What Happened to Pontiac Michigan?

[@DavidLimofLimReport]

Same thing that happened to the namesake car.

[@CJColvin]

I know brother, Rest in Peace Pontiac, Pontiac will always be my favorite GM brand.

[@johnepants]

It’s crazy how the entire state of Michigan practically relied on one industry, and once that industry changed, so many good sized cities just crumbled

[@tokki03]

At least Grand Rapids has furniture and other manufacturing industries

[@johnepants]

@@tokki03 I feel like the Western part of the state is where all the nice stuff is, especially in the summer

[@joeysworldsewer]

​@tokki03 nearby Benton Harbor has Whirlpool and also Battle Creek has Kelloggs.

[@up-uw4op]

upper michigan had mining and same thing happened when they no longer do that. entire towns abandoned.

[@Bitterstone3849]

Blame it on your elected officials , bad trade deals and the outsourcing of jobs by American company's who paid off politicans for said trade deals. Politician's using their offices to make themselves rich at the same time taking away from we the peoples to get ahead. This IS the tyrannical government our Founder's warned us of. History MUST now repeat to dismantle it AS our Constitution gives us the right too. Call me an domestic enemy , terrorist. So be it but THIS government has a azz whooping coming AND WELL DESERVED.

[@onslaughtmp]

I always loved seeing downtown Pontiac in the distance as a kid. My parents driving towards it was something I always loved to see. Such a unique skyline.

[@raylidell3613]

Me too. I was blessed to be able to see the bank building from my back yard as a kid growing up in the 50s and early 60s

[@lionsfan7500]

Wrestlemania 3 in 1987 broke a indoor attendance record at the Silverdome.

[@BTipp24]

I was there. My grandma bought me tickets for my 10th birthday. Went with my dad and grandpa.

[@stevenstoll2016]

What happened?? GM screwed Pontiac, just like they did Saginaw, Flint, Lansing, and the greater metro Detroit area. Sending production of components, assembly, and tooling overseas. No other country allows companies to devastate their own infrastructure.

[@felixwankel3989]

Government policy did that

[@lhp2a]

I think you mean the UAW screwed Michigan.

[@hanselthecaretaker]

You will never hear our media admit to this though, and that’s more than half the problem. Misinformation is the greatest tool of the powers that be.

[@tomstiel7576]

@@lhp2a no shit,,,tell it like it really is,,,,stellantis will soon be gone for the same reason

[@rahorin]

@@lhp2a I know right? Why pay Americans a fair livable wage when you can send those jobs overseas and pay pennies to the workers there.

[@randallfowler-om7lm]

all the people that were my relatives worked at Pontiac motors assembly line. 1977 the last grand prix (with a frame) rolled past me on the assembly line . I had a gut feeling this is the end . I marveled at the sleek beauty of the triple black GP. Now after a long struggle to climb back to middle income I'm retired and getting by. As a boy, mom took me to downtown Pontiac, I was in awe of the Pontiac bank building. At noon mom said we are about to here the air raid siren at noon. A leftover from WW2 . The stores were sparkling clean in side and out . Folks dressed much different than today . Like most Cities back then it was a pleasure to see the greatness of America. I remember how the wood floors would creek at Sears going up to the second floor. Western auto was where I picked out my brand new western flyer 24'' bike . I'm glad to hold on to those memories ........................

[@peterresetz1960]

Flint, Michigan is another city that relied heavily upon GM. I lived in Pontiac for about one and a half years (86-88) and it was a dangerous city within one year of the Pontiac assembly plant shut down. Plus there we're drunk homeless people panhandling at almost every store or gas station. One stabbed me in my right eye with a razor knife for not giving up a dollar. The Pontiac police were useless for about two decades. Under funded, and a DGAS attitude from the cops. They never investigated my assault.

[@johntrupkovich9533]

Interesting last bit there. I’ve always wondered why Pontiac is strictly Oakland County Sheriff now, that must be why.

[@jaber4life]

Same thing that happened to Detroit and Flint. I’ve spent years working in homes in all 3 doing service. Of the 3, I can say that Pontiac is still the “nicest”

[@jaredwblack]

Depends on if your talking about downtown or the residential areas. In the residential areas, you're probably right. I've lived in Pontiac for the last 24 years, and my neighborhood isn't too bad. But I've had occasion to go to downtown Detroit recently, and I was blown away by how vibrant and nice downtown is now. It was a ghost town down there in the 70's and 80's, but is now alive with people and businesses. But I guess the residential areas outside of downtown and midtown are still very rough. Downtown Pontiac, by contrast, is just sad.

