Kettering University Archives Fuel Automotive History Research
Kettering University’s Archives, housed at GM’s historic Durant-Dort Factory One, recently hosted Dr. Jennifer Eaglin, an automotive historian whose research challenges traditional narratives surrounding transportation in the Americas.
Dr. Eaglin, Associate Professor of History at The Ohio State University and the inaugural recipient of the Society of Automotive Historians Travel-to-Collections Grant, completed her research visit this spring. Her project, Auto Americas: A Hemispheric History of the Automobile, explores the powerful role cars, buses, and trucks have played in shaping communities, economies, and identities across North, South, and Central America.
“Sometimes the best discoveries come when you’re not looking for them,” Dr. Eaglin said during her presentation after concluding her research. “I came to Flint with a plan, but what I found at Kettering’s Archives expanded my project in ways I couldn’t have imagined. This is research that matters — and the team here made it possible.”
Dr. Eaglin’s research leveraged key collections, including GM World, Auto International, and materials from automotive emissions experts, to examine how transportation infrastructure and environmental factors converge in ways that still shape lives today.
“Kettering’s Archives are more than a collection of documents,” said Dawn Winans, Interim Director of the Library Special Collections. “They’re proof of engaged research and innovative ideas, just like our students and faculty. By opening our archives to scholars like Dr. Eaglin, we’re reinforcing our role as a catalyst for groundbreaking research that drives the field forward.”
Located in Factory One, a National Historic Landmark recognized as the birthplace of General Motors, Kettering’s Archives house extensive resources on automotive innovation, industry history, and the evolution of transportation. These collections give researchers firsthand access to materials that haven’t been digitized, providing a critical bridge between history and innovation.
“Auto history is more than cars,” Dr. Eaglin noted. “It’s about how people live, how they move, and how they build communities. Kettering’s Archives make that story come alive.”
As Kettering continues to champion hands-on research and real-world impact, opening its Archives to scholars from around the world is yet another way the University supports connections that drive innovation into the future.
Learn more about Kettering University’s Archives and research opportunities at https://libguides.kettering.edu/library.
