American roadside attraction
The
Uniroyal Giant Tire
was created by the
United States Rubber Company
for the
1964 New York World's Fair
, where it functioned as a
Ferris wheel
. Since 1966 it has served as a static display in
Allen Park, Michigan
, alongside
Interstate 94
, between the
Southfield Freeway
interchange and
Outer Drive
overpass.
Dimensions
[
edit
]
The tire has a diameter of 80 feet (24.4 m)
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
and weighs 12 short tons (11 t),
[1]
is anchored in 24 feet (7.3 m) of concrete and steel, and can withstand hurricane-force winds.
[5]
The exterior
tire tread
is 6 inches (15 cm) deep, with an interior volume of 120,576 cubic feet (3,414.3 m
3
).
[1]
It is not made of rubber, but of a Uniroyal-developed polyester resin reinforced with
glass fiber
, which makes it flame resistant.
[5]
It is the largest non-production
tire
scale model
ever built, and one of the
world's largest roadside attractions
.
[1]
History
[
edit
]
Construction and operation
[
edit
]
The structure was designed by
Hardesty & Hanover
[2]
and
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon
as a
Ferris wheel
for the
1964 New York World's Fair
in
Flushing, Queens
, New York. Built next to the
Grand Central Parkway
at a cost of $750,000, the Tire sat next to the Transportation and Travel Pavilion
[6]
for both seasons of the fair. Rides initially cost 25¢,
[3]
but the fare was doubled to 50¢ for the 1965 season.
[4]
Contrary to some urban legends, the structure is made of
steel
and
fiberglass
,
[7]
and was originally emblazoned with "U S ROYAL TIRES" its sides. It had 24 barrel-shaped gondolas, each carrying up to 4 people,
[8]
and could carry up to 96 passengers at once. It was driven by a 100 hp engine and sat atop a 40 ft (12.2 m) foundation.
[9]
[4]
During the fair, the wheel carried over 2 million people, including prominent passengers such as
Jacqueline Kennedy
,
Telly Savalas
, and the
Shah of Iran
.
[10]
Relocation
[
edit
]
When the fair ended in 1965,
US Rubber
offered to donate the exhibit to the
City of New York
or any other entity who wanted it, citing moving costs of $300,000.
[4]
In response, the
Parks Commissioner
and City Planning Chair were quoted as saying the Tire's "use as an integral amusement area is absolutely opposed by the Department of Parks. This type of amusement, commonly known as 'Kiddie Cities,' does not enhance a park."
[11]
Later that year, the tire was eventually disassembled and shipped via 22 trucks
[12]
to
Allen Park, MI
(a suburb of
Detroit
), where it was reassembled without its passenger gondolas in 1966 as a static display outside US Rubber's Midwest corporate headquarters.
[13]
Today it still stands tall as a symbol of Uniroyal's heritage and a Detroit landmark.
[5]
[10]
In 1968, the Tire's original location became the
Flushing Meadow Zoo
after a 2-year redevelopment led by
Robert Moses
.
[14]
On May 20, 2015, Uniroyal staged an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the tire for members of the Automotive Press Association and other guests, who toured its interior.
[8]
Renovations
[
edit
]
Michelin
completed its purchase of the
Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Company
in 1990, and in 1994 announced plans to renovate the landmark, including a new hubcap and the addition of neon lights for the UNIROYAL lettering.
[15]
The tire's
fiberglass
cover was cleaned, painted, and modernized with a new sleek look.
[10]
In 1998, a giant 11-foot (3.4 m) nail weighing 250 pounds (110 kg).
[16]
was placed in its tread as a promotion for Uniroyal's new NailGard puncture resistant tire.
[17]
The nail was removed in 2003 and was donated to the city of Allen Park, to be auctioned on
eBay
to raise funds for the Allen Park Historical Society programs and facilities.
[18]
In 2003, the Giant Tire was renovated as part of Detroit's I-94 corridor revitalization project. The
US$
1,000,000 work included the replacement of 30 interior steel beams, asphalt and storm drain installation, and the replacement of the neon lettering with reflective lettering.
[16]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
"About the Uniroyal Giant Tire"
(PDF)
. Uniroyal Tires. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on June 30, 2015.
- ^
a
b
"Ferris Wheel for World's Fair"
.
Hardesty & Hanover
. August 28, 2013
. Retrieved
May 31,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
Whitman, Arthur (April 19, 1964).
"What to Look For ? A Guide to Exhibits"
.
The New York Times Magazine
(The Fair, The City, The Future ed.). p. 26
. Retrieved
June 15,
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Dougherty, Philip H. (June 26, 1965).
"FOR SALE AT FAIR: TIRE AND TEMPLE"
(PDF)
.
The New York Times
. p. 27
. Retrieved
June 15,
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Renovations Begin on Uniroyal Giant Tire"
.
Modern Tire Dealer
. August 12, 2003
. Retrieved
January 26,
2011
.
- ^
Transportation and Travel Pavilion
- ^
Brush, Mark (May 22, 2015).
"Here's what it's like inside and on top of the Giant Uniroyal Tire"
.
Michigan Radio | NPR
. Retrieved
May 31,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
"Giant Tire"
. Uniroyal Tires
. Retrieved
January 26,
2011
.
- ^
"Detroit's Giant Tire Getting a Facelift"
. WDIV-TV
. Retrieved
January 25,
2011
.
- ^
a
b
c
Baulch, Vivian M.; Zacharias, Patricia (February 26, 1997).
"Detroit's giant stove and tire"
.
The Detroit News
. Archived from
the original
on March 6, 2009
. Retrieved
August 18,
2014
.
- ^
Alden, Robert (July 24, 1965).
"City Asked to Raze State, U.S. Pavilions"
(PDF)
.
The New York Times
. pp. 1, 13
. Retrieved
June 15,
2024
.
- ^
"Detroit Free Press"
.
- ^
"CITY PARK TO KEEP STATE'S PAVILION"
(PDF)
.
The New York Times
. December 17, 1965. p. 31
. Retrieved
June 15,
2024
.
- ^
Asbury, Edith Evans (October 27, 1968).
"Moses Helps to Open First Queens Zoo"
(PDF)
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
May 30,
2021
.
- ^
"Photo Of The Day ? The Uniroyal Tire ? It's Giant"
. WOMC-FM. March 28, 2010
. Retrieved
January 27,
2011
.
- ^
a
b
"Uniroyal Factsheet on Renovation"
(PDF)
. Uniroyal Tires
. Retrieved
January 26,
2011
.
- ^
Jones, Melissa (2005).
Superlatives USA: The Largest, Smallest, Longest, Shortest, and Wackiest Sites in America
. Capital Travels Books. Sterling, VA: Capital Books.
ISBN
9781931868853
.
- ^
"Giant Uniroyal Tire Nail Up For Auction"
.
WDIV-TV
. October 20, 2003. Archived from
the original
on February 11, 2008.
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42°16′14″N
83°12′33″W
/
42.27055°N 83.20905°W
/
42.27055; -83.20905