National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks

Strengthening Appellate Courts

NCACC 50th Annual Conference & Meeting

Detroit, Michigan

The 50th annual conference and meeting of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks will be held in Detroit, Michigan, from July 30 through August 3, 2023, at the Fort Pontchartrain Detroit, a Wyndham Hotel.

NOTICE OF BYLAW AMENDMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE BUSINESS MEETING

Thomson Reuters Event, Monday, July 31: The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

LexisNexis Event, Tuesday, August 1: The Detroit Princess Riverboat

There is so much to see and do in Detroit. If you’re able, please plan on arriving early or staying late to explore the Motor City.

Detroit Insider’s Map & Guide for places to eat, shop, stay, and play.

Videos of the City of Detroit:

Detroit Michigan Travel Guide 4K (16:02 minutes)

Detroit: One Nation Under A Groove (5:00 minutes)

Detroit, Michigan – A City on the Rise (5:37 minutes)

We Are Downtown Detroit Partnership (3:13 minutes)

Suggested Activities

Belle Isle Park & Aquarium: 

99 Pleasure Dr, Detroit, MI 48207-4373.  Rich with history and natural beauty, Belle Isle Park is a Detroit gem and a Michigan state park. The 987-acre island park features the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the Belle Isle Aquarium, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, giant slide, athletic fields, picnic areas, Belle Isle Nature Zoo, the James Scott Memorial Fountain and more attractions popular with all ages and interests. The park includes three lakes, 150 acres of wooded area and spectacular views of the Detroit and Windsor skyline. Rentals available for: Watercraft, Bike, Snow Sports. Food and ice sales available. Recreation passport is required for entry. Please check website for hours for each attraction.

Detroit Institute of Arts: 

5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202-4094.  Considered to house one of the best art collections in the United States, the DIA showcases everything from mummies to modern art and African masks to paintings by Monet in its outstanding collection of over 65,000 pieces of art. Don’t miss the General Motors Center for African American Art, a part of the DIA that showcases 400 pieces in various media by African American artists.

Detroit Historical Museum:

5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202-4097. The Motor City Exhibition, where visitors see how a Cadillac is assembled, is just one of the many interesting displays at this museum dedicated to telling the story of Detroit.

Motown Museum: 

2648 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48208-1237.  “This old Detroit home belies the greatness that was born here: the Motown Sound.  But one step inside Hitsville, USA, the original house where Berry Gordy lived and recorded the Motown hits, and you’ll catch the beat and spirit of this booming music era.  Photos, costumes, artwork, music and other memorabilia take you back to simpler times.”

Greenfield Village: 

https://www.thehenryford.org/. 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124‑5029.  Phone: (313) 982-6001. Greenfield Village features seven historic districts on over 80 acres. The Working Farms district depicts 19th century America with livestock, vegetable gardens, and living history presentations. The Liberty Craftworks district features skilled artisans who practice authentic period crafts and trades. The Edison at Work district allows you to see the Menlo Park complex where Thomas Edison’s inventions, like the incandescent lightbulb, were created.

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit:

4454 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 (313) 832-6622. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is a non-collecting contemporary art museum that is housed in a 22,000-square-foot building, a converted former auto dealership designed by Albert Kahn, the architect of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Fisher Building, the Cadillac Place (where the Michigan Court of Appeals has offices and courtrooms), the Times Square Building in New York City, and many other notable structures. 

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: 

315 E Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48201-1443.  Museum serves to document, preserve and educate the public on the history, life and culture of African Americans.

Ford Rouge Factory Tour: 

20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124.  Phone (313) 982-6001.  Experience the past, present and future of American automotive manufacturing at the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant: 

461 Piquette St, Detroit, MI 48202-3547.  “Experience the Original Model T Factory Visiting the Piquette Avenue Ford Plant is a unique experience-it’s the oldest auto plant open to the public anywhere in the world. Almost unchanged since Henry Ford’s day, the plant is a three-story New England-style mill building. Each floor is divided into sections by the original metal fire doors, complete with the shadows of Henry Ford’s “Positively NO Smoking” stencils. The old plank floors are worn from the 12,000 Model Ts built on them, so wear appropriate shoes for your visit. The plant is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a designated National Historic Landmark and a Michigan State Historic Site. Walk the worn wood floors and touch the brick walls where Henry Ford and his team of automotive pioneers developed the car that led to an automotive and social revolution. See Henry Ford’s office as it was in 1908 when he was on the cusp of fame. And learn why it still matters today. See a selection of rare Detroit-built cars from the first decade of the 20th century and learn their fates.”

Stahls Auto Collection: 

56516 North Bay Dr. Chesterfield, MI 48051. Phone: 586-749-1078.  This private collection of Detroit native Ted Stahl contains over 90 cars (mostly American made) in a 45,000 square foot garage.  The collection is open to the public at no charge on Tuesday afternoons and the first Saturday of each month. 

Detroit Zoo: 

8450 W 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067  Phone: (248) 541-5717. The Detroit Zoo is home to more than 2,600 animals representing 245 species–from aardvarks to zebras–on 125 acres. Known as being the first zoo in the United States to feature bar-less habitats, the Detroit Zoo is an internationally recognized leader in animal welfare, conservation and sustainability. Naturalistic habitats include the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation Red Panda forest, the Devereaux Tiger Forest, the Arctic Ring of Life, the Australian Outback Adventure, and the Great Apes of Harambee. The zoo is open 9 AM – 5 PM and tickets cost $20 for children and seniors and $25 for adults at the gate (a few dollars less if purchased online in advance).

Eastern Market:  

2934 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207-4826.  In 2022, open on Tuesdays, 9 AM – 3 PM, and Sundays, 10 AM – 4 PM. “We shepherd Eastern Market’s rich history to nourish a healthier, wealthier, and happier Detroit. Since it began in the 1800s, Eastern Market has gradually become a cornerstone, nourishing its residents by providing fresh and nutritious food throughout Southeastern Michigan. In more recent years, Eastern Market Partnership has built an infrastructure around the market to support our unwavering mission to enrich Detroit–nutritionally, culturally and economically. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, our goal is to maintain Eastern Market’s: * Authenticity * Development Equity * Connectivity * Density * Diversity.”

Underground Railroad Tour: 

“The Underground Railroad Living Museum Flight to Freedom Tour is a ‘storytelling’ re-enactment of the original Underground Railroad passage that operated between 1840 and 1863.  On the tour visitors will be shackled with wrist bands at the entrance of the tour and begin their journey by entering through the ‘Door of No Return,’ on Goree Island in Africa. As this journey begins, visitors transform into passengers on the Underground Railroad and are led to Freedom by a conductor. Passengers hide from bounty hunters, cross the Ohio ‘Deep’ river, take retreat in a safe house in Indiana which is owned by Abolitionist Levi Coffin. Finally, passengers move to ‘Midnight,’ the code name for Detroit and take safe haven at the First Congregational Church of Detroit before moving on to Canada and ‘Freedom.’” The tour is available by reservation only, Tuesday through Saturday at 11 AM (arrive by 10:30 AM). Tickets are $12 for children and seniors and $15 for adults.

Pewabic Pottery: 

10125 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48214-3138. Pewabic is a National Historic Landmark pottery located in Detroit, Michigan. The pottery is housed in a Tudor Revival style building designed by architect William Buck Stratton and built in 1903. Pewabic is nationally known for its iridescent glazes, architectural tile designs and ceramic giftware. Pewabic operates as a non-profit dedicated to enriching the human spirit with clay.

