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105-558: Ypsilanti ( / ˌ ɪ p s ə ˈ l æ n t i / IP -sə- LAN -tee ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( / ˈ ɪ p s iː / IP -see ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2020 census , the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, and east by Ypsilanti Township . Ypsilanti

210-478: A Dodge salesman for Cass Motor Sales . During the early 1930s, Tucker began an annual one-month trek to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Having a heavy interest in the race cars and their designers, Tucker met Harry Miller , maker of more Indianapolis 500 -winning engines than any other during this period. Tucker moved to Indianapolis to be closer to the racing car development scene and worked as

315-543: A gas turbine -powered car to be produced by Tucker. The Tucker Export Corporation was also formed, based in New York, which was established as an entity to manage worldwide sales of Tucker's cars. Headed by Tucker's long-time friend, Colombian Max Garavito, distributorships were set up internationally, including South America and South Africa. Tucker assembled a group of automotive industry leaders for Tucker Corporation, including: Tucker and his colleagues were able to obtain

420-467: A Greek and a US flag at the base of the landmark Ypsilanti Water Tower . Ypsilanti has played an important role in the automobile industry. From 1920 to 1922, Apex Motors produced the "ACE" car. The quarter mile stretch of land along Michigan Avenue became a hub for car dealerships starting in 1912 when the first car dealership opened, and ending in the 1990s when the last dealership closed. This area has been referred to as "The Amazing Quarter Mile" and

525-449: A car salesman at his Detroit dealership. Tucker did very well, but the dealership was a long drive from his Lincoln Park home and so Tucker quit and briefly returned to the LPPD for the last time. A few months later, Dulian, still impressed with Tucker's immediate success as a salesman, invited Tucker to move south with him to Memphis, Tennessee , to work as a sales manager. Dulian was transferred

630-455: A combat vehicle suited to the muddy Dutch terrain. Continuing his working relationship with Harry Miller, Tucker began designing the "Tucker Combat Car", nicknamed the "Tucker Tiger", a short-wheelbase armored car powered by a Miller-modified Packard V-12 engine. At least one prototype of the combat car was built. Production of the car was to be done at the Rahway , New Jersey , factory owned by

735-496: A couple of years later, but Tucker stayed in Memphis and was a salesman for Ivor Schmidt ( Stutz ) and John T. Fisher Motor Company (Chrysler), where he became general sales manager. While managing Chrysler sales in Memphis, Tucker made a connection with Pierce-Arrow . In 1933, Tucker moved to Buffalo, New York , and became regional sales manager for Pierce-Arrow automobiles, but after only two years, he moved back to Detroit and worked as

840-494: A federal judge handed control of the Tucker Corporation over to Aaron J. Colnon and John H. Schatz. Soon thereafter on June 10, Tucker and six other Tucker Corporation executives were indicted on 25 counts of mail fraud , five counts of violations of SEC regulations, and one count of conspiracy to defraud . The indictment included Tucker, 46; Harold A. Karsten, 58, "alias Abe Karatz"; Floyd D. Cerf, 61 (whose firm had handled

945-404: A household in the city was $ 28,610, and the median income for a family was $ 40,793. Males had a median income of $ 30,328 versus $ 26,745 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,692. About 16.9% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over. The Martha Washington Theatre opened in 1915. It

1050-411: A low cost of living , and often a pedestrian - or public transit -friendly development pattern. Several development companies now specialize in constructing retirement communities in college towns. In some cases the communities have developed formal relationships with the local institution. The demand for housing from students, faculty, staff, and retirees kept college town home prices stable during

1155-456: A modified 334 cu in (5.5 L) Franklin O-335 aircraft engine. He liked the engine so much he purchased its manufacturer, Aircooled Motors in New York, for $ 1.8 million in 1947, securing a guaranteed engine supply for his car. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission bothered the Tucker Corporation from its earliest days. The SEC was embittered after small automaker Kaiser-Frazer

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1260-414: A new, united district on July 1, 2013. Charter schools in the city include Arbor Preparatory High School . It also was the setting of a well known and long running High/Scope Perry Preschool Study regarding the effects of early childhood education in children. The study researched the effects of preschool on the later lives of low income children from the area. Global Educational Excellence operates

1365-717: A profit. He attended the Cass Technical High School in Detroit, but he quit school and landed a job as an office boy for the Cadillac Motor Company , where he used roller skates to make his rounds more efficiently. In 1922, young Tucker joined the Lincoln Park Police Department against the pleas of his mother, his interest stirred by his desire to drive and ride the fast, high-performance police cars and motorcycles . His mother had him removed from

1470-554: A short distance away on the west side of the river was established in 1825 under the name "Ypsilanti", after Demetrios Ypsilantis , a hero in the Greek War of Independence . Woodruff's Grove changed its name to Ypsilanti in 1829, the year its namesake effectively won the war for Greek Independence at the Battle of Petra , with the two communities eventually merging. A bust of Demetrios Ypsilantis by Greek sculptor Christopher Nastos stands between

