In 1981, General Motors (GM) began production of the iconic Corvette in Bowling Green, where the facility has exclusively manufactured the Corvette for over 30 years. The Corvette, known globally as America’s sports car, embodies innovation and holds the title of the world’s longest-running, continuously produced passenger car. Over 60 years ago, the first Corvette rolled off the line, marking the birth of an icon.

Although Kentucky is now its home, the Corvette's production had humble beginnings in 1953 when the first 300 were hand-built in Flint, Michigan, shortly after GM showcased the Corvette as a "dream car" at the Motorama show in New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel. The following year, production moved to St. Louis. Finally, in June 1981, Corvette production shifted from St. Louis to Bowling Green, Kentucky.

National Corvette Museum