Piquette Plant
Encyclopedia
The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is located at 411 Piquette Avenue in Detroit, Michigan
, within the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
. It was the second home of Ford Motor Company
automobile production. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2002, designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 2003, and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
. The Detroit architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman, and Fields designed the building, which is three stories tall, 56 feet wide, and 402 feet long. The structure served the new firm for only a few years, yet it played a most important role in realizing Henry Ford's dream of an affordable car for the masses.
During the time Ford occupied the Piquette Avenue plant (1904-1910), the company assembled Ford Models B, C, F, N, R, S, and T there. In many ways, the Ford Model N was a precursor to the Model T in that it was an inexpensive, reliable, and innovative automobile. Ford first used vanadium steel extensively in the Model N.
During 1907, in a room at the northwest corner of the third floor of the "Piquette Plant", Henry Ford and a small team of dedicated engineers and draftsmen developed the Model T
, the car that would change the world. Records at Dearborn show that much of the design and experimental work was done by Joseph Galamb, C. Harold Wills, Harry Love, C.J. Smith, Gus Degener and Peter E. Martin
. Plans for what became the "Car of the Century
" were announced in the spring of 1908.
The first production Model T was built at Piquette on September 27, 1908. Peter E. Martin
was plant superintendent and production manager, Charles E. Sorensen
was Martin's assistant and handled production development. Only 11 cars were built there the following month. However, demand quickly grew, and it soon became apparent that the facility could no longer keep up with increasing output.
In January 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts at the Piquette Avenue plant, Henry Ford moved production to his new Highland Park
, Michigan complex. There, he introduced the moving assembly line in 1913-1914 and would eventually produce 15 million Model T Fords.
, who had recently acquired the E-M-F Company
, located one block west on Piquette. Studebaker used the building for automobile production until 1933. The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company occupied the building from 1936 until 1968, when the Cadillac Overall Company purchased it. Heritage Investment Company purchased the building in 1989 and then sold it in 2000 to a non-profit organization known as the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex, which has operated the building as a museum since 2000. The plant was spared disaster in June 2005 when the Studebaker / E-M-F plant next door burned to the ground.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, within the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
The Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District is a historic district located along Piquette Street in Detroit, Michigan, from Woodward Avenue on the west to Hastings Street on the east. The district extends approximately one block south of Piquette to Harper, and one block north to the Grand...
. It was the second home of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
automobile production. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2002, designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 2003, and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
History
In May 1904, after less than one year in operation, the board of the Ford Motor Company approved construction of a New England mill-style building, on a lot at the corner of Piquette and Beaubien Streets in DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The Detroit architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman, and Fields designed the building, which is three stories tall, 56 feet wide, and 402 feet long. The structure served the new firm for only a few years, yet it played a most important role in realizing Henry Ford's dream of an affordable car for the masses.
During the time Ford occupied the Piquette Avenue plant (1904-1910), the company assembled Ford Models B, C, F, N, R, S, and T there. In many ways, the Ford Model N was a precursor to the Model T in that it was an inexpensive, reliable, and innovative automobile. Ford first used vanadium steel extensively in the Model N.
During 1907, in a room at the northwest corner of the third floor of the "Piquette Plant", Henry Ford and a small team of dedicated engineers and draftsmen developed the Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
, the car that would change the world. Records at Dearborn show that much of the design and experimental work was done by Joseph Galamb, C. Harold Wills, Harry Love, C.J. Smith, Gus Degener and Peter E. Martin
Peter E. Martin
Peter Edmund Martin was a leading early production executive of the Ford Motor Company....
. Plans for what became the "Car of the Century
Car of the Century
The Car of the Century was an international award given to the world's most influential car of the 20th century. The election process was overseen by the Global Automotive Elections Foundation...
" were announced in the spring of 1908.
The first production Model T was built at Piquette on September 27, 1908. Peter E. Martin
Peter E. Martin
Peter Edmund Martin was a leading early production executive of the Ford Motor Company....
was plant superintendent and production manager, Charles E. Sorensen
Charles E. Sorensen
Charles Emil Sorensen was a Danish-American principal of the Ford Motor Company during its first four decades. Like most other managers at Ford during those decades, he did not have an official job title, but he served functionally as a patternmaker, foundry engineer, mechanical engineer,...
was Martin's assistant and handled production development. Only 11 cars were built there the following month. However, demand quickly grew, and it soon became apparent that the facility could no longer keep up with increasing output.
In January 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts at the Piquette Avenue plant, Henry Ford moved production to his new Highland Park
Highland Park Ford Plant
The Highland Park Ford Plant is a former factory located in Highland Park, Michigan at 91 Manchester Avenue . The second production facility for the Model T automobile, it became a National Historic Landmark in 1978.-Description:...
, Michigan complex. There, he introduced the moving assembly line in 1913-1914 and would eventually produce 15 million Model T Fords.
Model T Automotive Heritage Complex
The Piquette Plant was sold in 1910 to StudebakerStudebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
, who had recently acquired the E-M-F Company
E-M-F Company
The E-M-F Company was an early American automobile manufacturer that produced automobiles from 1909 to 1912. The name E-M-F was gleaned from the initials of the three company founders: Barney Everitt , William Metzger , and Walter Flanders .- Everitt...
, located one block west on Piquette. Studebaker used the building for automobile production until 1933. The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company occupied the building from 1936 until 1968, when the Cadillac Overall Company purchased it. Heritage Investment Company purchased the building in 1989 and then sold it in 2000 to a non-profit organization known as the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex, which has operated the building as a museum since 2000. The plant was spared disaster in June 2005 when the Studebaker / E-M-F plant next door burned to the ground.