1575-651: A sports car called the Carioca . Tucker could not use the Tucker name for the car, as Peter Dun of Dun & Bradstreet had purchased the rights to the name, and the Tucker Carioca was ultimately never developed. Tucker's travels to Brazil were plagued by fatigue, and upon his return to the United States, he was diagnosed with lung cancer . Tucker died from pneumonia as a complication of lung cancer on December 26, 1956, at

1680-491: A term with somewhat derogatory connotations. While noise, traffic, and other quality of life issues have not been resolved, some advocates of New Urbanism have led the development of neighborhoods in college towns by specifically capitalizing on their proximity to university life. For instance, some universities have developed properties to allow faculty and staff members to walk to work, reducing demand for limited on-campus parking; Duke University 's Trinity Heights development

1785-579: A university expands its facilities, the potential loss of property tax revenue is thus a concern, in addition to local desire to preserve open space or historic neighborhoods. As a result, local people may resent the university and its students. The students, in turn, may criticize the local residents' taking jobs at the university provided by student tuition and fees, and accepting the tax revenues (e.g. local sales tax, property tax on rented properties) that students generate, but resenting students' lifestyles. Some students refer to other inhabitants as "townies",

1890-592: Is a key example. In many cases, developers have built communities where access to the university (even if not directly adjacent) is promoted as an advantage. Student housing is also an important component of college towns. In the United States most state universities have 50 percent or more of their enrolled students living off-campus. This trend, which began in the 1960s, originally meant the conversion of near campus single-family homes to student housing, creating " student ghettos ." Colleges and other developers began building purpose-built off-campus student housing areas in

1995-772: Is a part of the Ann Arbor metropolitan area , the Huron River Valley , the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor combined statistical area , and the Great Lakes megalopolis . The city is also the home of Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Ypsilanti is known mostly for being the home of Eastern Michigan University (formerly the Michigan State Normal College) since the university's founding as Michigan's first normal school (teachers' college) in 1849, its location on

2100-611: Is also the location of the last Hudson automobile dealership. Today, the former dealership is the site of the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection . The museum is the home to an original Fabulous Hudson Hornet race car, which inspired the character Doc Hudson in the 2006 Pixar animated film Cars . In the early 1970s, the citizens reduced the penalty for the use and sale of marijuana to $ 5 (the Ypsilanti Marijuana Initiative; see also

2205-562: Is closely related with the university activity and highly supported by the entire university structure, which may include university hospitals and clinics, printing houses, libraries, laboratories, business incubators, student rooms, dining halls, students' unions, student societies, and academic festivities. Moreover, the history of the city is often intertwined with that of the university. Many European university towns have not merely been important places of science and education, but also centres of political, cultural and social influence throughout

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2310-577: The Ypsilanti Courier , is published every Thursday by Heritage Media from their Saline, Michigan offices. The only newspaper currently operating in Ypsilanti is Eastern Michigan University 's independent newspaper The Eastern Echo . Local radio stations include: Ypsilanti was also the home to the main editing site of the Linguist List , a major online resource for the field of linguistics . It

2415-665: The American Armament Corporation . The Germans invaded the Netherlands in the spring of 1940 before Tucker could complete the deal, and the Dutch government-in-exile lost interest, so he completed the prototypes and opted to try to sell the vehicle to the United States Armed Forces . The car is said to have reached 100 mph (161 km/h), far in excess of the design specifications. The U.S. military rejected

2520-543: The Chevrolet brothers and chief mechanic/engineer John Eddie Offutt, who would later help Tucker develop and build the first prototype of the Tucker 48. Tucker's outgoing personality and his involvement at Indianapolis made him well known in the automotive industry by 1939. In late 1937, while recovering in an Indianapolis hospital from an appendectomy , Tucker was reading the news and, learning of looming war in Europe , he got

2625-515: The Human Rights Party ). In 1979, Faz Husain was elected to the Ypsilanti city council, the first Muslim and the first native of India to win elected office in Michigan. In the 1990s Ypsilanti became the first city in Michigan to pass a living wage ordinance. On July 23, 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm announced that Ypsilanti, along with the cities of Caro and Clio , was chosen by

2730-489: The U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.47 square miles (11.58 km), of which 4.29 square miles (11.11 km) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km) (4.02%) is water. The Huron River flows through Ypsilanti with Ford Lake on the southern edge of the city. Paint Creek also runs through the city. The Border-to-Border Trail runs through the city. As of the census of 2010, there were 19,435 people, 8,026 households, and 2,880 families residing in

