The Mitten Channel

Flint's Hidden History


Listen Later

Hop in for a ride with local history columnist Gary Flinn to the halcyon days of flint.  Revisit the contributions of oft-overlooked David Buick, the inventive and invaluable Flint auto pioneer who lacked the business savvy to become an auto legend.  

Travel back to the original Kewpee Burger and wash it down with an old Vernor’s ginger ale before catching a show at Capitol Theatre.  

In the shadow of Flint's success as an industrial hub and the tragedy that is the water crisis that came to a head in 2014, the fascinating past of Flint has been largely forgotten. 

Local author Gary Flinn showcases the obscure and surprising elements of the Vehicle City's past, such as local Civil War hero Franklin Thompson who was actually Sarah Edmonds in disguise; the city's most prolific inventor, Lloyd Copeman, created the electric stove, flexible ice cube tray and automatic toaster; and even Thread Lake's Lakeside Amusement Park that offered seaplane rides and a giant roller coaster partly built over the water before closing in 1931. 

Flinn offers the reader the often-overlooked but fascinating history of Flint, including how the 2014 water crisis was a half century in the making.

Gary Flinn has written extensively about the glory days of Flint.  His focus on Flint's business history, architectural history and development as a city makes for a fascinating interview. 

 If you would like to learn more about Flint and Michigan history you can find Gary's books on the Amazon website:

1. Remembering Flint, Michigan: Stories from the Vehicle City (American Chronicles) Paperback – October 4, 2010

2. The Hidden History of Flint Paperback –2017

👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel

Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.

Explore Our Series:

  • Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
  • The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
  • Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.

Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.

The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.



...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Mitten ChannelBy The Mitten Channel

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

15 ratings