Motawi Tileworks: 

170 Enterprise Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 4810. Motawi Tileworks makes handcrafted ceramic tile as art pieces and for residential and commercial installations. Nawal Motawi. the owner and artistic director of the Tileworks began creating historically inspired tile in her garage and selling it at the local farmers market more than 30 years ago. Demand for her work grew and, in 1992, Motawi formed the Tileworks, which came to specialize in Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts, and Midcentury Modern aesthetics. In addition to its own unique designs, the Tileworks is licensed to produce tiles based on the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Charley Harper. Motawi art tiles are sold in more than 300 locations in the U.S. and Canada, and Motawi tile installations grace homes and public spaces worldwide.

Comerica Park: 

2100 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201-3470.  “Home of the Detroit Tigers, this is no ordinary ballpark. Combination theme park, ballpark, and baseball museum, it features huge statues of tigers, a Ferris wheel, carousel (with tigers, of course) and a fountain that celebrates each home run with colored lights and music.”  Unfortunately, the Tigers are playing away-games during the NCACC conference dates but there are home games against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, August 4th (6:40 PM) and Saturday, August 5th (1:10 PM).

Candlelight Concerts:

Enjoy a number of concerts illuminated by candlelight and performed by live musicians in some of the most iconic venues in Detroit and nearby suburbs. During the NCACC conference dates, the concerts include “A Tribute to Queen and More” and “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & More” (both at the Sanctuary Church in Birmingham), and “The Best of Hans Zimmer” at the Redford Theatre in Detroit.

Something a Bit Different

John K. King Used & Rare Books: 

901 W. Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226.  Phone: (313) 961-0622. Open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM.  This bookstore has an estimated one million books in stock, with a large collection of rare and used titles.  Salon magazine described the book store as having “one of the largest and strangest collections in North America.” 

Third Man Records:

441 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201 (313) 209-5205. If you’re an aficionado of vinyl records, this is a must-see destination. Third Man Records is the record label established by Detroit native and musician, Jack White, of the White Stripes. Third Man Records Cass Corridor is a record store, novelties lounge, in-store performance stage, record booth, and vinyl record pressing plant. Through viewing windows, you can observe the record pressing process.

The Anatomy of Death Museum:

292 Cass Ave, Mount Clemens, MI 48043. Open noon – 8 PM, Tuesday thru Sunday.  $10 age 16 and older; $7 age 15 and younger.  “A place dedicated to the dead and the tools used to usher them into the afterlife.  The Anatomy of Death Museum features over 30 real human medical skulls and skeletons on display among many antique funeral and death related items.”

Choco Town Detroit

Oakland Mall, 412 W. 14 Mile Road, Troy, MI 48083.  “Immerse yourself in a chocolate city that will engage your five senses. Use your taste, touch, sight, and smell, and let your imagination loose as you interact freely with everything in the space. Taste a selection of mouth watering treats, learn all about the fascinating world of chocolate, and even discover your very own chocolate personality through a series of fun and interactive taste challenges!”

Heidelberg Project

3600 Block of Heidelberg, Detroit, MI 48207.  “Started in 1986, [Tree] Guyton’s Heidelberg Project was his attempt to reclaim an area that had become so run-down and unsafe that people were afraid to walk through the area, even during the day time. Using paint, refuse from the neighborhood, and a small army of local kids, Guyton began transforming abandoned houses into massive works of art.”

“It has been a difficult road. Despite the project’s having been featured everywhere from Oprah to the Today Show and considered a Detroit landmark, it was twice demolished by the city, in 1991 and 1999. Guyton, however, was undaunted and simply began anew each time. Eventually, the Wayne County Circuit Court ruled that the Heidelberg Project was protected under the First Amendment.”

“The project occupies the entire block and is made up of more than 20 individual art projects. Among the most significant are the ‘Dotty Wotty House,’ ‘Noah’s Ark,’ and ‘Faces in the Hood,’ portraits painted on car hoods set into the ground. Today, the project is known throughout the world and receives over 200,000 visitors a year. It was even elected to represent the United States in the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale.”