[@HatWearingDog]

@@jaredwblackDetroit is fs nicer than Pontiac and has been for at least 10 years now. Pontiac seemed headed in the right direction when I was a kid but something happened around 2014 that just annihilated any momentum the city had. I don’t know what did it in, surely a multitude of things. But residents don’t seem to give a fuck anymore. Anyone with sense moves into Keego Harbor a few miles west.

[@ElTigre12024]

@@jaredwblack Downtown Detroit has certainly seen a huge revitalization over the past decade and has changed for the better. Pontiac overall isn't as dangerous as Detroit but the downtown isn't really anything special.

[@cokeycola9514]

@@HatWearingDog Lived there in 2019 for about a year, and yeah. You're totally right. I did not observe any community events (outside of the Hispanic communities throwing awesome parties at the Carnival Market parking lot lol), and it just felt like everything was insanely stagnant. You want to have fun and spend some money? You go any direction for 10 minutes to a much nicer area like Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Bloomfield Twp, etc.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

We had our 100th anniversary of the Hudson Motor Car Co. (2009), International Hudson-Essex-Terraplane (HET) Club meet at the Marriott Hotel at Pontiac, MI. The turnout was great with around 4 hundred Hudsons driven to the event. Nice town!

[@johnnyonthespot4375]

To give a bit of an update - Wide Track (the 4 lane, 1 way road going around the downtown area) will be changed to a 2 way road next year. This road was designed specifically for the truck traffic going to the plants and due to most of them being gone now (the plants) that single-way layout just does not make any sense today. Huron road (I-59 - the road cutting across Wide Track and going through town) will be completely redone next year. Oakland County will be moving 600 workers from the Telegraph building to a building where the Pheonix Center (3:01) currently is which will finally be torn down (again - next year).

[@garyszewc3339]

The plants weren't on Wide Track they were on Opdyke, north of Square Lake. It's M59, not I59.

[@johnnyonthespot4375]

@@garyszewc3339 -- You are correct - it is Michigan 59 - that was my typographical error - however, Wide Track was designed specifically for the semi truck traffic to get to the various plants located around the Pontiac area quickly which is the reason for it being 1 way. The plants are no longer there so next year they will finally be resetting it to 2 way to allow for easier access to the downtown area.

[@raylidell3613]

When Wide Track was built , we youngsters usta race around it. It was the muscle car era of FAST Pontiac cars. yep. fond memories

[@thefuzzbutt]

Jan 2 2022 Freep article has its history. Google it. "State agrees to unwind Pontiac's Woodward 'Loop" that leaders say strangles their downtown" I for one like it. Not the easiest thing to run across but after the 1998 rebuilding of M59 at the railroad track it made the area a lot easier. However with MDOT engineering it I doubt anyone will be happy with the plan, the construction quality or the duration of the project. It could drive a nail in the downtown businesses that the project is designed to aid. Work to start in 2025 and 2026. If you drive it now you might want to film it for prosperity.

[@tomstiel7576]

@@johnnyonthespot4375 it was because they wanted to relieve the downtown area of commercial traffic the retailers thought the traffic was keeping shoppers away

[@cjsnidlio9409]

Pontiac might be smaller than Detroit but the people are just as tough. We deserve better

[@jim-zk2bi]

Wrestlemania 3, 90,000 fans!

[@GeeEm1313]

Michigan

[@GeeEm1313]

Michigan..

[@NPC-Gamer]

My parents were there !

[@fu2201]

Saw, The Who there in 1989

[@peterresetz1960]

So did I with some friends. Sat in the lower bowl seating. DID NOT venture out onto the main floor which was open, no seating. Crazy show with Pete Townshend telling people to stop crowd pushing towards the stage. Plus a few announcements about don't eat the purple acid. On top of that mayhem, the acoustics of the performance was absolutely horrible. The music volume would rise and fall, with wave form frequency cancellation, which made most of the performance sound unintelligible at certain locations within the stadium. Also. The egress from the parking lot was disorganized, and chaotic. It took almost three hours for the parking lot to clear after the concert. But then taking into consideration that a fair amount of the concert attendees were chemically enhanced when leaving. So...yeah.

[@Wolfie66]

Pontiacs were always a bit cooler than the rest of American cars.

[@CJColvin]

Agreed, gotta love the Split Grill design.

[@DavidSmith-xs3or]

Yep. Bonneville. GTO( which had a cool song written about it. Little GTO....)

