By Jackie Edwards

However, it was a Michigan-born businessman, an Engineer with the Edison Illuminating Company of Detroit, who made his mark on Dearborn.

The Ford Motor Company officially came into existence in 1903, when founder Henry Ford launched it in a factory situated on Mack Avenue in Detroit. At that time, it was the third attempt to start a successful automotive business, but the company could only produce a few cars every day. It wasn’t until 1908, with the introduction of the Model T, that the company really took off.

Why? Well, it struck gold for Ford. It embodied everything he wanted – an efficient car that was reliable and affordable for all. It was a success, and demand was high, so a new factory had to be established to meet the increased demand. The site, located in Highland Park, Michigan, was designed by Albert Kahn, and it was here that the first assembly line for mass-produced cars, familiar to us today, was established.

It was during the Roaring Twenties that the Ford Motor Company purchased the Lincoln Motor Company; they then relocated much of the car production operations to the Ford Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan. By the turn of the 1930s, two out of three cars on the road were Model Ts.

Ford’s business strategy and acumen

Why was Dearborn’s most famous son so successful? It was simply down to his brilliant business acumen – it took a while to flourish, but once he found success, everything changed for him and the residents.

Ford said: “When people are ‘stung’ in false investment schemes, there are three causes: greed of something for nothing; sheer inability to know their mind; or infantile trustfulness.” He knew a thing or two about whom to trust when it came down to brass tacks – and when we delve a little deeper into his philosophy, it’s easy to see why. His company was founded on a simple core tenet: ‘mass production, good quality, reliability, and affordable prices,’ paired with higher wages for his workers. He was, therefore, one of the original proponents of what we now term’ vertical integration and operation.’

When he began and was taking his initial steps as a businessman, he approached everything slowly, laying the groundwork for ideas and taking his time with development. The next step was determining how to price his car, and lastly, his advertising strategy. It meant that his new business was easier to launch and almost seemed like a less onerous task. It’s a technique that many new entrepreneurs would do well to think about these days as they take their first steps to build a startup enterprise. Slow and steady wins the race!

Dearborn’s place in automotive history

The continued rise of the Ford company through the 20th century meant that Dearborn was firmly at the front of motor production.

Dearborn is now also home to the Automotive Hall of Fame, a space that honors the influential figures in the history of the automotive industry. Those people who have made significant contributions to the world of cars and driving have their work and their memories honored, so that visitors can see the impact they’ve had on the world.