1900s Dreams

NORTHVILLIANS,

This week as we get ready for the Holidays, we’ll see how Northville embraced the “Industrial Revolution” as it migrated from a milling town to an industrial power at the turn of the century (1900).  The “Northville Dreams” series (which started last week and spans the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries), is intended to help you witness how this town emerged into what it is today. 

Northville Dreams

I hope you enjoyed last week’s look back on what made our city special in the 1800’s. This week, we’ll transition to the 1900’s and the “Industrial Revolution” that was happening in the Ville. I believe we have to know our legacy to plot our trajectory for the future.  So let’s take a look at some past high points:

• The gristmills in the early & mid-1800’s spurred the initial growth of Northville, which had the advantage of being located on the headwaters for the entire territory. These were the first mills in Southeastern Michigan.

• As the industrial revolution started to gain steam in the Ville with our natural resources and hydraulic river power, manufacturing in Northville was often only out-produced by Detroit.
   
• The Stimpson Scale and Manufacturing facility was a supplier to Sears and others, producing scales and other products.  Additionally, Northville had the largest furniture factory in North America producing school and church furniture (Globe).
   
• Cobblers, coopers, and carriage makers, along with lumbering and milling operations in town, were transitioning into production of goods with the assistance of heavy machinery run by our rivers, as well as by this newfound convenience called “electricity”.  
   
• In 1882 Edison built the world’s first power plant.  It took until the 1920’s for electricity to reach nearly 50% of our households. In 1893 at the Chicago World’s Fair, electricity lit up the event…the focus was on the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy.
   
• Henry Ford was a supporter & friend of Edison, and local storytellers say he brought Edison to Northville on occasion to witness our local Industrial Revolution and to help design the future.
   
• Our town became a center for Michigan’s industrial growth with products such as Bells, Scales, machine parts, and all of Ford’s car valves (Model-T to T-Birds). Planes from Stinson (Piper Cub), which are displayed at the Smithsonian and Henry Ford Museum, were produced in Northville as well as many other items.
   
• Areas that were originally established through the use of manual labor, horses and hydraulic power were converted to electricity.  In fact, one of the original electrical generators was at the Globe Furniture Factory in Bealtown. It still exists today as the DTE Sub Station there.
   
• In the early days, most folks ventured to the Ville via stagecoaches, trolleys, and trains. After the start of the 20^th century, personal cars and trucks became the preferred transportation mode.

Keep that Northville Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

Click the following link to subscribe to this weekly newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/5a31f2ec1a6e/turnbullformayor