Lakewood Assembly facts for kids

Lakewood Assembly was a huge factory in Atlanta, Georgia. It was owned by General Motors, a very famous car company. This factory made many different kinds of cars and trucks for over 60 years.

What Was Lakewood Assembly?

Lakewood Assembly was a large car factory. It was located in the Lakewood Heights area of Atlanta, Georgia. The factory was a major part of the city's history for many years.

Building Cars in Atlanta

The Lakewood Assembly plant first opened in 1927. It was one of the first big car factories in the southern United States. When it first started, people just called it the 'Atlanta' plant. It had a special code, '8', on the car's VIN plates. Later, in 1953, this code changed to 'A'. It wasn't until 1972 that the plant was officially called 'Lakewood'.

Atlanta actually had another big General Motors factory too. This second plant was called Doraville Assembly. It was located in Doraville, Georgia, a neighborhood north of Atlanta. The Doraville plant operated from 1947 until 2008.

What Vehicles Were Made There?

Over its long history, Lakewood Assembly made many popular cars. These included cars from famous brands like Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick.

The factory also started making trucks early on. From 1929 through 1981, it built Chevrolet and GMC trucks. After 1981, the truck-making part of the factory was not used for a while. However, it was later used again in 1987. This time, it helped build parts for the Chevrolet Caprice car.

The Plant's Final Years

The very last vehicle made at Lakewood Assembly was the 1990 model year Chevrolet Caprice. This car was part of the B-Body car line. The factory officially closed its doors on August 6, 1990.

Years later, the huge factory building was taken down. At the time it was demolished, Lakewood Assembly was a massive place. It covered about 2,600,000 square feet (which is about 241,548 square meters).

A Historic Strike

Lakewood Assembly was also important in labor history. In 1936, workers at the plant went on strike. This was a big moment because it was the very first time the UAW (United Auto Workers) union organized a strike against a General Motors factory. A strike is when workers stop working to demand better pay or working conditions.