Our American Crossroads

This animated display changed every 10 minutes to show how communities would change in the future as a result of the automobile. The exhibit depicted the part the automobile played in changing the face of America -- and not only the nation's looks but also her way of life. The animated diorama demonstrated the transformation of a rural crossroads community of the early 1900s to the thriving suburban community of the 1950s. The exhibit proved to be the most popular and features the mechanical operation of changing scenery, roadside structures, and moving automobiles -- from the first horseless "one-lung" carriage to the most modern of passenger vehicles and trucks of the time. The show lasted 14 minutes and closed with the narrator stating that this country is "just now gathering itself together for the next spring forward.

As far as we know, this is the only display to survive and was in a Chicago museum up until 2001 when GM removed it. It is our hope that the display can be once again installed in our Futurliner.