Rouge: Pictured in Its Prime

39. Administration Building

39 ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Facing west on Schaefer Road, the administration building was at the far northwest corner of the Rouge property. Designed by Albert Kahn, constructed during 1927, and first occupied on January 26, 1928, this building became the headquarters of Ford Motor Company operations worldwide. Ford’s main plant had been at Highland Park, north of Detroit. Now the main plant was equally as far west of Detroit. Highland Park had employed 68,876 workers in 1924, but by 1929, its employment was down to 32,918, while 103,951 were employed at the Rouge. The front and sides of this new administration building were finished in white Indiana limestone; the rear wall and garage were of steel and brick construction. This four-story office building with two spacious wings featured a large top-floor cafeteria and rooftop promenade overlooking the Rouge Plant to the east and the residential countryside to the west. The administration building not only housed elegant private offices for Henry and Edsel Ford but also provided administrative headquarters for Ford Motor Company business functions such as purchasing, sales and advertising, accounting and auditing, legal, real estate, and personnel. For a short time, Ford’s DT&I Railroad had its main office in this building. Other administrative functions such as plant engineering and manufacturing engineering were headquartered at Gate 4 in the Rouge Plant, and automotive engineering was based at the engineering laboratory in Dearborn. 240 The Ford Motor Company’s administration building, built in 1927 on Schaefer Road in Dearborn. Here it is viewed from the top of the Ford Rotunda looking east toward the Rouge manufacturing area on May 29, 1936. Albert Kahn, the architect, said the building was built to stand a thousand years. (833.66145) 241 Visitors at the front entrance to the Ford administration building observe the bronze panel inscribed with words chosen by Henry Ford.This main entrance leads through a bronze revolving door to a spacious reception room. Separate entrances at the ends of the building are provided for employees and for purchasing department guests. (833.55932-1) 242 Top:The office of J. R. Davis as it appears on September 26, 1938. Davis is in charge of sales. (833.70709) Bottom: The accounting and auditing departments in the north section of the administration building. (833. 82320-99) 243 Above: The busy telegraphic department in May 1931. (833.56217-1) Left: The mailing department. (833.79196-14) 244 The administration building auditorium set up for a banquet on September 1, 1936. (833.66660-A) Left: An executive dining room on the fourth floor of the administration building in June 1932. (833.56995-2) Below: The interior of the executive garage attached to the administration building on July 26, 1938. Typical are the shiny black Fords and an occasional Lincoln Zephyr. Employees of lesser rank park their not-so-clean Fords outside in an area behind the building. (833.70478-H) ...