Packard Proving Grounds Blog

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Honoring Heart: Joe Simmer, 2025 Tolonen Award Recipient

Every year at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, the Packard Motor Car Foundation presents the Tolonen Award to a volunteer who exemplifies extraordinary dedication, service, and heart.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Donna Shiner

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Was Every Packard Vehicle Tested?

This is a question often asked by our visitors. The answer is yes, but not every Packard was tested at the Packard Proving Grounds after Packard built another testing track just outside of its plant in Detroit.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Bruce Blevins

Bruce’s Packard story begins at age nine, when his Uncle Jim rolled a 1934 Packard into the family business for restoration.
Attendees at the August 2025 Wedding Garage Sale.
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The Wedding Garage Sale Movement Is Back

Something big is happening in the wedding world — and it’s taking root right here at the Packard Proving Grounds.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Bruce Webster

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Packard’s Guardians: The Legacy of Gene Ledbetter

Every historic site has its unsung heroes—the people who quietly give of themselves, not for recognition, but because they care. For the Packard Proving Grounds, one such person was Gene Ledbetter.
Amanda Demo
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Living in the Lodge: 1930 Census Lodgers (Beatrice Wilda Heatherington Bittman)

The Packard Proving Grounds was more than a vehicle testing site – it was home, and a chapter in the lives of those who lived and worked there.
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Packard’s Guardians: John MacArthur and the Legacy of Three Generations

In the story of the Packard Proving Grounds’ survival and revival, few names carry the generational weight and heartfelt dedication of John MacArthur.