2835-552: The Ypsilanti Press , but that paper closed June 28, 1994, after 90 years in business. Upon closing, the Press sold its masthead, archives and subscriber list to The Ann Arbor News , which then began publishing an Ypsilanti edition. The Ann Arbor News ceased publication on July 23, 2009; it was replaced by a new Internet-based news operation, AnnArbor.com , which also produces print editions on Thursdays and Sundays. A weekly newspaper,

2940-413: The cost of living above that of the region. It is common for university employees to commute from surrounding areas, finding the cost of living in town too expensive. "Studentification", in which a growing student population move in large numbers to traditionally non-student neighborhoods, may be perceived as a form of invasion or gentrification . It may be due to university enrollment expanding beyond

3045-406: The housing market downturn that began in 2005 . Preston Tucker Preston Thomas Tucker (21 September 1903 – 26 December 1956) was an American automobile entrepreneur who developed the innovative Tucker 48 sedan, initially nicknamed the "Tucker Torpedo", an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars. Production of the Tucker '48

3150-455: The "Spruce Goose") and noting that the first prototype "could not even back up". The first prototype lacked a reverse gear because Tucker had not had time to finish the direct torque drive by the time of the car's unveiling. This was corrected in the final driveline, but the public damage was done and a negative media feeding frenzy resulted. Tucker responded by publishing a full-page advertisement in many national newspapers with "an open letter to

3255-509: The "Torpedo on Wheels". That was only an early rendering of the proposal, with its design features yet to meet reality, but the motoring public was now excited about the Tucker. To finish the prototype design and get construction under way, Tucker hired famed stylist Alex Tremulis , previously of Auburn / Cord / Duesenberg , on December 24, 1946, and gave him just six days to finalize the design. On December 31, 1946, Tucker approved Tremulis's preliminary design. Tucker's future-car became known as

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3360-499: The "Tucker Torpedo" from the first Lawson sketch; however, not desiring to bring to mind the horrors of WWII, Tucker quickly changed the name to the "Tucker 48". With Tremulis's design sketch, a full-page advertisement was run in March 1947 in many national newspapers claiming "How 15 years of testing produced the car of the year". Tucker said he had been thinking about the car for 15 years. The second advertisement described specifically many of

3465-513: The "Ypsitucky Jamboree", a new music festival celebrating bluegrass music to be held in Ypsilanti in September 2009; this resulted in objections from some area residents and some members of the City Council, leading to renaming the event as simply "The Jamboree". College town In Europe , a university town is generally characterised by having an ancient university . The economy of the city

3570-527: The 1970s in more college towns. Beginning around 2000 in the United States, nationwide real estate investment trusts (REIT) and publicly traded corporations began developing student housing complexes. Another notable development since the 1990s is the surge in popularity of retirees relocating to college towns. Retirees are attracted to these locations because of cultural and educational opportunities, college athletic events, good medical facilities (often at teaching hospitals affiliated with medical schools ),

3675-576: The Combat Car, as they felt the vehicle was too fast, and had already committed to other combat vehicles. However, the highly mobile, power-operated gun turret featured on the Combat Car, the " Tucker Turret ", earned the interest of the United States Navy . Harry Miller would later take some of the designs from the Tucker Combat Car to American Bantam , where he was involved in the development of

3780-587: The Depot Town area adjacent to Frog Island Park and Riverside Park, which features many specialty shops, bars and grills, and a farmers' market . The Tridge is a three-way wooden footbridge under the Cross Street bridge over the Huron River at 42°14′44″N 83°36′42″W  /  42.24561°N 83.61160°W  / 42.24561; -83.61160 . The Tridge connects Riverside Park, Frog Island Park, and Depot Town . The Ypsilanti Water Tower, adjacent to

3885-620: The Festival of the Honey Bee. Ypsi Pride takes place on the first Friday in June and seeks to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture across the community by hosting a variety of family friendly programming, entertainment, and educational content. Ypsilanti has the second largest contiguous historic district in the state of Michigan, behind only the much larger city of Grand Rapids . The Ypsilanti Historic District includes both downtown Ypsilanti, along Michigan Avenue, and

3990-546: The Global Tech Academy (PreK-5) in nearby Ypsilanti Township. A college town, Ypsilanti is home to Eastern Michigan University , founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School. Today, Eastern Michigan University has 17,500+ undergraduate and more than 4,800 graduate students. As well, Ypsilanti is home to Washtenaw Community College (WCC) sponsored off-site extension center. Ypsilanti is served by daily newspapers from Detroit. Ypsilanti once had its own daily newspaper,

4095-515: The Higgins-Tucker Aviation division. This entity was to produce gun turrets, armament, and engines for Higgins' torpedo boats. However, this relationship did not work out and Tucker severed his association with Higgins in 1943. Go referred to Preston Tucker as "The world's greatest salesman. When he turns those big brown eyes on you, you'd better watch out!" After 1943, Tucker moved back to Michigan, intending to start his own auto company,

