Simply Unique Market #2 of 4 to be held at the PPG this year. The weather was picture perfect on this sunny, summer evening.

PACKARD PROVING GROUNDS

JOINS MICHIGAN WWII HISTORIC TRAIL

The Packard Proving Grounds is honored to be included on the Michigan WWII Historic Trail, a statewide initiative recognizing the people, places, and industies that helped shape America's home front during World War II. The trail connects significant historic sites across Michigan, preserving and sharing the stories of the state's extraordinary contributions to the Allied war effort.

To commemorate this recognition, a permanent bronze historical marker will be unveiled at the Tank Test Center on July 11, 2027. The date coincides with the 84th anniversary of the completion of the Tank Test Center, which was finished on July 10, 1943.

Over the coming year, we'll continue preparing the Tank Test Center building with enhanced interpretive displays and new

opportunities for visitors to explore Packard's role in supporting the war effort. We hope you'll join us next July as we celebrate this important milestone and the volunteers, members, and supporters who helped make and share this remarkable chapter of Michigan history.

Learn more about Michigan's WWII Historic Trail here.

Pictured left to right, in our Packard Rosie Garden in front of the Tank Test Center: PMCF president - Matt Reynolds, PMCF treasurer - Bruce Webster, PMCF collections director - David Dolby, PPG venue logistics coordinator - Christina Dolby-Criger, PPG collections curator - Kim Parr

PACKARD BLOG

THE RESURRECTION OF A SPEED DEMON:

THE 1908 CHRISTIE RETURNS

written by PMCF Trustee, Brian Baker

In the annals of American automotive history, few names evoke the raw, untamed spirit of early racing quite like the Christie. Built in 1908, these specialty race cars were engineering marvels of the pre-Indianapolis 500 era, designed to push the boundaries of speed at a time when the world was just beginning to understand the true potential of the internal combustion engine. Perhaps most famously, the Christie was piloted by the era’s most flamboyant showman, Barney Oldfield. With his signature cigar clamped between his teeth and nerves of steel, Oldfield famously pushed the car to its limits, though the vehicle’s early career was punctuated by dramatic speed demonstrations and a near-catastrophic crash that nearly relegated the machine to the scrap heap of history.

GEMS FROM THE VAULT

THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPORTATION

written by P.H. Connell

In Memorial to Alvan Macauley, president and former board member of the Packard Motor Car Company, this statue was commissioned by his wife Estelle in 1952.

The Spirit of Transportation is a bronze statue by artist Carl Miles. It depicts a native American man portaging a canoe over his shoulders. It also pays tribute to Detroit's accomplishments in automotive transit.

It was originally installed in front of the newly built Cobo Hall in 1960 as a

centerpiece within a decorative fountain. In 1993 it was moved indoors to Cobo's North Atrium during remodeling, in 2015 it was relocated again to the Atwater street entrance on the river side of the complex.

This hidden treasure was financed by Estelle Macauley for the sum of $30,000 and is a fitting accolade to the transportation industry nurtured in Detroit. Alvan Macauley was born January 17, 1872 and died January 16, 1952. He was 79 years of age.

Cobo Center is currently known as Huntington Place and is located at 1 Washington Boulevard in Detroit 48226.

Every picture tells a story. These photos and 14,000 more are on file in the Vault at the Packard Proving Grounds.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Meet Kevin Luedtke.

Long before Kevin Luedtke ever volunteered at the Packard Proving Grounds, his father was telling him stories about Packard.

Those stories sparked a fascination that quickly became a lifelong passion. As a teenager, Kevin devoured books, magazines, and Packard Club publications, eager to learn everything he could about the marque. Then came the moment that changed everything.

"It was practically love at first sight," Kevin recalled of seeing a photograph of a 1956 Packard Caribbean. Before long, he owned one himself - a dream that only deepened his appreciation for Packard's history and craftsmanship.

That passion eventually led him to the Packard Proving Grounds.

Following the efforts to preserve the site through the Packard community, Kevin joined fellow volunteers during the organization's earliest restoration work. Those first projects included recovering original bronze markers from the historic test track and exploring buildings that had remained remarkably untouched for decades.

"It was almost like archaeology," he said. "This is what it looked like when Packard walked away."

For Kevin, those experiences weren't simply about restoring old buildings. They were about preserving an authentic piece of automotive history before it disappeared.

^{Volunteering at PPG in the early years.}

Today, Kevin serves in many roles throughout the Foundation, from supporting the Board of Trustees to volunteering at events across the grounds. Yet one responsibility holds a special place in his heart: driving Packard automobiles for weddings and special events.

Every ride becomes an opportunity to introduce someone to Packard's legacy. Whether escorting a bride to the Lodge or helping create unforgettable memories for a family celebrating a milestone, Kevin sees each experience as another chance to connect people with the automobiles - and the history - that first captured his own imagination decades ago. In many ways, it's a full-circle moment: the young man who once dreamed of Packards now helps others experience them firsthand.

When asked about his own contributions, Kevin was quick to shift the focus elsewhere.

"I'm proud just to stand on their shoulders," he said, speaking of the volunteers who came before him. "I'll carry the banner forth... and hopefully I'll find some younger people to hand it off to next."

That same spirit of stewardship extends well beyond the Packard Proving Grounds. Whether preserving automotive history, mentoring the next generation of Packard enthusiasts, or quietly supporting causes that strengthen education, research, and the community, Kevin believes in investing in the future and leaving things better than he found them.

^{Kevin's 1956 Caribbean convertible - a piece of him he hopes to one day gift to the PPG.}

That humility is woven throughout Kevin's approach to volunteering. While his love for Packard first drew him to the Proving Grounds, it's the people who have kept him there. From longtime Packard enthusiasts who welcomed him into the community decades ago to the volunteers, visitors, and families he meets today, Kevin believes the connections formed here are just as meaningful as the history being preserved.

"The people component is probably the chef's kiss," he exclaimed. "You'll meet some memorable people, and you might even make some friends here that you never expected."

For Kevin, the Packard Proving Grounds is far more than a collection of historic buildings. It's the last remaining place where Packard's story can still be experienced in the very spaces where it happened - a place where history continues to inspire curiosity, create connections, and spark lifelong passions.

After all, that's exactly how his own journey began.

Interested in becoming part of the Packard community?

Become a Volunteer