Henry Ford’s Home In Detroit Is Up For Sale For The First Time In Decades

Update: The house is now listed and you can check it out on Zillow.  It sits on three quarters of an acre and features hardwood floors, a private library with built-in glass bookcases, servant’s quarters, and a basement with a second kitchen. 

Henry Ford is an American icon and his home in Detroit is going up for sale for the first time in nearly 40 years.

According to Crain’s Detroit, Jerald and Marilyn Mitchell intend to list the house for $975,000 (£796,263 / €928,482) later this week as they’re moving to an assisted living facility in Ann Arbor.

Also Read: One-Off Bronco RTR To Raise Funds To Help Preserve Henry Ford’s Home

Located at 140 Edison St, the house was built in 1908 and was the home of Henry and Clara Ford between 1908 and 1915. However, with Henry Ford becoming famous following the launch of the Model T in 1908, the couple decided to move to their Fair Lane estate in Dearborn for “more privacy.” It’s hard to blame them as Mark Campbell, the treasurer and chief operating officer of the Henry Ford Heritage Association, told the publication that “people continuously knocked on the front door asking for jobs.”

While the house hasn’t been listed yet, the publication says Clara Ford designed the home which spans 7,200 square feet and features five bedrooms as well as four and a half baths. Other highlights reportedly include a garden, a greenhouse, and a roughly 1,100 square feet carriage house with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room.

The publication also noted there are “dusting and sleeping porches.” The latter were screened in to allow people to comfortably sleep outside in the days before air conditioning.

The Mitchells bought the house in 1985 and have spent years maintaining as well as restoring the building to its original condition. As a result, it’s not surprising to learn that most of the fixtures, toilets, and tubs are original. The house also comes with an early intercom system, although it’s not functional.

Despite owning the house for nearly four decades, Jerald Mitchell told the publication “I never considered it our house. It was always Mr. Ford’s house and we were the stewards.”

Picture credits: Zillow