02-22-06: Quietly standing in a decaying corner of inner-city Detroit, the birth-place of the Model T has survived. On the north-west corner of Baubien and Piquette Avenues the building has been officially named a National Historic Landmark by Interior Secretary Gale Norton. The Ford Piquette plant was built in 1904, a 66,000 square foot brick building that housed Ford’s offices and assembly until 1910. During 1907, in a third-floor room at the northwest corner of building, Henry Ford and a small team of engineers developed the Model T, the car that would change the world. In the coming years over 12,000 Model T’s were produced until the company moved north to Highland Park. There on Woodward Avenue, history was made again with the assembly line - but that’s another story

The Piquette plan has survived many near misses in history including the wrecking ball as well as a major fire that consumed the neighboring Studebaker and E-F-J buildings in June of 2005.

The building is one of the last relatively healthy structures in the Detroit neighborhood known as Milwaukee Junction. The cluster of blocks just off Woodward Avenue and north of the I-94 freeway was home to the Ford and Studebaker factories as well as a host of other small auto builders. Later GM built its then world class Fisher 21 factory a couple blocks away which today is in ruins itself, along with most of the neighborhood.

The good news is that the Ford Piquette plant has been under the ownership of a foundation known as Model T Automotive Heritage Complex since 2000. They have the mission of preserving and protecting the site. Tours are held at the site regularly to inform and educate the public about the building’s history.

The third floor looks much like it did in the days Henry Ford designed the Model T there.

The Model T Automotive Heritage Complex organization was founded by Jerald Mitchell who himself lives the Edison Avenue home once owned by Henry and Clara Ford. Mitchell and his organization have plans to restore the building using donations through their organization as well as grants from the state of Michigan. The naming of the Piquette plant as a National Historic Landmark, adds another layer of protection and preservation that will help the group in their goals.

More information: ►Model T Automotive Heritage Complex Website