LORDSTOWN, Ohio - It was 50 years ago Thursday, when the very first Chevy car rolled off the assembly line at the GM plant in Lordstown. The plant was a huge boost economically for the Mahoning Valley and now 5 decades later, the plant is still a driving force in the region.

The plant employs around 4,500 workers and according to Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill, generates a couple million dollars income tax each year. Hill says the Mahoning Valley would be in bad shape if the plant wasn't around.

"They'd be hurting, you know I know everyone says when steel went down we have to keep General Motors here and if you read the blogs or the articles on the internet or in the papers and everything, you know GM has been the maintstay," says Hill. "I can remember back in the 70's, you could be a true journeyman, I mean you could quit here, go to the next place I mean GM been the only constant and we're glad to have them here."

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the plant, General Motors will open its doors to the public for an open house and car show.

The open house will be Friday, May 20th from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Greg Greenwood, who owns several Greenwood Chevrolet dealerships, says people should really try to go to the open house to better understand the impact the plant has on our valley.

"What's really exciting is the investment that General Motors has made into our area and has been so important since the 1960's," says Greenwood. "So this is the 50th anniversary of it, the quantity of cars, the number of people who have worked and retired from there. The affect that they have on the local economy and the fact that it still exists 50 years later, the collaboration and the work that goes on there," he said.

"I never get tired of seeing the plant tour and seeing all the improvements and the things that they're doing but I love working in a marketplace where we still make something," said Greenwood. 

"If you haven't been in the plant, it's remarkeable, all the automation, a lot of people say well that does away with jobs but with automation, everything's perfect and it really is a sight to behold, I mean the paint plant, the assembly plant, people would not believe how alluring it is to watch everything going on in that plant, I mean it's utterly amazing," said Hill.

In order to attend the open house or car show, you have to register. You can do that by stopping by your local Chevrolet dealer and filling out a registration form.