Location
Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
Original Construction
1926
Completion Date
Ongoing
Size
20,000 sqft
National Register of Historic Places

The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House is one of the most impressive house museums of the United States. Completed in 1929 and opened to the public in 1978 through the generosity of Eleanor Clay Ford, the structures and site remain as “…witnesses to the past, as part of the history of the area and an enrichment in the lives of future generations,” as she stated in her will.

Dubbed “Gaukler Point,” the estate is on the shore of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores, northeast of Detroit, Michigan. It became the new residence of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford family in 1929; Edsel Ford was the son of Henry and Clara Ford and an executive at Ford Motor Company. The estate’s buildings were designed by architect Albert Kahn, and its site plan and gardens by renowned landscape designer Jens Jensen. The 60+ room mansion was inspired by the vernacular architecture of the English Cotswold cottages and villages. Kahn’s design included sandstone exterior walls and a traditional slate roof with the stone shingles decreasing in size as they reach its peak. Interior fittings were in the hands of Charles Roberson, an expert in adapting old European paneling and fittings to American interiors as many elements and fittings were repurposed from English Estates that were being dismantled.

With the evolution of interpretive methods, new technology, and an expanded vision, the estate has the potential to be a unique place for learning, celebrating, relaxing, and cultural enrichment, far beyond a traditional house museum. Building upon the estate’s first strategic plan, HopkinsBurns Design Studio, with consultant JJR, embarked in 2012 on the development of a Master Plan for the buildings and site to direct short and long term decision making. This Master Plan describes the long-term vision for the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, its phased development and preservation, and the cost for implementation. The master plan celebrates the legacy of the Ford family story while inspiring a sense of inquiry and reflection with respect for the natural and built elements of the Ford House Estate. A key part of the Master Plan, the Preservation Plan and HSR clearly define the historic core of the estate and identifies the areas of the estate that can support development of new operational, programmatic and revenue generating facilities and services that will lead to a higher level of preservation of the historic core and enrichment of the visitor experience.

HopkinsBurns’ efforts culminated in a road map for guiding the development and restoration to ensure smart growth and wise stewardship with utmost respect for the estate’s national significance. The master plan provides a step by step road map which focuses on implementation, providing benchmarks for measuring the success of the project and a future image/vision of how the Ford Estate will function and what it will look like after implementation of the plan. Through implementation of the Master Plan, Accessible History will be created. The public will learn about the Ford family and the impact they have had on our history. The use of the estate will increase significantly as programs and services are built on the legacy of inspiration and discovery documented and identified in the master plan to enrich the visitor experience.