4200-460: The Huron River to generate hydroelectric power which created Ypsilanti's Ford Lake . Ypsilanti is conveniently located on the intersection of US Highway 23 (North-South) and Interstate 94 (East-West), and is a short 15 to 20 minute drive to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). The city is located 8 miles east of Ann Arbor and is 35 miles west of Downtown Detroit . It is also home to

4305-425: The LPPD, but in his first winter back he was banned from driving police vehicles after using a blowtorch to cut a hole in the dashboard of a cruiser to allow engine heat to warm the cabin. During the last couple of months at the gas station, Tucker began selling Studebaker cars on the side. He met an automobile salesman, Michael Dulian, who later became sales manager for the Tucker Corporation. Dulian hired Tucker as

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4410-486: The LPPD, pointing out to police officials that at 19, he was below the department's minimum required age. Tucker and his new wife, Vera (married in 1923 at 20), then took over a six-month lease on a gas station near Lincoln Park, running the station together. Vera would run the station during the day while Preston worked on the Ford Motor Company assembly line. After the lease ran out, Tucker quit Ford and returned to

4515-550: The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to take part in the Blueprints for Michigan's Downtowns program. The award provides for an economic development consultant to assist Ypsilanti in developing a growth and job creation strategy for the downtown area. On June 23, 2020, Mayor Beth Bashert resigned after a controversial comment she made about race during a Zoom meeting. According to

4620-507: The SEC report (which was never released publicly). This article was reprinted in Reader's Digest as well, expanding the scope of the negative press concerning Preston Tucker. The trial began on October 4, 1949, presided over by Judge Walter J. LaBuy . Tucker Corporation's factory was closed on the very same day. At that point, only 37 Tucker 48s had been built. A corps of 300 loyal employees returned to

4725-442: The Tucker 48 "does not actually run, it just goes 'goose-geese'" and "I don't know if it can back up." In reply, Tucker claimed that he had asked Toulmin to resign "to make way for a prominent man now active in the automobile industry"—himself. In late 1947, a radio segment on Tucker by popular journalist Drew Pearson criticized the Tucker 48, calling it the "tin goose" (referring to Howard Hughes ' Hughes H-4 Hercules , nicknamed

4830-486: The Tucker Corporation. After the war, the public was ready for new car designs, but the Big Three automakers had not developed any new models since 1941, and were in no hurry to introduce them. That provided great opportunities for new small, independent automakers who could develop new cars more rapidly than the huge legacy automakers. Tucker saw his opportunity to develop and bring his "car of tomorrow" to market. Studebaker

4935-544: The Tucker Corporation. However, on cross-examination, the defense used this witness to their advantage when Ehlenz testified that he still drove his Tucker 48 given to him by Tucker, and that the car had 35,000 miles (56,000 km) on it and still cruised smoothly at 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). The tide turned in Tucker's favor when the government called its final witness, SEC accountant Joseph Turnbull, who testified that Tucker had taken in over $ 28 million and spent less than one-seventh of it on research and development of

5040-452: The WAA under a shroud of questionable politics. Tucker's specifications for his revolutionary car called for a rear engine , a low-RPM 589 cu in (9.7 L) engine with hydraulic valves instead of a camshaft , fuel injection , direct-drive torque converters on each rear wheel (instead of a transmission), disc brakes , the location of all instruments within the diameter and reach of

5145-508: The absence of a system for payments in lieu of taxes , the university population will disproportionately burden parts of the local public infrastructure, such as roads or law enforcement. Some analysts argue that students relieve the burden on other parts of the local public infrastructure, such as local primary and secondary schools, by far the most costly line item in most North American city and town budgets, by providing tax revenues through local sales tax and property tax paid by landlords. When

5250-459: The acquittal. His optimism was remarkable; after the trial was over, he was quoted as saying, "Even Henry Ford failed the first time out." Tucker Corporation assets were auctioned off publicly in Chicago. One remaining Tucker 48 car was given to Preston Tucker, and another to his mother. In the early 1950s, Tucker teamed up with investors from Brazil and auto designer Alexis de Sakhnoffsky to build

5355-577: The age of 53. Tucker is buried at Michigan Memorial Park in Flat Rock, Michigan . In 1954, a group of investors tried to revive the Tucker Corporation by soliciting investors, mostly former Tucker distributors and dealer owners, for a new car. This effort was led by George A. Schmidt, former president of the Tucker Dealers Association. They developed sketches for a sleek 2-door convertible, but were unable to generate enough support to get it off

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5460-473: The automobile industry" wherein he subtly hinted that his efforts to build the cars were being stymied by politics and an SEC conspiracy. Nonetheless, dealership owners began filing lawsuits to recover their money, and Tucker's stock value plummeted. In 1949, Tucker surrendered his corporate records to the SEC. United States Attorney Otto Kerner Jr. began a grand jury investigation in February 1949. On March 3,

