Cruisin' MotorCities: Special Labor Heritage Cruise to Highlight Auto and Labor History Along the Detroit River

DETROIT, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Most of us in the Detroit area know that Detroit is the only major city in the continental U.S. that is north of Canada, but did you know that the Detroit-Windsor tunnel dips a full 75 feet below the Detroit River or that the Ambassador Bridge towers 152 feet above it and rests on concrete towers that reach 115 feet below the water level to sit on the bedrock?

Interesting tidbits like those will be interspersed with the unique auto and labor history along the Detroit riverfront in a special Detroit Princess cruise hosted by the Michigan AFL/CIO August 13. The cruise is one of a variety of events that make up "Cruisin' MotorCities," an eight-day auto-tourism festival leading up to the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The cruise, which departs from the Princess dock near Hart Plaza, will feature commentary on key historic sites along the river by members of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and MotorCities National Heritage Area. Passengers on the cruise will also receive the premier copies of a just released brochure on the most important riverfront sites published jointly by the Conservancy and MotorCities. And Riverfront Conservancy Chief Operating Office Leonard Marzalek will narrate the historic sites along the cruise route.

The cruise and the brochure both discuss the Ford Rouge Factory, the UAW history and the Olds Motor Works -- the city's first automobile factory specifically designed to build automobiles. It also highlights the General Motors headquarters at the Renaissance Center, the Michigan Labor Legacy Monument at Hart Plaza and the Noguchi-designed Horace E. Dodge and Son Memorial Fountain. MotorCities is also supporting content regarding key historic automotive sites on the Detroit River on a new micro site that will be available after August 11th at www.motorcities.org/detroitrivertour .

"We have such a rich wealth of history throughout the region," said Gary R. Familian, managing director of MotorCities National Heritage Area and Faye Nelson, CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, "but we tend to take it for granted. Our goal in working together is to shine a spotlight on the historical sites along the river so that residents and visitors alike can better appreciate what they are and what they mean."

"The AFL-CIO plays a big role in the labor history of the region so we're delighted to host this cruise and to help tell the labor story for the area," said Mark Gaffney, president of the AFL-CIO. "We have thousands of members who have played a role in shaping the whole Southeastern Michigan region and telling their story will build their pride in what they've accomplished and in the region itself."

The special Detroit Princess Cruise will depart at 7 p.m. and return to the dock at 9:30 p.m. Cost of the cruise is $25 and includes a picnic dinner on-board. Tickets can be purchased at the dock starting at 6 p.m.

Cruisin' MotorCities is a collaboration between MotorCities National Heritage Area, Ilitch Holdings and the Detroit News and is supported by a coalition of business and community organizations, including: AFL-CIO; Alfred P. Sloan Museum; Big Boy Restaurants; Campus Martius Park; Detroit Athletic Club; Detroit Renaissance; Detroit Festival of Speed and Style; Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau; Detroit Opera House; Detroit Riverfront Conservancy; Detroit Tigers; Dreamakers; Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; General Motors Corporation; The Henry Ford; Michigan Firehouse Museum; Michigan State Fairgrounds; Motor City Casino and Hotel; Olympia Entertainment; UAW; Woodward Avenue Action Association; Walter P. Chrysler Museum; The Whitney; and Woodward Dream Cruise.

While most Cruisin' MotorCities events are free and open to the public, some will be fundraisers and charge an admission fee. For a complete listing of Cruisin' MotorCities events and schedules please visit www.cruisinmotorcities.org .

About The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, Inc. was formed as a 501 (c) (3) with the mission of developing access on the Detroit International Riverfront. The entire vision is 5 1/2 miles of Riverfront property, from the Ambassador Bridge to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the Belle Isle Bridge, and will include a continuous RiverWalk along with parks, plazas and green spaces.

Once completed, the Conservancy is responsible for the improvement, operations, maintenance and programming of the Detroit International Riverfront in perpetuity.

About MotorCities National Heritage Area

The programs and activities of the MotorCities National Heritage Area are designed to increase tourism throughout the State of Michigan; develop and deploy educational and informational programs that tell the story of the automobile industry and labor in our region; and encourage revitalization through conservation. MotorCities was designated by Congress in 1998 and is currently one of 40 National Heritage Areas in the United States. For more information, please visit www.motorcities.org .