[@DavidSmith-xs3or]

For some reason, the Big Three couldn't for it's own financial life produce a reliable, affordable subcompact car. All America got was two death traps: the Maverick and the Pinto both produced by Ford. Oh, then GM gave us a cheap little rust-bucket called the Chevy Vega. I exist in Pontiac, now. I wouldn't call it living, and I'm only here due to circumstances beyond my control, but directly connected to the great recession of '08. Pontiac now is dominated by high crime, lack of job opportunities, poor public transportation and corruption along with political ineptitude. This town has lost its downtown art and entertainment festival ( once known as ARTS, BEATS and EATS) along with a branch headquarters of General Motors along with its downtown shopping district due to the exodus of major stores like Sears, JC Penney's and others.

[@cokeycola9514]

​@@DavidSmith-xs3or I spent the better part of a year in Pontiac for a job, and we lived right in the corner of the divide between Auburn Hills and Pontiac. If you're familiar with the delicious Carnival Market, right about that area. I honestly had a good time while there. I enjoyed my low cost of living apartments, but did not enjoy the loudness, the people, or the actual location too much. But being a 5 minute car ride away from Rochester Hills downtown, or Auburn Hills, or Bloomfield, was a very nice perk of the area. I often mourn for Pontiac, because when I lived there in 2019, I could very much see how it is a shell of what once was. It would be great to see it become worth seeing again.

[@BrandonToy]

Half the people I know owned a Grand Prix or a Grand Am at one time or another. Good little cars.

[@lionsfan7500]

When the Lions moved downtown Pontiac collapsed. I love how you make the drive from Cleveland to Metro Detroit to do these AWESOME VIDEOS, about the area of my proud hometown. I also LOVE Cleveland because I've spent so much time there being my inlaws live in Bedford Ohio. Great Work as usual!

[@kilo21swp]

No. The collapse started in the early ‘80’s and accelerated from the mid ‘80’s onward.

[@ddvette]

8 games a year with couple hundred min wage concessions jobs had zero to do with it. Pontiac had the huge Pontiac and GMC sites with probably 20000 jobs all gone.

[@512Chaos]

Pontiac was a place to avoid many years before that

[@SiTengoTiempo]

Pontiac had such a mythical image. Sad to see things end the way they did.

[@blookan]

Thank you for talking about the city in an honest light and not just showing the urban blight that has developed in that area due to the population loss of the previous decades

[@blookan]

My father worked at Pontiac Motors as a millwright in the 1980s but was laid off when the Fiero lines shut down.

[@visheshverma8561]

You see I live in Troy Michigan, and it's quite bizarre to see Troy's growth in the Metro Detroit Area, despite other major cities in the area crumbling such as Detroit, Pontiac, Warren, and more declining, Troy actually saw great growth, especially in the job market. We have several buildings 200+ feet high and we also have a booming mall

[@undefined5083]

The only thing in troy is the mall lmao what the fuck are you talking about

[@undefined5083]

u must havent been to detroit in a bit or u only ever been in troy or sumthin

[@RADIUMGLASS]

The Silverdome where Elvis performed in 1975.

[@anthony_rivera4735]

I miss GM Pontiac

[@cokeycola9514]

Pontiac was a celebration of motor vehicles in my eyes. It was a brand that was not strictly necessary, but existed because people wanted it to. The loss of Pontiac coincides with the loss of the fun we had as a nation, as well as the nationwide acceptance of what we call patriotism. Now if you are outwardly patriotic, not everyone is going to take kindly to you, because lots feel that we do not have much to be patriotic about nowadays. Pontiac was a symbol of our nation doing well.

[@williamhild1793]

The Silverdome: Where Hogan slammed Andre in 1987!

[@jim-zk2bi]

Dragon Macho man match!🔥

[@N9197U]

I was there 2 days ago and yeah it sucks. 80% closed businesses, big open spaces of nothing...

[@herbertharris8456]

Pontiac born and raised, I love my city, ugly scars and all.

[@glennso47]

Local example is Janesville Wisconsin which for years was dependent upon the GM plant there and was devastated when GM left the city.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Just like when Chrysler shut down the former AMC engine plant at Kenosha, WI.

[@db3467]

The silverdome was torn down in 2018. Its now a huge amazon facility

[@JLebel4130]

It's insane that both the Silverdome and the Palace are gone now. People (especially out-of-staters) like to dog on Detroit for being shitty, but they've never stepped foot in modern Pontiac.

