PHOENIX MILL EVENTS
An historic Michigan building — shaped by early manufacturing, the Arsenal of Democracy, and a new chapter of restoration.
The Phoenix Mill was the third Ford Village Industry Mill building. The Village Industries was a program pushed by Henry Ford in which small factories were built in the villages to supply parts to larger Ford factories. The idea was to give farmers work in the winter while getting Ford some strong reliable labor. The small facotries manufactured everything from engine valves, to ignition keys, to tooling. The Phoenix Mill was unique in that it employed all women! The workers there made voltage regulators generator cutouts.
Henry Ford created a network of small buildings out in the rural villages that could use the local labor to produce parts and tools for his vehicle production. These factories were set up on local rivers, often damned them up, in order to utilize the flowing water to generate free energy.
During World War II, the Village Industry factories switched over to make parts for planes and tanks, becoming important contributers to the Arsenal of Democracy.
The Phoenix Mill aided in the War effort by switching over production to make parts for machine gun directors and other military hardware.
From preservation to a warm, modern venue — with the character kept intact.
Over 70 years after the death of Henry Ford, and 100 years after initial construction, The Phoenix Mill went through an extensive 3 year restoration.
