In addition, the twin cities assembly plant is linked to the history of hydropower and the creation of lock and dam no. And it was an immense source of pride for the thousands of men and women who built continue reading about the project. Published on sep 10, 2012 when it closed in 2011, the twin cities assembly plant was the oldest ford plant still operating. End of historic line, as last ford ranger rolls from plant. Ford memphis assembly plant located on 1429 riverside blvd, memphis tn. That assembly plant, located in the highland park neighborhood, rolled out everything from the model t to ford.
My highly motivated exit, though, was quite different from. Making a great thing even better, they connect with both the guts of the active ford assembly plant high above on the bluff, as well as with the ford hydro plant on the dam. When the twin cities assembly plant opened in 1925, it was the largest of ford s branch plants outside of detroit. After 1969, heavyduty trucks above f350 and some light duty trucks were transferred to kentucky truck assembly in louisville, kentucky. People who have worked there recall the impact the plant has had not only on the surrounding community but on their community, inside, where bonds formed that never ended when you walked out the door. The assembly facility survived a rocky time in fords history by meeting demand for the light trucks that became the companys mainstay when tariffs made imported light trucks too expensive.
The ford thunderbird was the next car produced at the plant to receive motor trends car of the year prestigious designation, in 2002. It does not include the 22acre river parcel area c. Historic ford plant site likely a tough sell the automaker recently closed its twin cities assembly plant on a scenic river bluff in st. These are only a few of fords assembly plants and factories. The final vehicles from the plant were assembled in 2011, and it thereafter became one of the 267 autorelated factories closed in the united states between 1979 and 2011. May 15, 20 henry ford, known far and wide for his success with mass production, for providing affordable cars to workers, and for paying workers enough to buy the cars they made, was planning to build a new plant. Relive 86 years of ford motor company history along saint pauls riverfront in this new documentary for twin cities pbs. When it opened in 1925, the twin cities assembly plant was one of the most innovative auto assembly plants in the country. Per regulations, the factory is encoded into each vehicles vin as character 11 for north american models, and character 8 for european models. Situated on the mississippi river, the factory generated its own power through an adjacent hydroelectric dam. It simplified assembly of the ford model ts 3,000 parts by breaking it into 84 distinct steps performed by groups of workers as a rope pulled the vehicle chassis. Jun 26, 2018 fords twin cities assembly plant in st. Do you have a timeline of ford motor company assembly.
The ford plant was built in 1925 in the highland park neighborhood in st. Ford twin cities assembly plant the ranger station. Dec 14, 2011 this friday will mark a sad day in minnesota when the twin cities ford assembly plant shuts its doors for the final time. Nov 29, 2016 henry ford has a long history in minnesota. But it wasnt the first ford facility built in the twin towns. The twin cities assembly plant was, in fact, unique for the state in function and impressive in size. Hear stories about henry ford s personal interest in this site, how the plant shaped the future of highland park, and what it meant to the thousands of workers who built everything from the model t to the ranger. Many at the plant say if theres a saving grace, its that the factory didnt shut down all at once. The former home of iconic vehicles, the model t and the ford ranger, started automobile manufacturing in 1925 and was officially shuttered in 2011. Sep 12, 20 celebrating the moving assembly line in pictures on oct. The job is anticipated to be completed in early 2014 and will make way for future developments for the city of st. Henry ford, known far and wide for his success with mass production, for providing affordable cars to workers, and for paying workers enough to buy the cars they made, was planning to build a new plant. In early 2006, when ford first put the twin cities assembly plant on its closure list, the facility was slated to close within two years.
The popular factory tour the ford motor company offered. The union said only a few dozen twin cities workers are eligible. Henry fords largescale experiments with every aspect of the industrial economy sent ripples and shockwaves through the lives of minnesotansmanagement and assembly line workers, dealers and. Celebrating the moving assembly line in pictures ford media. The twin cities assembly plant would go on to manufacture millions of cars. Brian mcmahon documents the companys transformationthrough the depression, world war ii, women joining the workforce, globalization, outsourcing, the closing of the plant. When it opened in 1925, the twin cities assembly plant. Hear stories about henry fords personal interest in this site, how the plant shaped the future of highland park, and what it meant to the thousands of workers who built everything from the model t to the ranger. Paint where this was taken and assembly where the blue light is were connected with a long skyway that carried completed trucks to be painted. Ken grady assembles tires on the ford ranger production line at the twin cities assembly plant in st.
Demolition of the former ford twin cities assembly plant. Demolition of the former ford twin cities assembly plant featured project continued from page 1. Paul, minnesota opened in 1925 to build model ts in a stateoftheart facility powered by a hydroelectric dam on. In 1912, the first assembly and sales activities were started in a former warehouse in.