[@BrandonToy]

I just hate the fact that they got rid of the palace. Such a great venue.

[@djmattplay]

Born in Pontiac in 1978 but my parents moved us away in 1979. Visited for Thanksgiving many times to watch Barry Sanders magic in the Silverdome. Became a die hard Lions fan. Just purchased a house on the edge of Pontiac, by Waterford and near Bloomfield Hills. Moved here in 2023. Got a lot of house for the money and am in the midst of renovations. I like to think I’m doing a tiny part of helping Pontiac recover. I’m within 5 minute of Bloomfield Hills shopping and have nearly everything at my fingertips. It’s been extremely convenient. I’m 30 minutes from Lions games at Ford Field. The Lions are 22-8 since I closed on the house. Sorry I didn’t move here sooner Lions fans :P I encourage more to take advantage of the investment opportunities in Pontiac. The more people return, the more tax dollars for the infrastructure. I see signs of improvements all around and am thinking quite positively about the potential over the next 10 years.

[@CarnivoryHODL]

Considered something similar, but the new constructions near the golf course by the most northeast side of Pontiac. Auburn Hills right there, 75 right there. Decided against, but looking back, would’ve been a brand new 4-5 bedroom house for like $250k & a sub-3% mortgage……. May’ve been worth it, but the ship has sailed.. Now live between Troy & Sterling Heights.

[@mzrzfxr]

I grew up just south of Pontiac and it was sad to see the city decline over the years. When we moved to MI around 1990, GM still had a sizeable presence in Pontiac. Truck and Bus also had the facility at South Boulevard, bringing office jobs there as well. Some of the cool galleries, concerts at the Phoenix Center, fireworks, Arts/Beats/Eats, The bars and clubs, some galleries and even random shops. I feel like 1990s and even early 2000s Pontiac at least had some stuff going on, that big Ameritech (ATT) building was well staffed in 1998 when I was in there for work, now I hear it’s less people. It seems around 2002 when the Lions left then the silverdome went diralect, GM more or less abandoned Pontiac and closed plants 2005-2010, lastly the city of Pontiac Bankruptcy was just the nail in the coffin. Many (all?) public school and the library also closed in Pontiac after the bankruptcy, it was so bad that Oakland County Sheriff / state police had to patrol the streets because their was no longer a Pontiac PD. Of recent I did see old Pontiac East high school has a business in it, the Riker building does have some tenants. Tho the Phoenix Center is slated for demolition, along with the parking deck. The north entrance by Water and Saginaw street is skid row, lots of homeless people using under the steps overhang it is rather sad… Can Pontiac come back? Sure, but it has to have something to draw people there, I’m not really clear what that would be as of current? Plus for prospective residents, a city income tax does not exactly entice people to move there when to be honest, what are people getting for their tax dollars?

[@gilbertvehicleservices]

Well said!

[@cokeycola9514]

I lived there for just over a year in 2019, and there really isn't anything that "draws" people in. If you have a free weekend, you drove to auburn/bloomfield/rochester hills. No point in staying in Pontiac for the day, nothing to do there. Its kind of sad, really.

[@C21H30O2]

My dad worked at pontiac truck and bus, I now live in Pontiac. The unions destroyed our auto industry. Guys cleaning toilets at the factory were making $30/hour with full benefits. In 2000... The unions allowed the workers to rob the companies of Capitol necessary to compete with the foreign market. How much do you think the guy cleaning toilets at a Toyota factory in Japan making in 2000? Not $30 + benefits.

[@russmode]

Lived on Walton Blvd for 2 years after we got married in 1996. Car stolen, other broken into, etc. It was 1 mile between my wife and i work. It was a good time in our lives though, young professionals, pre-internet boom. 27 years later, we live UP north, Marquette, life is Good, thanks be to God.

[@johnliotta2583]

We were in Marquette last week on vacation wife's father lives there!

[@anonymousYTviewer69]

they had an Oakland car? what happened to it? did it get moved to vegas?

[@Helm-w1q]

The reply that Michigan invest very deep into the Auto industry. Pontiac Michigan is not alone. Every major city in Michigan took a hit. Along with the infrastructure and education system. Time changes things, and change take time. Michigan is reassessing and reinventing it's self. And for the record Michigan is a lot more than autos.

[@ddvette]

@@Helm-w1q 10000 college grads leave the state every year. Michigan has one of the lower percentages of college grads in the country. A high tax state with lousy roads does not attract businesses especially a peninsula off the major transportation corridors.

[@markbrown4039]

The Silverdome, where Pope John Paul II said Mass in 1987.

[@pustuleous]

I grew up there. My grandparents worked at the Pontiac plant with the UAW. I was able to move away from there in 2004 with my sister. It was the best thing that could have happened to us but I still miss my roots in the yac.

[@thephotoroad]

All successful cities diversify their economies. Pontiac didn’t, and when GM was beaten by better competition, the city had nothing to fall back on. A tough lesson- one that other large suburbs or exurbs should be aware of.

[@InNateWayz]

Pontiac wasnt beaten by better competition. It was eliminated by Obama policy through the big "bail out". Unions killed the auto industry in the states. It's not even a debate. It is what it is.

[@SHUTUPANDRECORD]

You spelled “couldn’t” wrong.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@SHUTUPANDRECORD Where's the misspelling of "couldn't?" I couldn't find it!

[@SHUTUPANDRECORD]

@@WAL_DC-6B haha. Sarcasm may also be invisible to you as well?!

[@maverickboch]

No mention of UWM?

[@nb7466]

Pontiac left Pontiac. Gm pulled everything out of there and they had nothing left. 2008 was a bad year for Pontiac

[@kentuckyChic]

Pontiac will always be in my heart🤘❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@CJColvin]

Same here

[@allenmorgan6847]

I am moving to Cape Girardeau soon I would love a video on this city

[@YzzajIB]

My very first driver’s license was u dertaken at the Pontiac DMV in early 80’s. I was a Bloomfield Hills boy. Lahser ‘84

[@allenmorgan6847]

Have you done a South Bend video?

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Or Schenectady, New York?

[@skuskin2000gaming]

It’s a great place for music venues!

[@sopwithsnoopy8779]

I've been to a few concerts in downtown Pontiac. Its a shame it is a slum. There is potential to be a nice downtown. The area in the 'circle' could be filled with restaurants and coffee shops, etc. But alas, everything is empty and downtrodden.

[@mateoedwards959]

The circle? No its called the loop

[@sopwithsnoopy8779]

@@mateoedwards959 I'm not from Pontiac, I have no idea what the locals call it.

[@waltgzerod5565]

I was Born in Detroit & Lived in the "D" & A few other Suburbs, Waterford, Dearborn & Garden City. In the sixties, our family used to drive through Pontiac as "The Scenic Route". My Mom enjoyed the rolling hills & Quaint Houses & had friends in Pontiac!! By the Seventies, I noticed, half the pedestrian traffic was in the middle of a Drug Deal!! Pontiac, is now a shell of it's former pleasant existence!! I Blame DRUGS!! I know. I was there!!

[@cokeycola9514]

Man, I know about those rolling hills and houses you are talking about. I lived there a few years ago and the houses are barely standing now. Peeling paint, crumbling porches, broken vehicles in the driveways. It's just really sad.

[@waltgzerod5565]

Yaknow, Cokey, I should have chosen my werds with a little more care. I blamed the Drugs for Pontiac's Decay. It ain't the Drugs, per se, It's the Company they keep. The seventies were 30+ years ago & ALL of my friends from Pontiac are GONE!! Literally, ALL of them are Deceased. I wish we would have been more responsible with our youth.They were Great Friends!! Thanks. @@cokeycola9514

[@elitealice]

I live in clarkston like 15 mins from Pontiac and yea it’s a mini Detroit minus the revitalisation that’s going on in the city

[@IsmailAbdulMusic]

I'm from Pontiac, Michigan and still film most of music videos there

[@SteveLinney-w8q]

My birth city fond memories

[@MarkDaSilva-z9i]

I still remember the Pontiac Silverdome when it hosted Wrestlemania 3 in 1987.😊

[@LanceStoddard]

Failed to mention that Pontiac lost its ass on the Silverdome. The city made bad decisions. Also failed to mention that the City of Detroit taxed its citizens into moving away. Michigan could have compensated for the decline of the auto industry, but nobody wanted to mess with the taxes and bad government policy.

[@tomstiel7576]

bad decisions,,,,your way too kind

[@elmie237]

Pontiac is its own little island of desperation surrounded by very wealthy cities. I don't understand why some of the wealth of the surrounding area doesn't seep into Pontiac.

[@martybadboy]

UAW happened. Turns out a parasite can't survive without a host. 🤷

[@HolyShnikeez_1975]

Loudest I ever heard the Silverdome was when Barry broke 2000 yds in a season vs the Jets during the last game in '97. The refs even threatened to penalize the Lions for the crowd being too loud which was ridiculous

[@greyorbit]

It looks like oakland county is going to make Pontiac the hub of the local govt. If they never built the Phx center and just let pontiac be an old city it would be doing great right now. widetrack and the way it's surrounded is not a great setup. I don't understand why the downtown can't get traction as a mini city. it walkable and has great bones still.

[@tomstiel7576]

the city leaders are the reason

[@adp5R3x]

ive been called "the Human Road Map", but Pontiac is ONLY city i get All Turned-around & lost in

[@paulstupka5583]

I was a Police Officer in Pontiac from 1974 until my retirement in 1999. When asked for directions by folks looking for a specific address we would ponder for a moment then say, " You can't get there from here. It took a few seconds but they would get the joke and rather then give them directions we would just say, "follow me and take them to their destination.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

This video was far too kind to Pontiac. The city council voted to fold the place a few years back, just up and quit existing as a city. The state stepped in and said they couldn't quit because Pontiac was the county seat for Oakland County. The Michigan State Police had to step in and help patrol the damned place. I spoke with a MSP officer and she told me it was the wild west and nobody wanted to do the job. Since it was a part-time thing with the state cops the criminals got smart as to when they could come out and play. Pontiac is similar to Flint which is similar to Detroit. I grew up in Detroit and it's heartbreaking what has happened to SE Michigan as a whole over the past 70 years. But the people keep voting for the same type of politicians who broke the place and they keep voting for ballot initiatives that are bad for society so what are ya gonna do? It's the government they want and they still love the unions, even though they have done their best to make sure the state never diversifies economically. Pontiac is just a snapshot of a larger problem, too big to get into here. RIP Michigan, I guess I have my memories of what I thought you were at one point so many years ago. Maybe you and Pontiac are what you always have been. A sad tale to be sure.

[@tomstiel7576]

the Oakland county sherrifs patrol the city,,,the pontiac police department was inept

[@napalmjack]

Slowly but surely pontiac has also begun to cause the decline and deterioration of Waterford. Im a white lake resident now (grew up in Waterford) and the last two decades have been majorly bad for Waterford.

[@joeysworldsewer]

I was born in Oakland County and I live in Florida. Growing up, Pontiac's decline in the 2000s really was visible and spread as far as the Waterford area, once full of GM parts suppliers and a burgeoning blue collst work force. I grew up in the more wealthy areas of Oakland County, but looking back on it, some folks I knew growing up were struggling and it was painfully visible. There's real economic hardship still in the area.

[@jaredwblack]

Waterford is doing just fine

[@joeysworldsewer]

@jaredwblack Waterford is rough still. I'm from Novi, once you cross into M59 you're in a post industrial wasteland.

[@jaredwblack]

Well I could be a little biased, as I work for the Township. I'll admit the M-59 streetscape is kind of ugly, but once you get into the interior neighborhoods its a different story

[@joeysworldsewer]

@jaredwblack to be fair I'm biased. I live in a nice part of Florida and paint over the bad areas with a broad, sunny and palm tree covered brush. I shouldn't call Waterford a s***hole, but there's definitely a big part of the area that's seeing decline, closer you get to Pontiac. This isn't a knock on those who live there either, GM really screwed the pooch here

[@joeysworldsewer]

@jaredwblack also Waterford got hit hard by the opiod epidemic. Many good people sadly lost their lives to a sad symptom of industrial decline: addiction

[@userbosco]

They kept Buick????

[@Lean_1738]

Pontiac born and raised!!!!

[@kevinharms7578]

What happened to Pontiac Michigan ? same as every big city run by Democrats. Broke and crime ridden.

[@danhillman4523]

Same thing that happened to Flint. I better not say, though.

[@armeniansdoitbetter]

We all know, but aren't allowed to speak of it.

[@republitarian484]

White Flight?

[@timothyproksch2915]

I was born in Pontiac went to the first football game at the stadium raced my motercycle in the stadium my friends worked at Pontiac the Oakland plant was in my great grandparents backyard my next door neighbor was Kirk Gibson I was there for the super bowl I could walk to the Pontiac mall would go to the miracle mile I can go on and on

[@JoeMoutard]

I saw Wrestlemania III at the Silverdome when I was a kid.

[@jimkirk1971]

Thank goodness Pontiac is the home of UWM. That has likely saved the city or at least stabilized it.

