Bendix Test Track - first auto proving ground in the US

Bendix Test Track - first auto proving ground in the US
South Bend, Indiana (IN), US
Studebaker developed the 840 acres (3.4 km²) of land in 1926 as the first ever controlled automotive testing grounds for their product lines, beating Packard, Studebaker's future business partner, by one year. Studebaker heavily promoted the grounds as a "Million Dollar Outdoor Testing Laboratory" in advertisements. The test track that ran through the grounds simulated a variety of terrains and road conditions. Studebaker landscaped the park by keeping natural features; in 1937 the company planted more than 5,000 pine trees in a pattern that when viewed from a plane spelled STUDEBAKER.

Following the collapse of Studebaker's U.S. production facilities the land was acquired by Bendix Corporation which used the grounds for Corporate purposes.
Studebaker developed the 840 acres (3.4 km²) of land in 1926 as the first ever controlled automotive testing grounds for their product lines, beating Packard, Studebaker's future business partner, by one year. Studebaker heavily promoted the grounds as a "Million Dollar Outdoor Testing Laboratory" in advertisements. The test track that ran through the grounds simulated a variety of terrains and road conditions. Studebaker landscaped the park by keeping natural features; in 1937 the company planted more than 5,000 pine trees in a pattern that when viewed from a plane spelled STUDEBAKER.

Following the collapse of Studebaker's U.S. production facilities the land was acquired by Bendix Corporation which used the grounds for Corporate purposes.
View in Google Earth Raceways - Test Tracks
Links: en.wikipedia.org
By: kjfitz

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Parabellum picture
Parabellum
@ 2009-05-04 14:07:14
Looks like it's now owned by Bosch.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=41.670000,+-86.490000&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&hl=en&geocode=FXDVewIdcETY-g&split=0&ll=41.671726,-86.489139&spn=0.01465,0.027637&z=15&layer=c&cbll=41.671726,-86.489021&panoid=qs0norbwyw4pdiIcPu1AhA&cbp=12,156.21333806721302,,0,-1.7080745341614927

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