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Ford Piquette Avenue Plant

The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is the birthplace of the Model T, making it one of the most significant historic automotive sites in the world. It is the oldest auto plant open to the public in the United States.

It is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and is not affiliated with the Ford Motor Company. It is dedicated to the preservation of the birthplace of the Model T and the interpretation and celebration of Detroit’s automotive heritage and spirit of innovation. The plant is among the top tourist attractions in Detroit. It draws over 18,000 visitors annually and has attracted tourists from over 80 countries.

The Piquette Plant is a designated National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Place and is a Michigan State Historic Site and designated Detroit Historic District.

Our Story:

Built in 1904, the Piquette Plant was the first factory that was built and owned by the Ford Motor Company. The three story 68,000 square foot New England mill style building is located in Milwaukee Junction, the cradle of Detroit’s early auto industry. While at the Piquette Plant, Ford became the largest manufacturer of automobiles.

You Auto Know:

• 
  The Piquette Plant is recognized as one of the most significant historic automotive sites in the world since it is the birthplace of the Model T. Early automobile models B, C, F, K, N, R, and S were all built at the Piquette Plant. Automobiles were assembled by hand at stations by a team of workers.

• Ford Motor Company became the world’s largest manufacturer of automobiles here at the Piquette Plant, setting the world record for car production when they produced 101 Model N,R, and S’s in ten hours in June of 1908.

• In 1908, after more than a year of secret development, the first Model T drove out the factory’s doors and revolutionized transportation. The inexpensive, light weight and durable Ford Model T became the car that put the world on wheels.

• Many innovations were introduced at the plant related to engineering. Harold Wills, the head engineer and metallurgist, used vanadium steel in frame manufacturing. Edward Spider Huff developed the flywheel magneto for the Model T, eliminating the need for batteries.

• Some of the first women to work in the auto industry fabricated magneto parts at the Piquette Plant. They were referred to as the “Magneto Girls”.

• Demand for the Model T quickly outgrew the factory’s ability to produce them. In 1911, Ford Motor Company relocated to the Highland Park Plant and sold the factory to Studebaker. When production moved over to the Highland Park Plant, automobiles were eventually manufactured on a moving assembly line.

• After many decades, the building fell into disrepair and it looked as though demolition might be inevitable. In 2000, however, a small group of dedicated volunteers, preservationists, and Ford enthusiasts banded together and purchased the building.

Visit Us:

Visitors can see a recreation of Henry Ford’s office as it was in 1908 and stand in the secret experimental room where the Model T was created. Guided tours are available with admission. The museum houses over 50 historic automobiles, a theater where visitors can enjoy an award winning short documentary, and a museum store with unique books, apparel, and other gifts.

Location: The Piquette Plant is located just north of Midtown and is easily accessed by I-94 or I-75. It is three blocks east of Woodward Avenue at 461 Piquette Street Detroit, Michigan.

Hours: April- November: Wednesday - Sunday 10 am- 4 pm

December-March: Friday – Sunday 10 am-4 pm

Guided tours leave at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm.

Admission: Please see our website for most up to date pricing information.

Group Tours: Please see our website for most up to date pricing information. Reservations required.

Accessibility: The museum is handicap accessible.

Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Heritage Days

On April 8, 2018 there will be a special unveiling of this wonderful collection.

Join us for a very special annual meeting as we dedicate the return of the Ford "alphabet" cars to the plant where they were assembled and honor the people who built them.

It's a new chapter for the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant and we want to share it with you. We will have a special reunion for the descendants of the original workers and shareholders of the plant.

Details: Sunday, April 8, 4:30-6:30 pm

Ford Piquette Avenue Plant

461 Piquette, Detroit

Dinner by Slow's BBQ and drinks served by Miss Mixology

Member tickets: $29

Non-member tickets: $34

Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling 313-872-8759 x2 or by visiting:

http://www.fordpiquetteavenueplant.org/register-for-heritage-day/

I will have quite a bit of information abou this collection and early Ford History in the next little while.

Some of the images I will feature will be in this collection and others have been seen a other locations.

I hope you enjoy the presentation and get to see The Porter Collection of "Alphabet Ford" cars during the special event or in the near future at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan.