Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum facts for kids
Main entrance
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| Location | 100 East Cross Street Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198 |
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| Type | Automotive museum |
The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum is a special place in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It's a museum all about cars! You can see cars that were built at the nearby Willow Run factory. The museum also shows off many cool cars made by Hudson Motors.
This museum is part of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. This group works to save and share the history of cars and workers in Michigan.
Contents
The Story of Miller Motors
Early Car Dealerships
Back in 1916, a man named Joseph H. Thompson opened a car dealership. It sold Dodge Brothers cars. This might have been the first Dodge dealership outside of Detroit. He first opened it in a building called the Thompson Block. Soon after, he moved his dealership across the street. This new spot is where the museum is today.
Carl Miller and Hudson Cars
In 1927, Carl Miller started his own car business there. He sold and serviced Hudson cars. In 1955, his dealership was renamed Miller Motors. This was because they started selling more types of cars.
From 1927 until 1954, Miller Motors sold almost 2,000 new Hudson cars. The Hudson Motor Car Company joined with another company in 1954. They formed a new company called American Motors Corporation (AMC).
A Special Place for Hudson Owners
Even after Hudson cars stopped being made, Miller Motors kept going. For about 20 years, it sold used cars and parts. It was known as the best place for Hudson owners to find what they needed. If you had a Hudson car and needed a part, Miller Motors was the place to go!
Jack Miller, who used to be the museum's curator, was an expert. He knew a lot about fixing Hudson cars. He also knew all about their history.
Exploring the Museum
How the Museum Started
In the mid-1990s, Jack Miller helped open the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum. He worked with Paul "Skip" Ungrodt Jr. and Peter B. Fletcher. The museum even 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. There's a 1933 Hudson Terraplane Coach. You can also see a 1991 Chevrolet Caprice police car. This police car was built right at the nearby Willow Run Assembly Plant.
One of the most famous cars there is a 1952 Hudson Hornet. It's known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. This car was owned by Herb Thomas. He won a big racing championship in 1953 with this very car!
The museum also has a special display about Preston Tucker. He was an inventor from Ypsilanti. He did his engineering work very close to where the museum is now. You can even see a car prop from the movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream there.
Besides cars, the museum shows old advertisements. They also have tools and other items. These things were important for selling and fixing cars a long time ago.
Visiting the Museum
The museum is open most days of the week. It's closed on Mondays. They also host 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 doesn't exist anymore.
See also
