Table Of Content
Here they kept their family safe and surrounded themselves with art and nature. The estate was their home, where the couple raised their children — Henry II, Benson, Josephine, and William Clay — entertained friends and enjoyed hobbies. Around every corner, you can discover world-class art and design pieces collected by art-lovers Edsel and Eleanor. They displayed paintings by Vincent Van Gogh and Diego Rivera – a personal friend of Edsel – classic European portraiture, modern-style sculptures, and ancient Asian and African artifacts.
Letters to the Editor: Slow, electrified cars that don’t kill anyone? Autopia should be everywhere
Long the butt of jokes, Ford Motor Co.’s paean to 1950s automotive excess has staged a Donald Trump-like comeback to become a sought-after prize among car collectors. And it’s not just because the car was such a colossal failure that it became a synonym for, well, colossal failures. “Throughout her life, my aunt embodied the spirit of giving and family loyalty,” said Bill Ford, chairman of Ford and Josephine’s nephew, who announced her death to employees in an e-mail. Josephine Clay Ford, a leading philanthropist who was the only granddaughter of automotive pioneer Henry Ford, died Wednesday in Detroit.
Premium Tour Includes Attic and Basement of Ford House
They asked him to design a house that would resemble the cottages they saw in the Cotswold countryside. Construction began in 1926 on a house with sandstone exterior walls and a traditional slate roof. For two years post-construction, the house was fitted with fireplaces from English manor houses and antique wood paneling. The home became the family’s residence in 1929, where the Fords’ children, Henry II, Benson, Josephine and William, were raised.
Group Tours at Ford House
Their 1916 wedding united two of Detroit's most important clans. Beginning with the wildly successful Model A, Edsel Ford revolutionized the American automobile industry, creating cars that captured the spirit of their era—dream machines in streamlined shapes and dashing colors. Even Diego Rivera, brought to the city by Ford to paint the famous Detroit Industry murals, was surprised by the passion and open-mindedness of his sponsor, who, he observed, "was quite lacking the characteristics of an exploiting capitalist." The house was designed by Albert Kahn to resemble a cluster of Cotswold village cottages, complete with stone roofs, vine-covered walls and lead-paned windows. Strolling through the thoughtfully decorated halls, visitors come face-to-face with a stunningly diverse collection of art, antiques and furniture that reveal the Fords' progressive and educated tastes in art and design.
The waterfront location accommodated Edsel’s interest in boats, a fashionable hobby among Detroit’s elite which Edsel could also enjoy at his family’s vacation homes in Seal Harbor, Maine, and Palm Beach, Florida. Edsel shared that interest in boats with Gregorie, who had first worked as a yacht designer before stints at coachbuilder Brewster & Company and at Harley Earl’s Art & Colour studio at General Motors. In 1935, Edsel promoted Gregorie to become Ford’s first styling chief, leading a small team of designers. The first phase includes an initial $490,000 award to begin engineering and design work, with implementation expected between months after the engineering and design phase. Karr said the concrete will be removed and plans will determine what should be in its place, such as boulders or rocks or fallen trees that are part of nature, and what's best for wildlife, such as turtles, fish and geese.
Karr said on the other side of Bird Island, the entire stretch of shoreline attached to the property will be restored and enhanced. Bird Island is an island created from a sandbar in the lake. It offers protection to migrating birds and is ideal for wildflowers and many species of birds, according to the Ford House website. The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is getting up to $7 million in federal grant money to restore the natural habitats of Ford Cove and nearly 1 mile of Lake St. Clair shoreline.
For William on his 21st birthday the family enlisted a company which built a full size replica pirate ship on the lagoon as a party showpiece. The party was held outside just off the Apple Patio and featured live acts including Frank Sinatra. Those receiving SNAP benefits receive reduced admission at hundreds of museums across the country, including $3 self-guided tours at Ford House. Your grounds pass lets you roam through the grounds and gardens of the historic estate.
Edsel apparently favored shades of gray; the new speedster was finished in Pearl Essence Gunmetal dark gray that looks green in some lighting. The interior had custom gray-leather bucket seats and an elegant engine-turned aluminum dashboard. Straight exhausts exited the car at the rear, passing through a section of the frame on their way there.
The Visitor Center
A couple more, that have significance to our family, are the Dearborn Country Club Clubhouse, and caddy shack. Both built in 1923, Matt worked here while in college for several years. Prior to designing Edsel and Eleanor’s home, Kahn had done lots of work for the Fords, including the Ford Motor Company River Rouge Complex in 1917. This complex is still in use today, and tours are available through The Henry Ford.
Ford House receives 2023 Cultural Landscape Award from Michigan Historic Preservation Networks - The Macomb Daily
Ford House receives 2023 Cultural Landscape Award from Michigan Historic Preservation Networks.
Posted: Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
As an optimist, the name is perfect as we share the ways we find happy living in Florida, visiting breweries, spending time with our adult children, and getting away on some couples trips. As previous residents of Michigan, we still spend lots of time each year visiting our family up there, along with new and favorite places. My hope is to encourage others to spend time exploring this beautiful world, and finding happy in unexpected places. Of all the historic houses I’ve toured, this has by far been my favorite. Maybe it’s the connection to the automobile industry growing up in the Detroit area.
The naturalistic grounds of the estate on Lake St. Clair include a power house, a gatehouse with two apartments and an eight car garage, a recreation or pool house, and a completely fitted child’s playhouse. The estate includes the historic residence and outbuildings, 87 acres of ground and gardens, and a new Visitor Center with exhibits, dining, shopping, and special event spaces. Ford House is open year-round for grounds walks, tours, educational programs, special events, private rentals, dining, shopping, and more.
Design, planning begins for Ford Cove project along Lake St. Clair - The Macomb Daily
Design, planning begins for Ford Cove project along Lake St. Clair.
Posted: Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Edsel would occasionally drive the ’32 Speedster from his home to work in Dearborn, eventually fitting it with an updated 221-cubic-inch flathead Ford V-8 engine for better performance. Back then, before expressways, the drive would have taken at least an hour, so Edsel must have liked the car. This was a little more than two years after the 1929 stock market crash that set off the Great Depression. Lincoln’s Detroit plant was mostly idle, and production of the Ford Trimotor airplane was winding down. Gregorie was able to use Lincoln to build much of the Speedster, crediting plant manager Robbie Robinson with much of the work on the chassis. The body was hand shaped of aluminum by craftsmen at the aircraft division.
Navy, bought it at a used car lot in Pensacola for $603 and drove it to his home in Deland, Florida. Pallasch drove it for a couple of years before taking it apart in preparation of rebuilding the engine, but he then shipped out to Vietnam, leaving the car in pieces. By the time Pallasch returned stateside in the late ’60s the engine had seized up. The car then remained disassembled and in storage for almost four decades. For the first time ever, Edsel’s cars have come home, and you can see them in their native environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment