Visiting the beautiful estates of Henry and Edsel Ford

After my interview at the Chrysler headquarters, I traveled to the Henry Ford Estate at Fair Lane in Dearborn, Michigan, where I gave a talk to some Ford executives about my connection to the Ford family.  I am, after all, the proud owner of Skylands, Edsel Ford's vacation retreat in Seal Harbor, Maine. So, after a wonderful tour and after being served a delicious lunch in the elegant executive dining room, I was thrilled to motor to Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and walk through the stately home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford. I must say that there were many things about the style, architecture, and landscapes of these two wonderful properties that are reflected in my home in Maine.

The Henry Ford Estate -- it took 500 to 800 men, working seven days a week for two years to complete construction of this building in 1913.
   

A beautiful Model T Ford.

The Henry Ford house is an imposing "prairie-style" stone edifice with extraordinary woodwork and leaded windows.

Look at the amazing limestone facades, sandstone embellishments, and both leaded and stained glass windows.

These are such amazing architectural details and a feat of woodworking. I call this type of carpentry "carpenters' joy!"

Here is a garden at the Ford house.

The same "cracked ice" paving was used by Edsel in Maine.

This is a lovely "blue" garden behind the home.

This great lawn stretches into the distance to more gardens.

The peonies were just about to bloom -- they must have been magnificent.

This 29-foot banister in Henry's home was ornately carved from a single walnut tree.

The Henry Ford estate dining room where Ford hosted a delicious lunch for us.

This is a famous quote from Henry Ford.

The bathroom fixtures are all original -- beautiful American-made sinks and toilets and nickel fixtures, just like at Skylands.

Beautifully tiled walls and wooden toilet seats.

Large and comfortable bathtubs

One of the mantles was made at the Wedgwood Pottery in England -- Jasperware in brown and white.

Here I am with Elena Ford, Henry's granddaughter.

Here I am with Gary Rodgers, president of the Henry Ford Estate at Fair Lane.

Trisha Guyot, special events and sales manager; me; and Gail Raby, special events and sales manager of the Henry Ford Estate at Fair Lane

We are now looking at the Edsel Ford house in Grosse Pointe. We visited this historic sight after lunch for a tour. The thick roof tiles, leaded gutters and downspouts, and fantastic stone work are the bold features of Edsel's home.

Here I am with Ellie Ford and Lynn Ford Alandt, great-granddaughters of Henry Ford.

The park is very impressive -- it is a landscape designed by Jens Jensen, the renowned "prairie" architect who designed municipal parks and great estates like this one (and my landscape at Skylands in 1925 when the house was built by Edsel)

More of the park grounds -- sweeping lawns and majestic trees.

The exterior terrace is very beautiful and looks out to Lake St. Clair; there's a 3,000-foot shoreline on the property.

Beautiful awnings are held aloft on wrought iron brackets.

The stone is wonderful sandstone.

A pretty and peaceful pond.

Beautiful limestone roof imported from Europe.

The Fords moved into their home in 1929, after two years of construction.

The pool is 125 feet long and 55 feet wide. It holds 100,000 gallons of water and has brass fixtures.  It was designed to look as though you stumbled upon a natural pool of water in the forest.

A lovely reflecting pond -- again with the "cracked ice" stonework.

Edsel's dining room.

The butler's pantry at Edsel Ford Estate.

These refrigerators are much like the ones at Skylands.

This hallway reminds me so much of Skylands.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford to the left and Clara and Henry Ford on the right. This picture was taken in the Gallery Room at Edsel's estate on April 11, 1938, celebrating Edsel and Eleanor's wedding anniversary.

Here I am in the playhouse that Edsel built for his daughter, Josephine. The number 36 represents Detroit Tigers player Barney Mckowski, whom Josephine adored.

Comments

[Mary]

These homes look so warm and welcoming, even though they are historic estates. Thank you for the great photos, Martha!

[Pru]

Martha,

I echo David Jones comment. As an Englishwoman, I am heartbroken that I won't meet you on Wednesday. Please try your hardest to get over here. There is no way that you pose a threat to us.

Kind regards, as always

Pru, London

[Sophie]

I really enjoy reading your blog and your sense of style. I hope that you can come to England soon. Best wishes.

[annette stafford]

Hi Martha, love reading your blogs, watch your shows, would like you to open a store in Melbourne Australia so we down here could get you craft/ products and not be envious when i see what you have available in America, keep bloging

[Emma]

Hi Martha,
Great blog entry, as per usual :-) . You write very eloquently and your photos are always great :-) .

