STORY LINE: FORD MOTOR COMPANY … Piquette-100 Years old

It is said that history repeats itself. But it is the building of that history, that only comes once in a lifetime  … it is the memorialization of that history … that repeats itself.

During press week of the 2003 North American International Auto Show, journalists had the  opportunity to visit the Ford Motor Company Piquette Avenue Plant, birthplace of the Model T and Ford Motor Company. Ironically Cadillac also hosted an event the same evening at the Detroit Opera House. Ironically I say, since the Cadillac car came from a dissolved start up attempt by Henry Ford … to build a Ford car.  This year during the month of June, the Ford Motor Company will celebrate it’s Centennial … 100 years of Ford.

The Model T Automotive Heritage Complex incorporates the Piquette Avenue Plant and produces a newsletter aptly called,  “T-PLEX NEWS”. Following are some excerpts of this newsletter, what the preservation organization does and who is behind the saving of this automotive rich history.

BACKGROUND. The threatened Ford Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit, the birthplace of the Model T, and the first building built and owned by the Ford Motor Company was acquired by preservationists in April 2000. Subsequently, deterioration has been halted, plans for adoptive reuse initiated, and the building opened for tours. 

The Piquette Plant Preservation Project was established in 1997. The organization raised money through the auspices of the Henry Ford Heritage Association for the down-payment toward the purchase of the historic building, organized a committee to develop a business plan, conducted an adoptive reuse study, and commissioned an Historic Structure Report/Master Preservation Plan. In less than two years, the Piquette Plant has changed from a threatened and neglected building to a vital site of historic restoration, tourism and auto enthusiasts’ activity.

In April, 2000, The Model T Automotive Heritage Complex, Inc. (T-PLEX) was incorporated and became owner of the building. T-PLEX is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the restoration of the historic Ford Piquette Avenue Plant to its circa 1904-1910 appearance in accordance with Secretary of the Interior Standards, and to the interpretation and celebration of automobile culture in America.

In 2001, T-PLEX coordinated over 150 volunteers in more than 1000 hours of work to clear the building of debris, clean the interior, repair the roof and prepare the building to receive the public. 109 of the volunteers were participants in the Ford Motor Company’s Community Service Program and collectively rendered 655 hours of labor.

More than 1000 visitors toured the building in 2001. In addition to the regularly scheduled Automotive Heritage Tour sponsored by preservation Wayne, tours have been provided for auto design students from the College of Creative Studies, automotive history students from Macomb Community College, Ford retired executives and engineers, Ford Community Service volunteers, and participants in the Ford New Employee Orientation Program, automotive historians, architects, historic preservationists and car clubs-the backbone of  automotive history.

The major event at T-PLEX  was in 2001 with the gathering and Reunion of  Piquette-Built  Automobiles, which was organized to celebrate the 300^th Anniversary of Detroit. Over 600 visitors and owners of Piquette built vehicles traveled from as far away as Australia and Switzerland to participate with a first ever vintage car road tour, driving past historic Ford sites as far afield as the Ford Edison Avenue home and the Ford Highland Park  Plant.

HISTORY. The historical significance is impossible to exaggerate. At Piquette, the Ford Motor Company became the largest  automobile manufacturer in America, set the world record for car production, thereby establishing American dominance in the industry, and initiated the successful challenge to the bogus and monopolistic Seldon Patent which stifled fledgling automobile companies. More importantly, the Model T was designed and first manufactured at the Piquette Plant. The car was designed in the small “secret room” located in the northeast corner of the third floor during 1907-1908. Approximately 12,000 Model T’s-affectionately known as the, “Tin Lizzie”-were produced by the traditional station-assembly method at Piquette between 1908 and 1910.

Henry Ford helped put America on wheels, he advanced and helped pioneer the moving assembly line applied at the Highland Park Plant in 1913 … and built the car that has been unanimously voted the most important auto of the 20^th Century … at Piquette.

History … will be celebrated in June. With the 100 years of the Ford Motor Company.

Piquette is designated as a State historic Site and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours are available as well as membership in the organization. 313-867-8960 or E-Mail:   jmitchell@med.wayne.edu or visit the website, http://www.tplex.org/ .

TOP HAT JOHN can be contacted for story leads, vehicle appraisals, or questions at: P.O. Box 46024, Mt. Clemens, MI., 48046-6024; or call 586-465-1933