Piquette plant to give public view of Ford's early days - Ford Forums

Stacy94PGT · 06-02-2003, 06:46

Monday, June 2, 2003

By John McCormick / Autos Insider
Carlos Osorio / Associated Press

Easily missed in this month's wave of high profile celebrations devoted to Ford Motor Co.'s centennial is one event that sheds intriguing light on the early days of company founder, Henry Ford.

On June 14 the historic and rarely seen Ford Piquette plant - recognized as the birthplace of the Model T - will be open to the public. Built in 1904, the three-story plant is located at the corner of Piquette Avenue and Beaubien in an area that used to be the outskirts of Detroit and is now not far from Wayne State University.

There are a number of intriguing aspects to the Piquette plant. At the time of its construction it was the first piece of commercial real estate owned by Ford, then very much in its start-up phase. The company sold the property to Studebaker and later it became used for light-duty warehousing. Its place in automotive history was all but forgotten until a group of preservationists bought the factory in 1997. Since then the non-profit group, known as the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex, has worked hard to renovate the neglected structure.

Somewhat surprisingly, Ford today has no formal connection to the building, although according to Heritage Complex chairman, Steven Rossi, the automaker is lending its support to restoration efforts, and a "longer term relationship is in prospect."

A tour of the Piquette plant, especially the third floor, is like stepping back in time. More through luck than design, the original interior, including the walls, floors, paint and Victorian signage remain just as they were when Henry Ford worked in the building, conceiving the Model T and his ideas for the moving assembly line. "The original patina is still there," says Rossi. "It's like a time capsule."

Historical details of the plant will be revealed by tour guides on the upcoming open day and there will be a display of Piquette-built cars including the early Ford models F, K, N, R, S and T. These will be joined by other early Detroit-made autos such as Brush, Cadillac, EMF, Flanders, curved-dash Olds, Wayne and Willis Sainte Claire. Even for those with a marginal interest in early automobiles, the building itself is worth a visit because in many ways it represents the birth of Motown.

Looking to the future, Rossi says the goal is to turn the plant into a useful resource for Detroit, an educational center where visitors can learn about the beginnings of the automotive industry. "We want to have people come in and do things like working on a Model T," explains Rossi. "We hope to set up evening classes here for people who want to learn the history of the automobile."

In short, Piquette is a must-see for anyone eager to see how Detroit put the world on wheels.

(Photo)A Lincoln Navigator drives in front of the three-story white brick factory on Piquette Street in Detroit. From late 1904 to 1910 it was the home of Ford Motor Co. and the birthplace of the Model T.

Stacy94PGT · 06-02-2003, 06:50

About the Piquette Plant

Some details about the former Ford Motor Co. Piquette Plant:

Designed by Field, Hinchman & Smith, a predecessor of architectural, engineering and planning firm SmithGroup Inc., the three-story, 66,000-square-foot plant was built in 1904.
Housed Ford's business offices and manufacturing operations starting in late 1904, and the Model T was planned and designed in a walled-off corner of the third floor.
About 12,000 Model Ts were built there between 1908 and 1910, when production was shifted to a bigger complex in Highland Park, a small city surrounded by Detroit.
After Ford moved, the building passed through several owners including Studebaker, which used the building in auto production until the 1920s. Much of it was later used for storage space.
Bought by preservationists in 2000, the building has been cleared of garbage, cleaned and repaired. The first floor is leased to business, including an industrial dry-cleaning company.
Source: Motel T Automotive Heritage Complex Inc.

(Photo)Clara Ford, right, drives a 1905 Model N with Merle Clarkson in front of the Piquette Street plant in 1905.

Stacy94PGT · 06-02-2003, 06:51

Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village

Ford Model N chassis are shown at the Piquette Street plant in this 1906 photo.