The Ford Highland Park Plant, home of Model T, the first moving assembly line and the 8N tractor has recently been purchased be The Woodward Avenue Action Association, a preservation group. Their intention is to turn it into a museum. This factory built all Ford Tractors from the first 8N Tractor in 1947 until Ford stopped building their own tractors in 1976. Anyone who wishes to contribute to this project, please contact Woodward Avenue Action Association.

• http://www.woodwardavenue.org/Tour/The+Highland+Park+Ford+Plant-25.html

Thanks for the info, Billy. This is a good thing not only for Detroit but for the history of the automobile and Ford Motor company. Just this past week the groups involved in preserving the YAM (Yankee Air Museum) succeeded in getting the funds needed to preserve a portion of the old Willow Run Plant, home of the B-24 Liberator during WWII.

I just want to make a comment about Ford Tractor production. Yes, the 8N was produced at the Highland Park plant, but tractor production actually had been moved there prior to the end of WWII around 1945. Then in 1973, Ford Romeo Tractor Plant was opened and all tractor production moved there until about 1988, about the time Ford sold out and then the plant was converted to an engine plant. It still is in operation, known now as the Ford Romeo Engine Plant.

Tim Daley(MI)

Tim, Please forgive me fr getting your name wrong.

Thanks for the corrections, Tom. I had learned after I made the post that tractor production had move to Romeo in 1973. In the early '70s I was working for the City of Highland Park and I saw all the tractors there all the time and naturally assumed they were still being made there. This is what happens when we make assumptions. I have recently been living in Ypsilanti, and getting updates on the bomber plant when I have breakfast at The Bomber Restaurant.