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THE FORD HOMES HISTORIC DISTRICT


In 1919, the Dearborn Realty and Construction Company was incorporated and it purchased 312 lots in what is now known as the Ford Homes Historic District. These homes were built partly as an effort to solve the housing problem that faced the workers at the local Henry Ford and Son Tractor Plant. By October 1919, the first 94 homes were built on Park and Nona and were sold even before their construction was completed. While as many as 400 total homes were initially planned, 250 houses were actually built in the District. The Ford Homes District was the first planned subdivision in west Dearborn.

Using Henry Ford's suggestions, the homes were to be suitable in size to comfortably accommodate an average size family and constructed of the highest quality materials available. They were originally designed as three-bedroom homes, in six basic colonial styles, designated as Models A, B, C, D, E and F. One additional variation - Model G - was the only four-bedroom model. Built later to replace Model D, only 13 of these homes were constructed. Although all the homes have common design elements, such as asymmetrical balance, a sensitivity to proportion, and decorative detailing, it was Henry Ford's intent to create houses that were varied in appearance. For instance, the Ford Homes were not placed at even distances from the streets, but were staggered and no two like designs were placed close to each other.

There are a number of distinctive architectural features that add to the historic significance of the Ford Homes. The entrance is the most important element and it is the focal point of the façade's composition. Many homes have a decorative door pediment, curved or peaked, and it is probably the single most identifying characteristic of the Ford Home. Others have a porch combined into the entranceway. The placement and proportion of the windows were designed to serve as a unifying element throughout the District. Another identifiable feature is the porch, originally built for the enjoyment of summer weather. Most home also have a central fireplace.

All of the windows, doors, fixtures, plumbing, and heating were standardized in the Ford Homes. The lumber for the project was bought in large quantities and shipped via railroad to the project site. It was then taken to the planing mill at the site and all of the wood parts were cut to standard sizes for all of the homes, much like the techniques pioneered by Henry Ford of installing inter-changeable parts in his automobile. The piping for plumbing fixtures and ductwork for the heating systems were handled in the same way. All of the materials used to build the Ford Homes were moved to the building sites on Park and Nona on narrow gauge railway cars pulled by horses.

The Ford Homes were built by assembly line techniques similar to those developed by Henry Ford for the auto industry. Each crew had it's own specialty. One crew would start by digging the basement with Ford tractors. When it was done, a second crew came in and built the foundation. A third crew built the outside frame, another crew finished the interior and still another crew finished the exterior and added landscaping. These principles are used daily in homebuilding today, but in 1919 and 1920, these were radical departures from the accepted practice of single crew construction.

All services including electrical and telephone were to be rendered from the alleys and a so-called "boulevard" lighting system was installed. In this new system, the wiring was run underground to poles that stood by the curb so that unsightly wires would not be seen in front yards.

The purchase of a Ford Home was unique in that they buyer dealt solely with Dearborn Realty and Construction Company. No banks were involved. The buyer paid monthly payments to Dearborn Realty, which included fire insurance on each house. Contrary to today's building practices, buyers were not allowed to choose their lot, as the models were assigned to each lot before they were built. The contract also featured a strict provision that once a house was purchased it could not be sold again by the purchaser for at least seven years. The company retained the right to repurchase a home within the first seven years if the buyer was deemed an undesirable occupant. The option was reportedly only exercised once. It seems a Gregory resident's basement home winemaking operation brought complaints from neighbors. Dearborn Realty purchased the home back from the owner.

Building in the Ford Homes District ended when, by February 1921, machinery and work force from the Henry Ford and Son Tractor Plant, then located at the present Oakwood and the Conrail railroad tracks, was moved to the Rouge Plant. Commuting from the Ford Homes to the Rouge Plant, at that time, proved to be difficult and, as there were few other jobs in the immediate area, the demand for Ford Homes came to an end.

In 1979, the original blocks of Ford Homes were declared a Historic District by the City of Dearborn. These streets are now included in the Dearborn Historical Museum tours of historic sites in Dearborn. Today, residents of the area take great pride in living in this thriving District. With the guidance and support of the District, many have restored their homes and are committed to preserving the historical character and integrity of their Ford Home.







Based on Beyond the Model T - The Other Ventures of Henry Ford by Ford R. Bryan, the Preservation Guidelines for the Ford Homes Historic District, and an article written by Joseph Oldenburg and published in the spring 1980 issue of the Dearborn Historian. The article in its entirety can be found on our district website, www.fordhomes.org.
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