[@RemyRAD]

Yeah good old Pontiac. Our GM transit buses were built in Pontiac. And I as a kid. At 13 years of age. My birthday present was a brand-new Schwinn, 10 Speed, bicycle. I was in heaven! My friend Dave saw it. And his parents got him one also. Then Johnny got his brothers 5 speed. And I started organizing, Mini Bicycle Marathons. What I referred to, what I called, a, Bike Hike. We would leave Royal Oak at Eleven Mile Rd. and Woodward Avenue. And we would start heading northbound, on Woodward Avenue. Until we would get to Pontiac, Michigan. Which was a good haul up the road for a bunch of teenage bicyclists. And in the late 60s. There really wasn't much to do for teenagers. So we would find a McDonald's and go munch down. We were growing teenagers. And we had a lot of fun. Good clean fun. Bike Hiking. There was one trip. Ahhh… I got a little grandiose about. And I said we are going today to Flint! That was 50 miles northbound from Royal Oak. And it was a beautiful day. Until we got up to Flint. While most of us made it to Flint. And we got refreshed. Suddenly it was no longer a nice day. Huge dark clouds rolled in. And there's lots of lightning and thunder. And we better head for home pronto. At breakneck speed for 50 miles. Well? You can imagine what happened.. The sky started falling. It was just a torrential downpour. And Stanley couldn't take it anymore. He dropped out at a gas station. And Johnny and I kept going. Well? I had put a couple of big, junk carrying, metal baskets on my 10 speed. Nobody else had. So I could carry all this junk. And I'm kind of wearing out. Johnny is pulling ahead. Johnny won't wait for me. I'm falling behind. It's not long. Before I can no longer see Johnny in front of me. And I'm barely making it through this torrential downpour. It has not let up one bit. And so some jerk driver. Comes up behind me and starts honking. And they won't stop. I'm just barely making it. And they are honking more. So I flipped him the bird and turn around and look behind me. It's Stanley and his mom. And she orders me to pull over now! I better do what Stanley moms tells me to do. It still pouring. They hustle my bicycle into the trunk. And tie the trunk down. Since it can't fit the bicycles. And I get in the car. I'm soaking wet. She doesn't care. Stanley is laughing. She tells me she could not leave me to drive the remaining 15 miles home. That she will take me. Stanley's mom was great. And while we are driving. We are now in the neighborhood. And there is Johnny he made it! Amazing! And honestly I was pooping out. I had like 20 pounds of junk with me in my baskets. As they had none. And when I organized these. I had to go prepared. For everyone. And it weighed me down. It was good for my stamina. Not quite in continuous torrential downpour. And in the lower barometric pressure. Your 65 PSI tires. Go down to 45 PSI. Making it much more difficult to ride the bicycle. They get nice and plump and tight on hot sunny days. Thanks to thermodynamics. Of which I really know nothing about. Except that cold shrinks and heat expands. And the same with the air pressure. And that's why you check your tire pressure in the cool morning hours. Before the sun heats them up. (More Ponti Action in following post)

[@garyszewc3339]

Pomtiac eas a ghetto before they built the Silverdome. They haven't built Pontiacs in the city in decades. They did build trucks there, until they moved production to Mexico.

[@seagie382]

No local cops, the street racing there is GREAT!

[@curtgottler9961]

Wasn't the 1980 Superbowl supposed to revive Pontiac? Big scam.

[@swissbeats2k]

Pontiac where that cheap jabroni B.Brian Blair was at when Iron Sheik made him humble.

[@JDSly1]

I saw Pink Floyd there in 1987. Great show, but the Silverdome wasn't made for concerts. Terrible acoustics. Much better concert when I saw them again at the Palace in '88.

[@asiancat1648]

this is literally almost every town in michigan

[@bigcountry9593]

You didn't even mention how uwm is basically helping Pontiac stay alive at this point. Do all the research before making a video

[@randallECTRIC]

Pontiac is being forgotten on purpose..so many ancient structures..historical landmarks almost given greenlights for destruction and brush under the rug..if it does get renovated they'll just tear down the history and character of the city..it's almost like Pontiac and the authorities invite the bight and decline..it's really weird and a little different than Detroit and Flint's downfall in the past

[@dennislloyd6464]

The unions pushed the jobs out people got to greedy

[@MikeHoholek]

They need to put our cities back up and running with automotive parts and production. Jobs period. Pontiac and flint are good cities. And some of the rest.

[@miltonhayek2494]

I lived in Pontiac for about a decade. We left after the police were taken over by the state, with a few break in attempts on our garage. We slept with a shotgun next to our bed. The pace was ugly and violent.

