Located in Bowling Green Kentucky is the assembly plant where all the Corvettes in the world are produced. In essence, the plant is responsible for the magic that is known as the Corvette and has been the magic-producing plant since 1981.

Nearly 500 people are employed at the million-square-foot factory, and each year those employees are responsible for all aspects of the Corvette. The plant is a place where raw materials come together little by little and in the end you get a new Corvette destined for lucky buyers across the country.

As is evident from the 1981 opening, the Corvette wasn’t always born in Kentucky. In fact, the first Corvette race in 1953 took place in Flint Michigan. The first 300 were almost all assembled by hand, as the Corvette represented GM’s first mass-produced fiberglass car.

The following year, in 1954, Corvette production moved to Saint Louis and it remained the home of the Corvette until June 1981, when it was moved to Bowling Green. Previously, the plant was a factory for Chrysler air conditioning units and that meant the building would have to undergo major renovations. When all the sawdust settled, GM had created a state-of-the-art plant that was almost twice the size of the original building and production of the Corvette could now be accomplished using the latest and greatest devices for the time period.

Over the years, the Bowling Green plant would see many Corvette milestones. On July 2, 1992, the millionth Corvette rolled off the assembly line with all of GM’s great bosses present. That brand was truly amazing and represented the mainstay that the Corvette had become in America.

In 1996, after the completion of the 1996 model year, the plant was completely remodeled from the inside out to accommodate the next generation Corvette, as the C5 was born in 1997. Although the plant has undergone some improvements along the way since then, the 1996 remodel was the biggest change to the plant to date.

The 1.5 million Corvette was manufactured on May 28, 2009, and the number of Corvettes continues to grow with each passing year. Due to the dedication and devotion of those who work at the Bowling Green plant, in 2009 the Corvette was ranked GM’s best model and fifth in the overall industry by JD Power and Associates in the quality category.

Today, the plant is still running strong and is currently ramping up for the next Corvette model year. If you are a Corvette fan, then you should add a ride to the assembly plan to your “to do” list. An estimated 50,000 tourists visit the famous plant each year and many are lucky enough to see the actual production take place. GM is even offering an opportunity for those who have ordered a Corvette to tour the facility and witness the birth of their own Corvette. So whether you’ve ordered a Corvette, own a Corvette, or just like the American icon, a trip to the place that all Corvette Magic creates is sure to leave you with a smile on your face and memories to last a lifetime.