Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Here's a quick read from the GM chronicles.

In 1933, GM vice President Charles Kettering (www.kettering.edu) was in Chicago representing GM at the World's Fair.  While there, he had a novel idea. Instead of the people coming too see what GM has to offer in it's exhibit, why not take the exhibit to the people?

Kettering proposed his ida to GM President Alfred P Sloan Jr, and public relations VP Paul Garrett. Both agreed that a traveling road show would be a success.

This was the time of the Great Depression. Most Americans at the time turned to fairs and movies for entertainment. This free show would not travel to the usual larger metropolitan cities but show up in the smaller cities and rural areas of North America. At each stop new products and services, along with local and national GM personnel and dealers, were highlighted.

The national tour was given the name Parade of Progress. After two years of preparation the Parade of Progress was launched on February 11, 1936 in Lakeland Florida. Leading the caravan were eight red and white streamlined monster vans. Six of the vans were aligned to form walk-through exhibit, one van transformed to become a stage, and the last van carried equipment.

Nine GMC and Chevrolet tractor trailers transported miscellaneous gear, tents, booths, power generators, and other exhibits. The main tent could hold up 1200 spectators for a 45 minute show. A massive 1936 Chevy "command car" was used as an office and headquarters. 

Rounding out the roster were the stars.... models from all 6 GM lines-Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, LaSalle, and Cadillac. These traveling cars were traded and replaced every 2000 miles at GM dealerships along the route.

The routing for the parade was weather-influenced-northern states in the spring and summer, and the southern states in the fall and winter months. The presentations were live and encouraged interaction from the public.

In 1938, the tour went to Mexico. The parade actually became an official guest of the Mexican government and played to large crowds for two weeks in Mexico City. In 1940, the original eight "Streamliners" were replaced with twelve "Futureliners."

The show continued to travel until the US entered WWII when most of the staff joined the war effort. The vehicles and exhibits were stored in a warehouse in Ohio until 1953 when the Parade of Progress took to the road again.