5565-504: The campus of Eastern Michigan University, holds the unique distinction of being the winner of the Most Phallic Building contest . Other sites of interest include: There are many parks within the city limits of Ypsilanti, including: Ypsilanti Community Schools serve residents of the city, as well as parts of Ypsilanti Township and Superior Township . Ypsilanti Public Schools and Willow Run Community Schools merged to form

5670-558: The campus of Eastern Michigan University. By 1963, Clara Owens established the Ypsilanti Greek Theater in Ypsilanti, Michigan for the performance of Greek theater productions. In 1966 the Ypsilanti Greek Theater opened at the EMU Baseball field. Bert Lahr and Dame Judith Anderson starred in two productions, The Oresteia , a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus and The Birds by playwright Aristophanes. Since 1979,

5775-497: The capacity of on-campus housing, inadequate zoning enforcement, and/or student culture. Neighborhood associations may work to limit conversion of family homes to student rentals, while some local residents may oppose the construction of large on-campus dormitories or expansion of fraternity and sorority houses, forcing a growing enrollment to seek housing in town. In the US, educational institutions are often exempted from local taxes, so in

5880-453: The car was even in production. Potential buyers who purchased Tucker accessories were guaranteed a spot on the dealer waiting list for a Tucker '48 car. Tucker also began selling dealerships before the car was ready for production, and at the time of the trial had sold over 2,000 dealerships nationwide at a price of $ 7,500 to nearly $ 30,000 each. Feeling pressure from the SEC, Harry Aubrey Toulmin Jr.,

5985-641: The car. He stated that Tucker had taken over $ 500,000 of the investors' money for himself, but never delivered a production car. Kirby rebutted Turnbull's claims on cross-examination, asking for proof of the allegations of financial mismanagement from Tucker's seized financial records. Turnbull was unable to offer such evidence. In closing his witness testimony, Kirby asked Turnbull, "You are not here suggesting these figures are figures of monies taken fraudulently, are you?" Turnbull's answer was, "Not exactly, no." After this final SEC witness, Tucker's defense attorneys surprised everyone by refusing to call any witnesses to

6090-444: The case of a company town , the large and transient university population may come into conflict with other townspeople. Students may come from outside the area, and perhaps subscribe to a different—sometimes radically different—culture. Most students are young people, whose living habits may be different from older people. Economically, the high spending power of the university and of its students in aggregate may inflate

6195-708: The centuries. As an example of this, Paris also illustrates the course of educational history with the Sorbonne and the Grande école . Besides a highly educated and largely transient population, a stereotypical college town often has many people in non-traditional lifestyles and subcultures and with a high tolerance for unconventionality in general, and has a very active musical or cultural scene. Many have become centres of technological research and innovative startups . Universities with start-up centers can be large cities like Munich , but also small cities like Trieste . Although

6300-414: The chairman of the Tucker board of directors, resigned and wrote a letter to the SEC on September 26, 1947, in an attempt to distance himself from the company. In the letter, Toulmin indicated that he quit "because of the manner in which Preston Tucker is using the funds obtained from the public through sale of stock." Describing Tucker as "a tall, dark, delightful, but inexperienced boy", Toulmin added that

6405-595: The city has become known for summer festivals in the part of the city called " Depot Town ", which is adjacent to both Riverside and Frog Island Parks along the banks of the Huron River. Festivals include the annual Ypsilanti Heritage Festival , Michigan ElvisFest , the Orphan Car Festival, the Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival, the former Frog Island Festival, and a Latino festival. Painter Fay Kleinman moved to Ypsilanti in

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6510-407: The city. The population density was 4,488.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,733.0/km). There were 9,271 housing units at an average density of 2,141.1 per square mile (826.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 61.5% White , 29.2% African American , 0.6% Native American , 3.4% Asian , 1.1% from other races , and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 3.9% of

6615-440: The city. The population density was 5,081.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,962.0/km). There were 9,215 housing units at an average density of 2,094.0 per square mile (808.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 61.40% White , 30.58% African American , 0.44% Native American , 3.18% Asian , 0.07% Pacific Islander , 1.32% from other races , and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 2.47% of

6720-496: The company slowed the development of the prototype and the USAAC allowed the contract to lapse. During World War II , Tucker became associated with Andrew Jackson Higgins of Higgins Industries , builder of Liberty ships , PT boats , and landing craft . Higgins acquired Tucker Aviation Corporation in March 1942, and Tucker moved to New Orleans , Louisiana , to serve as a vice-president of Higgins Industries, specifically in charge of

6825-564: The concept of a university town has developed since the European Middle Ages, equivalents already existed in earlier times and in non-European cultures. For example, in later Classical times the city of Athens – no longer having any political or military power, but renowned as the greatest center of learning in the Roman Empire – had many of the characteristics of a university town, and is sometimes called such by modern scholars. As in

6930-641: The design for a fighter aircraft, the Tucker XP-57 , which earned the interest of the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Development of a single prototype of the XP-57 was started, powered by a straight 8-cylinder engine developed and influenced by Harry Miller, called the Miller L-510. Nicknamed the "Peashooter", this fighter competed for WWII government war contracts. However, financial problems within

7035-405: The factory (some without pay) and finished assembly of another 13 cars for a total production of 50 cars (not including the prototype). At trial, the government contended that Tucker never intended to produce a car. Throughout the trial, the SEC report on Tucker was classified as "secret" and Tucker's attorneys were never allowed to view or read it, but it was leaked to the press nevertheless. As

7140-401: The final 51 prototypes, several were dropped for their cost and the lack of time to develop such mechanically-complicated designs. The low-RPM 589-cubic-inch engine, individual torque converters, mechanical fuel injection, and the disc brakes were all dropped during the design and testing phase. Having run out of time to develop the 589-cubic-inch engine for the car, Tucker ultimately settled on

7245-549: The final car. A sports car variant of the Tucker 48, the Tucker Talisman , was sketched as well but never left the drawing board. To diversify his corporation, Tucker imported Italian engineer Secondo Campini , who was well known and respected in the aviation industry. He was put in charge of pursuing a United States Air Force development contract, hoping to use Tucker's huge Chicago factory to someday build more than just cars. Campini and Tucker also began developing plans for

7350-521: The first Domino's Pizza location, located near EMU's McKenny Student Union in South Campus. Originally a trading post established in 1809 by a French-Canadian fur trader from Montreal , a permanent settlement was established on the east side of the Huron River in 1823 by Major Thomas Woodruff. It was incorporated into the Territory of Michigan as the village Woodruff's Grove . A separate community

7455-508: The first Jeep . The Tucker Turret was soon in production (initially at Tucker's Ypsilanti machine shop). Though the turret is often reported to have been used widely on bombers , like the B-17 and B-29 , it was actually developed for the Douglas B-18 Bolo . In the end, no Tucker turrets were equipped on any bombers. Tucker's patent and royalty rights were confiscated by the U.S. and Tucker

7560-449: The government, didn't they?" All told Kaiser-Frazer had received nearly $ 200 million in government grants, but did not produce the car they promised. After a break for Christmas , the trial resumed in January 1950. The government's star witness, Daniel J. Ehlenz, a former Tucker dealership owner and distributor from St. Paul, Minnesota, testified that he had lost $ 28,000 in his investment in

7665-399: The historic Detroit-Chicago Road (now US Highway 12 ), its historic Depot Town commercial district, and for its distinctive Ypsilanti Water Tower constructed in 1890. The city is closely associated with Ford Motor Company's Willow Run Bomber Plant which manufactured over 8,000 Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers during World War II . Ford Motor Company is also known for damming

7770-598: The idea of developing a high-speed armored combat vehicle . In 1939, Tucker moved his family back to Michigan and bought a house and property in Ypsilanti . He remodeled an old barn on his property and began and operated a machine shop called the Ypsilanti Machine and Tool Company, planning to use the facility to develop various automotive products. Opportunity arose for Tucker from the Netherlands , whose government wanted

7875-428: The innovative features Tucker proposed for his car, many of which would not make it to the final car. This advertisement had the public very excited about this car, but Tucker had much work to do before a prototype was ready to be shown. To finalize the design, Tucker hired the New York design firm J. Gordon Lippincott to create an alternate body. Only the front end and horizontal taillight bar designs were retained for

7980-434: The judge demanded the SEC prosecutors "get down to the meat of the case and start proving the conspiracy charge." Defense attorney Kirby directed attention to automaker Kaiser-Frazer, pointing out that early models of their government-funded new car model had been made of wood and that when this project failed, Kirby stated in court documents that "Kaiser-Frazer didn't get indicted, and they got 44 million dollars in loans from

8085-632: The largest factory building in the world, the 475-acre (1.92 km ) Dodge Chicago Aircraft Engine Plant, which was later known as the Chicago Dodge Plant , from the War Assets Administration . The facility had previously been used to build the massive Wright R-3350 Cyclone engines for B-29 Superfortress aircraft during WWII. Tucker, thinking long-term, believed this large facility would fit his long-term goal of producing an entire line of Tucker automobiles under one roof. Tucker signed

8190-536: The late 1980s with her husband, pianist Emanuel Levenson . Overlooking Riverside Park is the non-profit Riverside Arts Center. Established in 1994 through the efforts of the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority and several public spirited citizens, the Riverside boasts a 115-seat black box theater , a sizable art gallery and some meeting rooms and offices. In 2006 the adjacent DTE building

