This little newsreel clip records the dedication of the GM Technical Center on May 16, 1956 . It’s a great piece of visual history—have a look.
Championed by GM chairman Alfred P. Sloan and designed by architects Eero Saarinen and Associates, the General Motors Technical Center was, on the day it opened, the greatest engineering and research campus in the world. Ground was first broken in 1949 on the 330-acre facility, which covers an entire block in the city of Warren, just north of Detroit, and includes 11 miles of roads and over one mile of pedestrian tunnels.
The Tech Center is sort of a city in itself, growing and evolving over the years. Major additions since the 1956 dedication include the giant, full-scale wind tunnel in 1980 (read the Mac’s Motor City Garage feature here) and the 1.2 million sq.-ft. Vehicle Engineering Center in 2003.
The Tech Center remains the global engineering headquarters of GM today, though many of the 18,000 people who work there don’t seem to grasp the facility’s history or stature. The facility is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and is a designated U.S. Historic District. Special moments in this clip include an appearance by president Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Firebird II turbine car, and some unique electro-mechanical medical gadgets. Video below.
We like Ike!
If he ran for president I might actually vote republican.
I guess it’s still not clear to me what they were researching with regards to the medical devices – was this related to vehicles in some way? Or was this like Henry Ford’s foray into health systems and hospitals?
GM was in everything at the time.
I lived and grew up nearby and enjoyed a tour of the center in 1969 with the Corvette Club. Great place but I understand now that a lot of it has been closed up and moved to China.
Gary, I don’t know where your getting your information, but as a supplier to GM who visits the GM Tech Center frequently, nothing could be further from the truth. The joint is bustling with activity.
The story may have arisen from the huge new technical center GM built for its China operations. However, the Warren Tech Center is currently bursting at the seams. GM is opening a huge new IT center, among other things. During the bankruptcy, there was talk of moving the admin offices from the Ren Center downtown to Warren, but that never happened, which was probably a good move for everyone.
Thanks for the info, glad to know that my source was wrong.
really enjoyed the clip,sent it to a friend that just starting working there. this will provide some perspective on what it is.