Taken for A Ride June 24, 2009

The state of the American auto industry has generated a lot of discussion lately. From newspaper headlines to television pundits to coffee shops, it seems everyone has their own take on the seemingly apocalyptic situation in Detroit. To take you back to a different era - when folks packed into trolleys and streetcars and not many Americans owned cars - the Society presents the documentary 'Taken for a Ride.' The film looks at early public relations campaigns by companies like General Motors, Standard Oil and Firestone Tires and asks whether the migration from environmetally-friendly streetcars to automobiles can be considered a natural phenomenon. The screening will be followed by a discussion with local experts on interurban transportation.