Do You Know The Story Behind This Iconic Detroit Display

Ever wonder how the Uniroyal Tire on I-94 just outside Detroit came to be?

According to Wikipedia.com the reason for the tire was not a promotional gimmick...

"The Uniroyal Giant Tire was created for the 1964 New York World's Fair where is was a Ferris wheel. "

At the world fair in Flushing Queens, NY the Ferris wheel was emblazoned with "U S Royal Tires" and at the end of the fair the wheel was dismantled and shipped by rail to Detroit.

Well at the fair the wheel carried over 2 million people, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Telly Savalas and the Shah of Iran. The Ferris wheel had 24 barrel-shaped gondolas and each barrel could carry 4 people.

A Few Details About The Uniroyal Giant Tire...

• The tire is not made out of rubber but a polyester resin that reinforced with glass fiber.
• The tire is one of the worlds largest roadside attractions.
• The tire is the largest non-production tire scale model ever built.
• The tire weighs 12 tons.
• The tire is anchored in 24 feet of concrete and steel.
• The tire can withstand hurricane force winds (because that is a concern in Michigan?).
• The exterior tire tread is 6 inches.
• The tire is flame resistant

Fun Trivia About the Uniroyal Giant Tire...

In 1998, a giant 11-foot  nail weighing 250 pounds. Was placed in its tread as a promotion for Uniroyal's new NailGard puncture resistant tire. The nail was removed in 2003 and was donated to the city of Allen Park, to be auctioned on eBay to raise funds for the Allen Park Historical Society programs and facilities.