Cruise along Detroit’s Woodward Avenue, AKA the Automotive Heritage Trail

Explore Detroit’s automotive history while cruising down Woodward Avenue and discover the best attractions and sights to see along the way.

Detroit is known for many things—its square-shaped pizza, chili-topped coney dogs, and Motown Records, to name a few—but the city’s biggest claim to fame is its influence on the automobile industry. In 1913, Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line in Highland Park, an enclave of Detroit, and thus began the mass production of automobiles. 

Detroit’s automotive history is rich and fascinating, and you can’t really talk about it without mentioning Woodward Avenue, which is aptly nicknamed the Automotive Heritage Trail. The Ford Motor Company and General Motors—which both helped turn Detroit into the automobile capital of the world—were located in the Motor City mere blocks from Woodward Avenue, and Henry Ford lived just a few blocks off the famed roadway.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Additionally, the 27-mile stretch of road, which was originally a Native American path called Saginaw Trail, became known for having the world’s first mile of concrete highway back in 1909. Today, Woodward Avenue is honored as an All American Road under the Federal Highway Administration‘s National Scenic Byways Program. 

Notable stops along Woodward Avenue

If you want to immerse yourself in Detroit’s automobile history, taking a drive along Woodward Avenue is an excellent way to do so.

The road starts at what is now Hart Plaza in Detroit and continues northwest to Pontiac. The riverfront plaza has plenty of parks and green spaces to enjoy and is home to a Ford Motor Company historical marker and the International Memorial to the Underground Railroad. Hart Plaza is also surrounded by iconic structures like the Renaissance Center, which is where General Motors’ world headquarters is located, in addition to other office buildings, a hotel, shops, and restaurants.

As you leave Hart Plaza and travel along Woodward Avenue toward Midtown, you’ll pass by Fox Theatre, The Fillmore Detroit, Little Caesars Arena (all on Woodward Avenue), and Comerica Park (one block off of Woodward Avenue). 

Midtown is full of museums, art galleries, historic homes, and other cultural centers. There’s the Detroit Institute of Arts, which has one of the country’s largest art collections; the Michigan Science Center; and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Across Woodward Avenue is Wayne State University and the Detroit Public Library.

As you continue through Midtown, you’ll pass the Detroit Historical Museum, which houses the America’s Motor City exhibition. Less than a five-minute drive from the museum is the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, the former factory where the Model T was born. A couple blocks off Woodward Avenue, there’s the renowned Fisher Building, one of Detroit’s most famous skyscrapers, and the Motown Museum, a few blocks from Woodward Avenue in the other direction. 

Continuing north, you’ll pass through the Boston–Edison Historic District and the Arden Park–East Boston Historic District, both of which are known for their historic homes. The Highland Park Ford Plant, the historic former Ford Motor Company factory, is just a couple of miles away. Another famed dwelling, the Dorothy Turkel House, is located just off of Woodward Avenue near Palmer Park. This house has the distinction of being Detroit’s only Frank Lloyd Wright Home.

Once you cross over 8 Mile Road, you’ll be driving along the portion of Woodward Avenue where the famed Woodward Dream Cruise takes place every year.  This final 16-mile stretch of road is dotted with more historic homes, such as the Frank Lloyd Wright Affleck House. You’ll also pass by the Detroit Zoo and Roadkill Nights on Woodward, a car racing track.

If you find yourself hungry after a day of exploring, stop by Vinsetta Garage for a bite to eat. Located on Woodward Avenue in Berkley, about two and a half miles north of the Detroit Zoo, this former auto garage serves up burgers, pizza, tacos, and more.  

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.