On August 26, 1987, a red Camaro rolled off the assembly line at the General Motors Corporation plant in Norwood. It was the last car produced at the GM facility, which began manufacturing Chevrolets in 1923.
During its 64 years of operation the plant assembled more than eight million cars, including Camaros, Novas, Impalas, and Pontiac Firebirds. GM was the biggest employer in Norwood, and the plant shutdown cost more than 4,000 jobs, severely damaging the city's economy.
A local video company is producing a documentary about the GM plant, "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born." Joining us to discuss the film project, the historic significance of the General Motors facility and how the City of Norwood has rebuilt since the plant's closing are Co-owner and Creative Director of Seven/Seventy-Nine, Ltd. and Producer of "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born," Drew Money; "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born" Producer Alex Money; Patrick Longo, director of HCDC (formerly the Hamilton County Development Company); and Don Johnson, who installed the final part on the last car that came off the line at the GM Norwood plant in 1987.
To view the trailer for "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born," find more information on the documentary and for details on an August 26 gathering to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the plant closure, click here.
"Echoes of Norwood," a detailed history of the Norwood General Motors facility written by Phil Borris, served as the historical basis for the film documentary. For more information on the book, click here.