Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum
Main entrance
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Location	100 East Cross Street Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198
Type	Automotive museum

The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan is a cool place to see old cars. It shows off cars made at the nearby Willow Run Plant. You can also find many vehicles from Hudson Motors here.

This museum is part of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. This group works to save and share the history of cars and car-making in Michigan.

History of Miller Motors: A Car Dealership
- Early Days of Car Sales
- Miller Motors and Hudson Cars
Explore the Museum's Amazing Cars
Gallery
See also

History of Miller Motors: A Car Dealership

Early Days of Car Sales

Back in 1916, Joseph H. Thompson opened a car dealership. It sold Dodge Brothers cars. This might have been the first Dodge dealership outside of Detroit. It was located right where the museum is today.

Miller Motors and Hudson Cars

In 1927, Carl Miller started a new business there. It was a sales and service center for Hudson cars. By 1955, it was known as Miller Motors. This dealership sold many new Hudson cars. They kept all their business records from when they first opened.

Miller Motors became famous for Hudson cars. If you needed parts or wanted to buy a Hudson, this was the place to go. Jack Miller, a former museum curator, was an expert. He knew a lot about fixing Hudson cars and their history.

Explore the Museum's Amazing Cars

Inside the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum

In the mid-1990s, the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum opened. Jack Miller, Paul "Skip" Ungrodt Jr., and Peter B. Fletcher helped create it. The museum includes the old Miller Motors building.

What You Can See

The museum has about 30 different cars on display. You can see cars from many different years. One car is a 1933 Hudson Terraplane K Series Coach. Another is a 1991 Chevrolet Caprice police car. This police car was made at the nearby Willow Run Assembly Plant.

The Famous Hudson Hornet

A very special car at the museum is a 1952 Hudson Hornet. It's known as the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet." This car was owned by Herb Thomas. He used it to win his second NASCAR Championship in 1953.

Other Cool Displays

The museum also has a car prop from the movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream. This is part of a display about Preston Tucker. He was from Ypsilanti and did his engineering work close to the museum. You can also see old advertisements and repair tools. These items show what the car business was like long ago.

Visiting the Museum

The museum is open most days of the week. It also hosts fun events in the summer. These include "Cruise Nights" in Depot Town. They also have an "Orphan Car Show" in Riverside Park. An "orphan car" is a car from a company that no longer makes cars.