Village Industries

NORTHVILLIANS,

You may remember from a couple weeks back, we spoke about the Vagabonds group (Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, John Burroughs) and their trips to Northville. Henry brought them to our town to see his first Village Industries workshop where he built all the valves for his Ford engines along the riverbanks.

Hydro-electric plants on this waterway from Northville to Dearborn were called “Village Industry Workshops,” which is today’s history topic. Most of these started as gristmills in the late 1800’s and were purchased by Ford in the 1920’s. The Northville Plant was the first in operation in 1920. The last of these Village Industry locations finished production in the 1980’s.

Let’s look at some of Henry Ford’s Village Industry activities along the Rouge River. 

(Info from The Northville Record, personal resources and The Henry Ford Museum archives.)

THE BEGINNING: Ford started 20 village industry operations between 1919-1944. The purchase of old mills was part of his vision of community-oriented workplaces. Ford’s hydroelectric-driven factories were thought to have been encouraged by Thomas Edison (who he worked for at one time). 
The Centennial Edition of The Northville Record (1969) reported on Ford’s Hydroelectric plants from Northville to Dearborn.  Some excerpts are from this publication.

The Northville Valve Plant (in Town):

• The original building bought by Henry Ford was a mill built around 1825 by the Yerkes Family (the first building in Northville).
• In 1896, a wood-working shop operated by the Dubuar Manufacturing Company was built in this area and produced wheelbarrows, pulley blocks and other wood products.
• In 1919, Henry bought the location.  Valve-making machinery for the Fordson Tractor and Model T were brought to Northville for use in the plant.
• By 1936, a more modern plant was needed, and an Albert Kahn-designed plant was built. The plant was closed in the 1980’s.
• Over the years, hundreds of millions of valves were produced here.
• Output: The plant started with Model T and Fordson tractor valves and eventually produced ALL valves for Ford engines. Pratt & Whitney aircraft engine parts were produced there in WWII. The Valve Plant was the 1st to open and last to close.

 Northville’s Waterford – Meads Mill – Plant (Northville Road and 6 Mile)

• The Plant opened in 1925 and closed in ‘54.
• This area was originally the village of Waterford, with the Meads brothers’ Mill in the center of the community (thus, Meads Mill Middle School).
• Output: Johansson precision inspection gauges & drills. Each employee (210) was a skilled craftsman. As a result, the plant did not use inspectors.

Phoenix Mill (Northville Road and 5 Mile – recently renovated)

• Henry Ford purchased this property in 1920, opened it for production in ’22 and closed it in 1947. Wayne County DPW was the last tenant of the building.
• Earlier, it had been the site of the Phoenix gristmill built around 1840 and later hosted the Matthews Distillery. Both had burned down. 
• Ford constructed the new building in 1922. The plant was unique in that its work force was all women (a precursor to the Rosie the Riveter days during WWII).
• Output: Generator parts and during WWII, artillery parts.

Wilcox Mill (Northville Road & Hines Drive Area – negotiations to restore are underway)

• After purchasing the original Wilcox gristmill, Henry razed the dilapidated structure and constructed a new building in 1923.  It was closed in ‘47.
• The facility initially produced generators and later on, taps (a tool used for forming internal screw threads). For a time, 95% of Ford Motor Company’s taps worldwide were produced here.
• Output: Generator parts until 1924, then taps. During WWII taps for government vehicles and parts for Pratt-Whitney engines.

Nankin Mills (Hines Drive and Ann Arbor Trail)

• The Mill is on the river in Westland on Ann Arbor Trail & the Parkway.  It dates back to 1842 when it was once a grist mill.
• It was operational as one of Ford’s Village Industries from 1921 to 1947.
• Output: Machined screws and later engraving operations (during WWII, it was dies, fixtures & badges).

As you can see, Henry Ford & his Village Industry operations were a big part of the local economy and why Northville was one of the top economic areas in Michigan!

Slow down and take a trip starting from the Mill Race Village at Ford Field, drive all the way down Hines Drive to Dearborn, ending at The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. A ton of history can be found in that one short scenic ride.

Keep that Village Industries Northville Historic 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.)

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