Sloan-Longway Museum: Worth a Visit

Sloan-Longway Museum: Worth a Visit

Flint, Michigan: The motherland of General Motors. In the 1960s, Flint could brag that it had the highest per capita income of any in the world, but this is no longer the case. There are a few remnants of the day, like the largest brownfield zone in the United States; this zone was once the flourishing Buick city plant. At one point, over 80,000 people worked for General Motors in Flint alone, now there are fewer than 4,000. People leave the city to find a new home every single day. The Great Recession has taken its toll on Flint, but it has not destroyed the Sloan-Longway Museum.

The Sloan-Longway Museum is a shining jewel in this city that deserves to be appreciated. This museum is a combination of the Longway Planetarium and the Sloan Museum. The pride and joy of the Sloan Museum is the Buick Gallery, which houses an automotive restoration facility and 30 important vehicles from the heyday of General Motors. The museum is named for Alfred P. Sloan, who was the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at General Motors for 30 years.

Rumor has it there are some incredibly rare cars housed at the Sloan Museum. One such rarity is the 1962 Buick Skylark Prototype. There were supposedly only two ever made and each of the two Buick Skylark Prototypes, one is rumored to be in a private car collection and the second is rumored to be in Flint. The museum restoration experts have also been working on a 1953 Buick Skylark. In 1953, fewer than 1,700 of them were built and many went unsold at the then, high price of $5000.

The Sloan Museum also houses other historical vehicles like a reproduction 1904 Buick and several concept cars. Visitors can see elusive 1977 GM Phantom and the long-and-low 1951 Buick XP-300.

While it may not be the top destination on your vacation itinerary, but Flint’s Sloan-Longway Museum deserves to find a spot on your list.

 

 

 

 

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