Assembly workers at ford plant get shutdown notice the. The wixom assembly plant was one of ford motor companys largest and oldest manufacturing sites. During that time it produced nearly 9million vehicles. Ford plant twin cities assembly alumni and current employees. Nov 22, 2016 the final vehicles from the plant were assembled in 2011, and it thereafter became one of the 267 autorelated factories closed in the united states between 1979 and 2011. Paul opened in 1926 with the model t, made for another 19 years. Paul, the assembly plant featured its own hydroelectric plant similar to the one on green island, produced military vehicles during world war ii and over the last few years has been tasked with. New book explores minnesotas unique role in the ford motor. Ford plant twin cities assembly alumni and current. In may 1957, ford discontinued building trucks at the highland park ford plant in highland park, michigan.
This is the story of the twin cities assembly plant, which operated from 1925 to 2011 in the highland park neighborhood of st. Paul ford plant heritage group on final drive to save. The ford motor company closed the twin cities assembly plant in 2011, ending a century of. After building a mix of vehicles, the plant converted to alltruck production in 1978. Every urban interloper urblops for short who has taken ford s selfguided tour has a story to tell.
The 200406 ford ranger pickup assembled at ford s twin cities assembly plant in. Summary ford motor company opened its twin cities assembly plant at st. The richmond plant opened on august 1, 1931, and the seattle plant commenced operations in early 1932. At the bottom of the page is a bibliography of source material on ford s assembly plants available, and open for research, in the benson ford. A white ford ranger that rolled off the assembly line on dec. Feb 21, 2012 for more cool photos check out twin cities assembly plant ford ranger. Max action wrote about his encounter with a sleeping security guard in 2000 and alarms in 2007. Completed model ts roll off the line at highland parks ford twin cities assembly plant in 1925. Combining political, economic, social, and architectural history, this richly detailed, handsomely illustrated book. The property known alternatively as the ford motor company assembly plant, army quartermaster depot, and charlotte army missile plant is located at 1776 statesville ave. The ford century in minnesota university of minnesota press. At the bottom of the page is a bibliography of source material on fords assembly plants available, and open for research, in the benson ford. Paul in the 1920s, how its workers became involved in the international organized labor movement, and how a variety of forces led to the plants closure. Paul, minnesota opened in 1925 to build model ts in a stateoftheart facility powered by a hydroelectric dam on the mississippi river.
Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. In 1914, the ford centre opened in minneapolis, the largest car manufacturing plant in the world at the time. Were all in this together to create a welcoming environment. End of historic line, as last ford ranger rolls from plant in. Book looks back on ford motors glory days in minnesota. Ford richmond assembly plant ford motor company history.
The ford century in minnesota tells the story of how henry fords pioneering company arrived in the state and built its giant plant in st. This particular one was used to pull aircraft off the end of the assembly line at the ford b24 plant. List of ford factories, ford motor company of argentina, ford dagenham, ford trafford park factory, ford river rouge complex, lincoln motor company plant, old ford motor factory, ford kansas city assembly plant, wixom assembly plant. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Short history of the ford plant, a minnesota historical. It covered about 160 acres and would eventually comprise 1. It is located just above the mississippi river near lock and dam no. I believe in this case it was to get the door to move out, instead of move in.
Ford s three new assembly plants on the pacific coast opened in the early 1930s. Firstperson accounts of more than forty retired auto workers detail experiences of working at ford motor companyfrom the early years in minneapolis to the final hours of the twin cities assembly plant in st. The assembly plant has produced cars, trucks and even armored cars for the military. Per regulations, the factory is encoded into each vehicles vin as character 11 for north american models, and character 8 for european models for a listing of ford s proving grounds and test facilities see ford proving grounds. Opened in 1912 in a former warehouse in minneapolis and later moved to st. But author brian mcmahon says not so fast lets remember what happened there. Attracted by cheap hydropower, henry ford starts building the twin cities assembly plant in st. The longabandoned ford tunnels are by far the most extensive mining tunnel system in the twin cities area. How the ford motor company transformed minnesota over the past 100 years. All light and medium trucks were transferred to 10 other plants in the usa. Workers steal the show in tpts new ford plant film. Historians, ford collectors and former plant employees who started the save our ford heritage committee are on one last drive to preserve the assembly plant s northwest corner.
Apr, 2017 the ford thunderbird was the next car produced at the plant to receive motor trends car of the year prestigious designation, in 2002. Henry ford s largescale experiments with every aspect of the industrial economy sent ripples and shockwaves through the lives of minnesotansmanagement and assembly line workers, dealers and. Workers steal the show in tpts new ford plant film january 10, 2019 by union advocate the twin cities assembly plant in highland park is gone, but the stories of people who worked there live on in a new, hourlong documentary airing on twin cities pbs stations next week. Short history of the ford plant, a minnesota historical society. Ford twin cities assembly plant in 1912, the first assembly and sales activities were started in a former warehouse in minneapolis 1 by ford motor company. It will also serve as way to provide updates on the status of the site of the former twin cities assembly plant, including news about possible redevelopment options. A shortform ebook original providing a brief history of the famed automobile assembly plant in st. A legacy tribute can take a physical form as a monument, plaque or commemorative garden on the grounds at highland park, or elsewhere. A newly finished 2012 ford ranger rolls off the assembly line at the ford twin cities assembly plant in st.
