The city of Flint waxed and waned with the automotive industry of the twentieth century. Where they have not vanished completely, crumbling signs of past opulence stand as painful reminders of more recent struggles. Hardly a trace remains of the Buick City factory complex that sprawled across the city’s north side. The placid waters of Flint Park Lake once echoed with the sounds of an amusement park—games, dancing, circus acts and even a roller coaster. Flint Community Schools pioneered a model for how schools can function outside regular hours, but too many now are closed and deteriorating. Local author Gary Flinn uncovers the abandoned places and lost traditions from the Vehicle City’s past.
Gary Flinn is a product of the Flint Community Schools and a graduate of Mott Community College and Michigan State University who has lived in the Flint area for most of his life. His earliest writings were for Flint Central High School publications the Tribal Times and the Arrow Head. He also contributed articles for the Uncommon Sense, Broadside, Your Magazine, the Flint Journal and Downtown Flint Revival magazine. He presently lives on Flint’s west side.