8295-447: The lease in July 1946, contingent on him raising $ 15 million in capital by March 1947. Tucker needed this money to get going, so he began raising money by selling dealership rights and floating a $ 20 million stock issue through the Chicago brokerage firm Floyd D. Cerf. With over $ 17 million in the bank by 1947, the Tucker Corporation was up and running. While Tucker ultimately got the plant, he

8400-477: The manufacturing process necessary to mass-produce the Tucker 48. They also point to the fact that by the time of the investigation, Tucker had hired over 1,900 employees, including teams of engineers and machinists. At the trial, the Tucker VP Lee Treese testified that they were 90% ready with industrial machinery at the Chicago plant to mass-produce the vehicle. Preston Tucker's reputation rebounded after

8505-445: The members of the jury to take a ride in one of the eight Tucker 48s parked in front of the courthouse before they made their decision. On January 22, 1950, after 28 hours of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty" on all counts for all accused. Tucker had prevailed at the trial, but the Tucker Corporation, now without a factory, buried in debt, and faced with numerous lawsuits from Tucker dealers that were angry about

8610-723: The nearby Willow Run B-24 Liberator bomber plant from Ford Motor Company , and started to make Kaiser and Frazer model cars in 1947. The last Kaiser car made in Ypsilanti rolled off the assembly line in 1953, when the company merged with Willys–Overland and moved production to Toledo, Ohio . General Motors purchased the Kaiser Frazer plant, and converted it into its Hydramatic Division (now called its Powertrain division), beginning production in November 1953. The GM Powertrain Division ceased production at this facility in 2010. Ypsilanti

8715-439: The population. There were 8,026 households, of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 19.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 64.1% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

8820-447: The population. 13.6% were of German ancestry, 6.8% Irish, 6.4% English and 5.5% Polish heritage according to Census 2000 . There were 8,551 households, out of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.0% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.5% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who

8925-608: The production delays, was effectively no more. Despite the outcome of the trial, speculation has continued with regard to the question of whether Tucker genuinely intended to produce a new car and bring it to market, or whether the entire enterprise was a sham, designed for the sole purpose of collecting funds from gullible investors. Tucker collectors of the Tucker Automobile Club of America have amassed over 400,000 drawings, blueprints, corporate documents, and letters which they believe suggest that Tucker was, in fact, developing

9030-416: The stand. Defense attorney Daniel Glasser told the court, "It is impossible to present a defense when there has been no offense". In his closing arguments, Kirby became tearful and emotionally told the jury to "stop picking at the turkey", and stated that Tucker "either intended to cheat and that's all they intended to do or they tried in good faith to produce a car. The two are irreconcilable." He then invited

9135-458: The steering wheel, a padded dashboard, self-sealing tubeless tires, independent springless suspension, a chassis that protected occupants in a side impact, a roll bar within the roof, a laminated windshield designed to pop out during an accident, and a center "cyclops" headlight which would turn when steering at angles greater than 10 degrees in order to improve visibility around corners during night driving. While most of those innovations made it to

9240-566: The stock offering); Robert Pierce, 63; Fred Rockelman, 64; Mitchell W. Dulian, 50, Tucker sales manager; Otis Radford, 42, Tucker Corporation comptroller; and Cliff Knoble, 42, Tucker advertising manager. Tucker publicly called the charges "silly and ridiculous" and hailed the indictment as "an opportunity to explain our side of the story". Tucker and his colleagues' defense was handled by a team of attorneys led by William T. Kirby . Another publication, Collier's , ran an article critical of Tucker on June 25, 1949, which included leaked details of

9345-505: The time to develop and test the cars was insufficient, and the steering boxes on all entrants overheated and locked up, causing them to drop out of the race. The design was later perfected by privateers, with examples running at Indy through 1948. Miller and Tucker, Inc. continued race car development and various other ventures until Miller's death in 1943. Tucker was close friends with Miller and even helped Miller's widow pay for her husband's funeral costs. While working with Miller, Tucker met

9450-424: The transportation manager for a beer distributor, overseeing the fleet of delivery trucks for the company. A better engineer than businessman, Miller declared bankruptcy in 1933 and was looking for new opportunities. Tucker persuaded Miller to join him in building race cars, and they formed "Miller and Tucker, Inc." in 1935. The company's first job was building 10 souped-up Ford V-8 racers for Henry Ford . However,

9555-503: The trial proceeded, the government and SEC brought several witnesses (mostly former Tucker employees) to highlight the rudimentary methods used by Tucker to develop the car; the early suspensions were installed three times before they worked, and early parts were taken from junkyards to build the prototype. Answering back in Tucker's defense, designer Alex Tremulis testified that it was common industry practice to use old car parts for prototype builds, and pointed out this had been done when he

