FLINT, Michigan, June 20, 2016 – The community is invited to celebrate a milestone and sing “Happy Birthday” to one of Flint’s treasured landmarks.
Applewood Estate, the former Flint family home and gentleman’s farm of automotive pioneer Charles Stewart Mott, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year – and the public is invited to a free community birthday party from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 23.
A cake-cutting ceremony with the Ruth Mott Foundation Board of Trustees is planned for 6 p.m. Other highlights include horses in the historic barn, strolling house tours, lawn games, pony rides, petting zoo, apple cake and a photo booth, in addition to music and dance by a local group, El Ballet Folklorico Estudiantil. Guests can also create birthday cards to be donated to the Genesee County “Meals on Wheels” program for senior citizens.
Applewood Estate, 1400 E. Kearsley St., was built in 1916 by Mott, one of the founding partners of General Motors. The estate is now owned and maintained by the Ruth Mott Foundation and located between the Flint Cultural Center and Mott Community College.
As part of the 2016 centennial celebration, Applewood is open to the public more than ever before, and for the first time the house is now open for free public tours – with online reservations strongly suggested. The grounds at Applewood have been opened on occasion since Ruth Mott passed away in 1999, but this is the first year the general public gets to tour inside the Mott family home. House tour reservations will not be needed during the birthday party event June 23.
Applewood is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday to Sunday until Oct. 30, and admission is always free.
The transformation of Applewood from a family home to a public resource was the vision of C.S. Mott’s late wife, Ruth Mott, who wanted to open it up in honor of her late husband and his significant contributions to Flint and the automotive industry. The estate was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and received an official Michigan Historical Marker in May.