Dort Highway, Flint, Michigan 1969

This authentic 1960s color photograph, captured in 1969, looks south along Dort Highway between Atherton Road and Hemphill Road in Flint, Michigan. The archival image highlights the vibrant roadside commercial culture of the era, dominated by a towering blue and white sign for Slenderform/Universal Health Spas featuring a golden globe emblem. Beyond it, the iconic western-themed sign for Bonanza Steak House advertises meals for $1.79, accompanied by a marquee reading “Our Steaks Make Cents.” Other visible local businesses include Pic-Way Shoe Mart, Lums, and the marquee for Dort Bowl and the Flint drive-in theater. Period-correct vehicles, including a dark Buick and several station wagons, navigate the wide thoroughfare. While many of the businesses from this era have closed or moved, the distinctive white metal frame of the Slenderform sign is still standing today, though it has been repurposed for a local car dealership. Most of the original mid-century buildings have been modified or replaced as the Dort Highway corridor evolved over the decades. This factual record preserves the peak of the “Golden Mile” aesthetic in Flint’s automotive-driven landscape. All our images are available as royalty-free instant downloads for use in books, media, and creative projects – or make your own prints for home, work, or as a truly unique gift.