Instead of vacant stores and street people mooching for spare change, there are galleries, quality shops and lots of restaurants. And a fair number of people shopping and dining even on a chilly December day.
The American Planning Association named South Main “one of the 10 Great Streets for 2009,’’ citing, among other things, the fact that most of the businesses are locally owned. What makes South Main even more surprising is that Ann Arbor is in Michigan, a state that’s been an economic basket case for years, and just down the road from Detroit, which has the highest unemployment rate of any big American city.
Ann Arbor is bolstered in large part by a 41,000-student university, the University of Michigan (U of M), and a vibrant arts community. It’s close proximity to Southwestern Ontario — three hours’ drive from London, five from Toronto — makes it a good choice for a getaway.
Sports fans know the university for its stadium, the largest college-owned one in America seating 107,501. I was told football tickets normally go on sale in July, and that while some games sell out quickly, others have tickets available until game day. These can be bought and printed online at mgoblue.com/tickets. The university ticket office can be reached at 1-866-296-6849.
But U of M is about more than sports. Its Museum of Art, recently expanded and renovated, has more than 18,000 works and is considered to be especially strong in Chinese paintings, and Japanese and Chinese ceramics.
Former U.S. president Gerald R. Ford was a U of M alumnus and his library is there. It’s primarily a research facility, but visitors will be interested in some of the documents on public display — cables about the fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War, crayoned notes from children, a letter from Queen Elizabeth. Particularly poignant is one Ford wrote as a young man explaining he was too hard up make it home for Mother’s Day.
Ann Arbor is also known for its cultural offerings. Downtown streets are turned into an outdoor gallery during Arts Fairs in July. The Ark, on South Main, is a non-profit club for acoustic music, producing nearly 250 concerts throughout the year. Visittheark.org. The Purple Rose, in nearby Chelsea, is described as “an American theatre dedicated to producing the New American play.’’ It was founded by actor Jeff Daniels, who grew up there.
Reminders of the area’s rich automotive history are in the Automotive Heritage Museum in Ypsilanti, just minutes from Ann Arbor.
One of the things that sets it apart from other auto facilities is that it is home to the last Hudson dealer, Miller Motors. Curator Jack Miller can tell you all about such long-gone makes as Kaiser, Fraser and Corvair, and the 1952 Hudson Hornet that racked up multiple wins on the NASCAR circuit. Visit ypsiautoheritage.org
Ypsilanti has a Canadian connection, too. RM Auctions, Inc., a classic car company headquartered near Blenheim, has a showroom there.
Ann Arbor is easily reached by taking Hwy. 401 to Windsor, crossing the Ambassador Bridge and picking up I-94. Alternatively, you could cross the Blue Water Bridge at Sarnia-Port Huron and follow I-94 west. For more tourism information, access the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau by visitingannarbor.org or phoning 1-800-888-9487. Ask about getting a copy of their official map and guide to help get around.
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