The Vehicle City

Flint, platted in 1836, became known as the “Vehicle City.” The production of road carts reached 150,000 annually. Due to the foresight of its vehicle manufacturers, Flint has become second only to the Detroit area in production of motor vehicles. A. B. C. Hardy made fifty Flint Roadsters in 1903. In 1904 the Buick Motor Car Company produced thirty-seven cars at its new Flint plant. In 1905 W. C. Durant, of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, became head of Buick. He incorporated the General Motors Company in 1908 with Buick as its first automobile. In a few years Chevrolet, Fisher Body, AC Spark Plug, and other auto parts makers also were established in Flint.