When the autos and the plant won awards, employees were. For more cool photos check out twin cities assembly plant ford ranger. This ford mototug can be seen at the yankee air museum. I too remember seeing assembly line workers using the 2x4 method of alignment at the twin cities ford assembly plant during plant tours in the late 60s. New book explores minnesotas unique role in the ford. For instance chicagos first assembly plant is listed under 1914, when assembly started, that building closed and the assembly plant relocated in 1924 so the new building is listed under 1924. Twin cities assembly plant located next to the mississippi river in the highland park, minnesota. Ford plans to build ranger at michigan assembly detroit news. The twin cities assembly plant would go on to manufacture millions of cars, trucks, tractors and military vehicles until its closure in 2011. Twin cities ford assembly plant, saint paul, minnesota. Paul and intends to sell the property to a developer by. The ford site master plan, adopted by the saint paul city council in 2017, is the culmination of a decade of planning for the site. The twin cities ford plant has played an important role in the history of the twin cities and the ford motor company for almost a century. The facility was producing ranger pickup trucks when it closed in 2011.
When we talk about ford in minnesota, we are now talking about redeveloping its twin cities assembly plant site. When ford s twin cities assembly plant finally closes its doors this month an important neighbor will disappear. The ford wixom plant was an assembly plant that was in operation for fifty years from 19572007 that produced numerous ford products, but mainly lincoln models. Dec 16, 2011 ken grady assembles tires on the ford ranger production line at the twin cities assembly plant in st. Ford motor company opened its twin cities assembly plant at st. Dec 16, 2011 the twin cities assembly plant has built more than 3 million trucks.
The final 2012 ranger produced on december 16, 2011, ended 86 years of production at twin cities assembly as well as the production of all compact pickups in the united states. They would just stick the 2x4 in the door opening near the hinge and slam the door. Ford motor company assembly plant quartermaster depot charlotte army missile plant. The ford century in minnesota research minnesota historical. Third generation trucks were built in brazil as the f100, f.
Power and associates gave wixom assembly plant a bronze award in the initial quality study, north and south america awards, in 2004. The long beach plant was the first to open in 1930. That assembly plant, located in the highland park neighborhood, rolled out everything from the model t to ford ranger pickup trucks by the time it. To the extreme right is the beginning of the minneapolis skyline.
Twin cities assembly plant home of the ford ranger. As today marks the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line invented by ford motor company under the leadership of henry ford, the company is building on its legacy of innovation by expanding advanced manufacturing capabilities and introducing groundbreaking technologies that could revolutionize mass production for decades to come. Greg brick shared a notably similar story in his fantastic 2009 book, subterranean twin cities. Over the plants 50 years of operation it produced 6,648,806 automobiles. The twin cities assembly plant in minnesota produced the last ford ranger on december 16, 2011. In anticipation of the project, the company did lease temporary digs a few blocks away, waiting out construction from 191214 on the first four floors of minneapoliss great northern implement. It was a catalyst for the development of the highland park neighborhood and the ford bridge. Sep 10, 2012 when it closed in 2011, the twin cities assembly plant was the oldest ford plant still operating. Paul ford plant at 117 university ave ford legacy mn.
The following is a list of current and former facilities of ford motor company for manufacturing automobiles and other components. About the project the twin cities assembly plant was one of the principal economic engines of the east metro for 86 years. In 1903, before the ford motor company was even incorporated, stephen. But author brian mcmahon says not so fast lets remember. It opened april 15, 1957, and was ultimately expanded to encompass 4. The plant is scheduled to close at the end of the month. Nov 29, 2016 when we talk about ford in minnesota, we are now talking about redeveloping its twin cities assembly plant site. Dec 06, 20 twin cities assembly plant, saint paul, minnesota. Twin cities assembly plant hydroelectric dam saint paul. Paul auto plant will become a green neighborhood citylab. As a ford motor company plant the twin cities site was linked to a global industry which not only changed transportation but also manufacturing methodsparticularly the development of the assembly line.
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. For the brantford, ontario rock venue and art gallery, see the ford plant. Far away, you can see the red lights on the steam plant smokestack. In may 2015, ford recalled the 200514 mustang and 200506 gt exotic car for driverside airbag inflators. It closed in 2011, after years of threats, labor unrest and shrinkage, when dallas theis, a. However, ford announced on april that the twin cities plant would close in 2008, along. After building a mix of vehicles, the plant converted to alltruck production in. It provides a framework to guide mixeduse redevelopment of the 122acre main assembly plant parcel and the adjacent acre rail yard. One hundred years ago today, henry ford and his team at highland park assembly plant launched the worlds greatest contribution to manufacturing the first moving assembly line. It was the very first assembly plant ford built in the twin cities, constructed just 10 years after henry ford got things rolling in detroit.
433 986 901 569 391 426 227 84 97 1316 1123 1065 1043 144 905 678 1244 746 1511 184 835 491 1139 641 908 1462 633 1021 223 246 1001 1006