Progress - The Packard Proving Grounds
The Packard® Motor Car Foundation
Providing for the Future
Our Projects in
Progress - The Packard Proving Grounds
The major project of the Foundation at this time is The Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site. We have successfully completed our five-year agreement to establish the site with a gift of seven acres of property from Ford Motor Land Development Company that contains the architecturally important, Albert Kahn designed Lodge buildings, Garages, Timing stand, Lindbergh hangar, elevated water storage tank, portion of the test track, and Grand Entrance gates. We are now making arrangements with Ford Land to acquire the additional seven acres that are needed to complete the site. We are now faced with the expense of hooking up all new utilities and to prepare the site for its future use as a conference/event center adjacent to the proposed theme museums. Our success will depend on participation by all who are interested in historic preservation (not just Packard owners) and will insure that this last remaining historic treasure, from the golden era of American automobile production, is saved. Current proposals for a master plan for the property include an "Arsenal of Democracy" museum dedicated to the contributions of all automobile companies during wartime, a museum of automotive testing covering all makes and companies, and facilities for catered events such as business meetings, weddings, and car-related shows and meets. Please consider a substantial multi-year pledge at this time to help with the restoration and endowment requirements that we need to meet to realize the master plan for the site. We will look back and be proud that we participated in the saving of this last remaining original property from the golden era of American automobile production. Click on one of the thumbnails (Blue Border) below (left) to see pages from a 1935 brochure about the Proving Grounds, (middle) an aerial view of the property, (right) our Holiday lights, or (second line below on left) to see a nice view of the entrance gates in a Packard ad from 1932. The other photos show a portion of the properties that your donations will help save:
Click Links above or below.
Proving Grounds Update
An update to the Friends of the Foundation on the Packard Proving Grounds: We have now completed our fifth year at the Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site and have made good progress thanks to the generous support of donors. Continued support will be critical as we now move forward in the creation and development of the museums and banquet facilities at the site. The latest projects have been the restoration of the doors on the Carriage garage, roof and chimney repair on the Lodge, the replacement of all window glass on the Lindbergh Hangar, and the recreation and replacement of all of the windows in the Engineering building. Previous work included masonry repair and new paint for all of the main buildings and the restoration of the Timing Stand at the back of the property next to the section of the original track we were able to save. The timing-stand work crew was headed up by Bruce Webster and Alan Mabbott and the results are wonderful. Click on the photo of the Hangar, the Timing Stand or Night Lights below to visit additional pages to see the progress.
A major improvement was made to the property
in the summer of 2004 with the installation of a new roof on the flat portion of the
repair garage and Chrysler Defense
building (at considerable expense.) This included the repair and
replacement of some 
trusses
and beams.
Original copper vents, gutters, and downspouts were carefully removed,
refurbished or replaced with exact duplicates, and returned to their original
locations (all to National Park Service standards for historic preservation.)
This marks an important milestone in the preservation of the
property as the new roof insures that no further deterioration will take place
in any of the buildings. To the left you can see the new hot tar being
applied; to the right, next to a portion of the beautiful multi-colored slate
roof, is a photo showing some of the truss and beam repair in progress; and below is the
finished product -- all nice and secure for future Michigan weather.
As previously reported, the developers have removed the
former test track oval from the surrounding property with the exception
of the section that we were able to save. We have saved and stored original timing
marks and sections of the original guard
rail to be returned to our historic portion. Development is well under
way on the property around us and it's now more
obvious than ever that if all of us interested in historic preservation had not
joined in with the Foundation to save a portion of this site, that by now it
would be nothing more than a memory. The Lindbergh aircraft hangar has
been rescued from the infield and transported to our 14-acre site where it was
securely installed on a new foundation. This
type of small hangar has all but disappeared from the American landscape and
will be one of the few preserved for posterity. It was given a new coat of
paint in the summer of 2005 and some restoration work is being done on the rails
that the doors slide on. Its connection to a period
of industrial growth where Packard branched 
out
into aeronautical and nautical areas will add further dimension to the historic site. All of this has been possible through your support and
donations. We have had the utilities checked and upgraded and we have the
power on in the buildings for the first time in many years. The photo of
the lodge with the lights on, taken by Jon Ottman, is beautiful.
The restoration and painting of the elevated water storage tank was completed
in 2002 and through the generous donation of one of the Friends of the Foundation, the
script lettering was returned for the first time since 1956. We are making
good progress -- but much still remains to be done. All donations are
directly applied to the restoration of the site as the overhead of the
Foundation is taken care of by its Trustees. Touch-up work for the
immediate protection of the historic artifacts has been undertaken in areas of
painting on all buildings, window glass replacement on the Lodge, slate roof
tiles on the Lodge and garage, structural shoring up and weather wrapping on the
Timing Tower, and temporary fencing. All of these areas will need to be
re-visited in coming years for complete restoration according to the master
plan. Year three calls for major exterior work on the Lodge building and
its attached garage area. This will make a positive impact on the
appearance of the property with roof tile repair, stucco repair and paint,
window
repair and continued landscaping improvements. In addition, a generous
local donation has allowed us to return the
flag pole to the lawn area between our two entrance driveways. Our
first Spring project for 2005 was called "The Elms of
Honor" program and has shown a wonderful outpouring of community
support. Please click on the photo below, of the Elm tree and water tower
to visit our "Elms of Honor" page. Click on the small photo of
the water tower to see some interesting aerial photos. Click on the small
photo of the Michigan State Marker to see photos of the dedication
ceremony. If you have
previously donated to the site we thank you and
look forward to your continued participation.
If
not, we invite you to visit our online-donation
page or to print out an application form for a mail-in, tax-deductible
donation. The Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization. All donors will be listed in permanent displays or plaques
at the Proving Grounds. Major donors: Please contact the Foundation
President via the link on our home page regarding named opportunities.
Thank you and please come back to visit our website from time to time for
updates on our progress.
We are very pleased to announce that the Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site has been added to the prestigious National Register of Historic Sites. Click on the photo below to visit our new National Register page.