9660-434: Was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 25 years. 14.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 35.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 16.6% were from 45 to 64; and 8.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 22,362 people, 8,551 households, and 3,377 families residing in

9765-434: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, 15.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 38.2% was from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 12.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males. The median income for

9870-459: Was Lucille Caroline (née Preston) Tucker (1881-1960). He grew up outside Detroit in the suburb of Lincoln Park, Michigan . Tucker was raised by his mother, a teacher, after his father died of appendicitis when Preston was three or four years old. First learning to drive at age 11, Tucker was obsessed with automobiles from an early age. At age 16, Preston Tucker began purchasing late model automobiles, repairing and refurbishing them to sell for

9975-469: Was embroiled in lawsuits for years trying to recoup royalties for use of his patents on the turret. In 1940, Tucker formed the Tucker Aviation Corporation, with the goal of manufacturing aircraft and marine engines . The corporation (Tucker's first) was initially based at his shop behind his Michigan home. A public corporation with stock certificates issued, Tucker raised enough to develop

10080-689: Was eventually added to the Ypsilanti Historic District . This site is part of a collection of parcels known as the Water Street Redevelopment Area . It was in Ypsilanti that Preston Tucker (whose family owned the Ypsilanti Machine Tool Company) designed and built the prototypes for his Tucker '48 . Tucker's story was related in the film Tucker: The Man and His Dream , directed by Francis Ford Coppola . In 1945, Henry J. Kaiser and Joseph W. Frazer bought

10185-524: Was first with an all-new postwar model, but Tucker took a different tack, designing a safety-oriented car with innovative features and modern styling. Tucker's first design appeared in Science Illustrated magazine in December 1946, showing a futuristic version of the car with a hydraulic drive system designed by George Lawson, along with a photo of a 1/8 scale model blown up to appear full sized, titled

10290-470: Was given millions of dollars in grants towards development of a new car, and subsequently squandered the money. While Tucker took no money from the federal government, small upstart automakers were under intense SEC scrutiny, and Tucker was no exception. One of Tucker's most innovative business ideas caused the most trouble for the company and was used by the SEC to spark its formal investigation. His Accessories Program raised funds by selling accessories before

10395-450: Was initially operated by Florence W. Signor, who was the only woman theatre operator in Michigan at the time. It was sold to W. S. Butterfield Theatres in 1925. It was converted to an adult theatre in 1971, then to a strip club in 1982. It closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was damaged in a fire three months later. Domino's Pizza was founded in Ypsilanti in 1960 near

10500-412: Was involved with developing the 1942 Oldsmobile under General Motors . Tucker Vice President Lee Treese testified that Tucker's metal stamping and parts fabrication operations were 90% ready to mass-produce the car by June 1948 and that outside interference had slowed the final preparations for production. This back and forth between the prosecution and the defense continued until November 8, 1949, when

10605-480: Was made into a film starring Jane Fonda , focused on the lives of these "Ypsituckians". Recently, the use of the term "Ypsitucky" has come under increased scrutiny due to its historically derogatory connotation. In 2008, the issue was raised after a dinner being held in Ann Arbor to honor Harriette Arnow was described as an "Ypsitucky Supper" in some of the event organizer's media releases. In 2009, planning began for

10710-505: Was mostly staffed by graduate students who attend Eastern Michigan University and runs several database websites and mailing lists. Ypsilanti is often shortened to "Ypsi", particularly in spoken conversation and local/regional usage. Because a large number of residents or their ancestors migrated from Appalachia , certain neighborhoods (particularly on the far east side of the city and into Ypsilanti Township) are sometimes called "Ypsitucky". Harriette Arnow 's book The Dollmaker , which

10815-595: Was not able to move in until September 1947 because of delays caused by counter-claims and disputes over the plant between Tucker and the Lustron Corporation . That delayed Tucker by almost a year, during which time development of the car continued at his Michigan machine shop. Tucker planned for 60,000 cars a year, with 140 per day produced for the first 4 months and 300 per day produced afterward. Tucker suffered another setback when his bids to obtain two steel mills to provide raw materials for his cars were rejected by

10920-605: Was renovated with " Cool Cities Initiative " money and is in the process of being incorporated into the center's activities. Since 2013, Ypsilanti has participated in First Fridays , an arts and culture-based monthly event that features a self-guided tour of participating businesses highlighting local artists, and often free samples of food and drink. The same organization that coordinates the Ypsilanti First Friday event series coordinates Ypsi Pride, established in 2017, and

11025-439: Was shut down on 3 March 1949 amid scandal and controversial accusations of stock fraud, of which Tucker was eventually acquitted. The 1988 movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production. Preston Tucker was born on September 21, 1903, on a peppermint farm near Capac, Michigan . His father was a railroad engineer named Shirl Harvey Tucker (1880-1907), and his mother

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