[@steveshattah]

It's in the state of Michigan.

[@timothyhayes2935]

Dont ever forget the hoops program at Pontiac Central.Campy Russell and his bros Larry and Walker D. They could play with anyone.They were a beast.The whole Saginaw Valley Conference was awesome.Saw Elton John at The Silverdome in 76'.

[@rawbacon]

Took my first breath in Pontiac.

[@MrDdefos]

Not exactly. After the race riots of '68, everyone fled. Well, the people with money.

[@armeniansdoitbetter]

This is the reason. I'm surprised that so few people even acknowledge the elephant in the room. Then after the demographic shift, anyone else would not want to risk living a place where there is higher crime or that again riots would take place. Why have other close suburbs not suffered the same? It's clear the reason.

[@lhp2a]

We don't have to live like this anymore.

[@lhp2a]

Never Ignore General Grant's Error Ridden Schemes

[@up-uw4op]

I've lived many places in my life and Pontiac is the best place I have ever lived.

[@danielpomeroy]

Pontiac lost their identity when GM stopped making performance vehicles

[@DavidSmith-vm3cu]

🎉This vid misses many other events leading to decline of the City, the Pontiac car brand, znd GM Truck and Coach.

[@RealMcCoy0205]

It's called heroin. Read Butch Jones's book, everywhere he and YBI set up shop was desolated by the heroin trade. Pontiac happens to be one of those spots.

[@america1st721]

We call pontiac "the donut hole" as it's in the wealthiest county in Michigan surrounded by pure money.

[@Guyver_Master]

Lions and Pistons want to be in Detroit. If you live in Michigan. People used to be call Pontiac Lions or Pontiac Piston

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

Same thing that happened to the whole country

[@republitarian484]

Too many non-whites?

[@SIKYwark]

Woah I live in Auburn hills

[@selfdo]

Black people is what happened to Pontiac, same as Flint, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, and is generally the ruination of most formerly great Midwestern and Industrial cities, now the "Rust Belt".

[@republitarian484]

So you don't mind if other non-white people move into your city? I prefer the United States have stayed supermajority white. . . 80%+. And I'm willing to bet black Americans (descendants of black slaves) will miss the white majority sooner or later. These new non-white "Americans" are not going to care one iota about slavery or jim crow era.

[@chris3325]

GM is the worst corporation in American history. I live north of saginaw another city GM destroyed.

[@jasong428]

Pontiac is a terrible hood, but Oakland Co is very very very wealthy and will be just fine.

[@armorpro573]

LOL wouldn't be so sure about that

[@jasong428]

@@armorpro573 in some ways I hope you're right..

[@armorpro573]

@@jasong428 Well I am because I’ve lived there for fifteen years. Shame it went under so much decline, but can’t say I miss it. 🤷‍♂️

[@up-uw4op]

i've lived in way worse "hoods"

[@yesnooo9029]

the closing of the palace of auburn hills should've put people in prison.

[@tomstiel7576]

greed by the illitch family

[@elijahbey3366]

Ponti-crack they call it.

[@wacobob56dad]

White Flight.

[@tomstiel7576]

the city leaders are responsible for its demise,,,,Imagine,,,,they let a NFL team leave over greed,,,among a list of many,,,the city got what they wanted

[@adasanti7312]

There is a lot of laziness too. The “city” doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop, grocery store or park! It’s ghost town. With all its potential nobody wants to invest in it and brings businesses in.

[@up-uw4op]

it has all of that

[@armeniansdoitbetter]

No police, no EMS/Fire of its own still. They rely on neighbouring Waterford. There are plenty of illegal and gangs associated, the demographic is largely functionally illiterate and the school system like other civic institutions have not recovered since the bankruptcy. Only people who live there are people who do not have the means to not live there.

[@MyPhobo]

Just because you don't know where they are located, doesn't mean they don't exist lol. Try opening up google sometime before commenting.

[@up-uw4op]

@@MyPhobo he obviously never been to a ghost town either

[@adasanti7312]

@@MyPhobo You obviously have never lived in an actual city. If you are used to country life, then Pontiac must be like a wonderland for you!

[@187manowar]

We know what caused it but saying it is deemed racist.

[@MyPhobo]

Yak town

[@curtgottler9961]

Remyrad, you must be unemployed.😮

[@cjsnidlio9409]

Man come to pontiac and tell them it's a forgotten place you'll get your ass kicked