Preserving Fair Lane — An Iconic American Estate

Preserving Fair Lane — An Iconic American Estate (HM1NZ3)

Location: Dearborn, MI 48128 Wayne County
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Country: United States of America
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N 42° 18.853', W 83° 13.969'

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Inscription
The Power of Water


Clara and Henry Ford situated their new home along the banks of the Rouge River to take advantage of nature's beauty and power. Construction of a dam and hydroelectric power plant provided the necessary electrical needs for the estate.



The water through the turbine tubes is delivered into the Rouge river fourteen feet below the bed of the river. From a scientific standpoint, and as an engineering development, this building stands unique as a most complete conception not only of the full supplying of every adequate means of power, etc, for the house, but a most practical and complete experimental department for Mr. Ford's private use.
- Fair Lane architect William Van Tine, March 1916

The cornerstone of the Powerhouse was laid on October 28, 1914 by Henry Ford's mentor and close friend, Thomas A. Edison.



Thoughful Design


In 1913, the Fords engaged noted Danish-American landscape architect, Jens Jensen. Jensen is best known for his "prairie-style" design and his use of native plants. Jensen's plans, the first submitted in January 1914, were designed for wandering and discovery and included an expansive meadow and naturalistic garden areas. His approach to the to the riverbank included a stone dam with pathway across the top and layered limestone walls along the banks.



Jensen did other projects for Henry Ford including the Dearborn Inn, the Henry Ford Hospital, Greenfield Village and the "Ford Pavilion" at the 1933 Chicago Century of Progress Exposition.



Reconstruction of Riverbank


In 2011, a 100 foot section of the riverbank, near the Main Residence, collapsed, undermined by years of the Rouge River cutting into the bank. In 2014, architects and engineers at SmithGroupJJR, Ann Arbor, MI, partnered with Henry Ford Estate staff, researched the original construction details and developed a reconstruction plan. In 2014, Faust Construction, Albaugh Masonry and Inland Lakes Landscaping began efforts to reconstruct the wall.



Reconstruction involved laying large irregular limestone rock to form multiple terraces, steps and walkways. A wooden foot bridge was replicated using historic aerial photography. To provide additional structural support, modern hidden sheet piling was utilized.



Reconstruction efforts will conclude by the end of 2015
Details
HM NumberHM1NZ3
Tags
Placed ByHenry Ford Estate
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, September 16th, 2015 at 9:03am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 315991 N 4687078
Decimal Degrees42.31421667, -83.23281667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 42° 18.853', W 83° 13.969'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds42° 18' 51.18" N, 83° 13' 58.14" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)313
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 577-661 Fair Ln Dr, Dearborn MI 48128, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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