling $1.5 million.
Number of grants awarded: 295.
Investments in programs: $1.1 million.
2013 Evaluation conducted by U of M Dearborn
2014 Inauguration of Michigan Auto Heritage Day & Awards of Excellence
2014 MotorCities National Heritage Area is reauthorized by Congress
2015 Evaluation by Weststat completed and presented to Congress
2016 Economic Impact Report concludes a $410 million impact annually and support of over 4,000 jobs by the MotorCities National Heritage Area
2018 20th Anniversary
2018 Revamped website launchedRECENT YEARS
2019 First of 14 Highway Signs Installed
2019 Ground broken for Fort Street Bridge Park
2020 Fort Street Bridge Park opens to the public
2021 MotorCities launches "Many Voices, One Story" webpage as part of its DEI efforts
2022 National Heritage Area Act passed by Congress, providing reauthorization for 15 years!
2023 National Heritage Area Act signed by President Biden; MotorCities celebrates 25 years!
Explore and Record your MotorCities Adventure!
MotorCities National Heritage Area encourages you to explore our region with our annual Passport book. Stand in the footprints of automotive pioneers and legends of the labor movement. Learn the stories of the people, place, ideas and innovations that shaped America’s history and put the world on wheels. Click the cover below to explore and enjoy!
Watch a video featuring many of our Michigan passport sites.
Our Michigan passport books (click on the picture above to page through!) are available at the following sites in these cities:
Belleville: Michigan Flight Museum
Brooklyn: Cambridge Junction Historic State Park
Chesterfield: Stahls Automotive Foundation
Dearborn: Automotive Hall of Fame
Greenfield Village
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
Detroit: Detroit Historical Museum
Detroit Institute of Arts
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
GMRenCen
Dundee: Old Mill Museum
Eastpointe: Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society
Flint: Durant-Dort Carriage Company/GM Factory One
Sloan Museum
Grosse Pointe Shores: Edsel & Eleanor Ford House
Hickory Corners: Gilmore Car Museum
Lansing: Michigan History Museum
R.E. Olds Transportation Museum
Livonia: Roush Automotive Collection
Plymouth: Plymouth Historical Museum
Pontiac: Pontiac Transportation Museum
Rochester: Meadow Brook Hall
Shelby Township: Packard Proving Grounds
Westland: Nankin Mills Interpretive Center
Ypsilanti: Michigan Firehouse Museum
Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum
OR email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to have a copy mailed to you.
The National Passport Stamp Program was created in 1986. It is designed to serve as a log of the unique experiences that a visitor encounters as they visit national parks, landmarks and heritage areas across the country. The National Park Stamps can be found and acquired at no cost at National Parks participating in the Passport program.
The passport book can also be purchased from the National Park Service's store website ($9.95 plus S&H) or can be purchased at local National Parks and/or Heritage Areas' visitor centers/gift shops.