Keep up the good work.

Emma

P.S Would love for you to visit us in Australia one day.

[Sherey]

How wonderful of you to share these photos of such exquisite estates with us. Simply beautiful and the workmanship is amazing.

I adore your blog!

[Angela Willis]

Thank you Martha, the Ford home is lovely!

Can you please do a post with a photo tour of your home in Skylands... I would love to see the history of it, just like you did here.

Angela

[Margie]

Thanks for the great tour. It is a place to admire and for me it will always probably be from afar. I appreciate your attention and discriptions of such a wide array of items: peonies to toilets to play houses. Sweet.

[Maureen]

Great pictures of your visit!
Your blogs are so very interesting and informative.

[Kathy]

Hi, Martha,
Thanks for the extended tour of the estate of Edsel and Eleanor Ford. Such a beautiful place! Thanks, too, for the photo of Barney Mckowkski's # 36 on the playhouse.
Kathy

[Scott]

Hi Martha--enjoyed seeing Fairlaine and Gaukler Pointe from your eyes. They are two of my favorite historic homes. Have you ever been to Meadowbrook Hall? It was the home of Matilda Dodge Wilson, widow of John Dodge of Dodge car fame. It too is beautifully preserved and a feast for the eyes. It is located in suburban Detroit--I know you'd love it! http://www4.oakland.edu/?id=80&sid=87

[Genevieve]

I am a FORD City Pa. native. There is a statue of Henry Ford in the park--The city was named after him----PPG industries started there, making glass, which he had a hand in. What foresight this man had! We are proud of our city and also the Elger Plumbing works--maybe his bath fixtures came from there.Thank you for the tour.

[Susan Channels]

Beautiful pictures of the Ford Estate, thank you for sharing them. I really look forward to your blog stories and photographs.
I appreciate your the way you take photographs; showing us all the intricate details of the architecture, and the grand vistas also. Just dreamy.

[Laura Nelson]

Those homes were so lovely. I would really enjoy a similar photographic tour of Skylands, especially after seeing Edsel's estate here!

[Julie]

Hi Martha - as a proud metro Detroiter, it was great to see the Ford estates through your eyes. They are beautiful, and deserve more attention - thank you! I agree with the other poster, who suggested you visit Meadowbrook Hall. It is very beautiful, especially when decorated for Christmas, and I know you would love it. I would love to see a tour of Skylands - please consider it for a future blog or segment on your show. Thanks!

[Deanna]

Martha,
My husband and I like to get down to the Sanibel/Captiva Islands, Florida as often as we can and the Edison/Ford Winter Estates in nearby Ft. Myers is one of our favorite places to visit... http://www.efwefla.org/home.asp

If you haven't been, you must go! The buildings and grounds are awesome, and you'd die wanting all of his plantings brought and planted from other countries. It's beautiful there.

[Janna from Honeyed Hashette]

What a great tour! I am working on a project in San Jose and we are placing hexagon porcelain tile floors and subway wall tile in the guest bath. Good classic look.

By the way- you look great!

[Patricia Hurley]

Hi Martha, I am so happy that you visited the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe.I knew you would love it and see so much of Skylands in it.I am the one that was traveling to Seal Harbor with my 2 oldest granddaughters-and asked permission to show them where I lived on Skylands. My father was the butler with Mr aand Mrs Ford for 37 years.So we brought you the book on the Ford House here in Grosse Pointe, to say thank you for letting me show my granddaughters, my house over the garage, Thank You again. Pat

[Teresa Emrich]

Certainly enjoyed visiting The Ford Estate via your photographs. Your blogs are always so interesting. You are extremely kind to share your day-to-day activities with the world. Thanks for all you do to make our daily chores such pleasant tasks.

[Lori Bollinger]

Hi Martha,
I am a Detroit native and my grandfather, Joseph French, was an architect with Albert Kahn. He worked extensively on the Ford estate at Fairlane as well as many other projects in and around Detroit, many with Ford. I am very proud to be associated with such fine work. My grandpa was a great man who did wonderful work. Glad you enjoyed it.

[Julie]

I really enjoyed your pictures of the Ford Estate and your tour of Detroit. I live across the lake from the Ford Estate, in Canada, and have visited it twice. We just stumbled upon it while out for a drive one day and thought it was a fantastic place. Thanks for sharing it with the world.