The Ford Rouge Plant an Industrial City

Ford’s massive Rouge plant shortly before it’s WWII overhaul.

When completed in 1928, Henry Ford’s Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan was the largest integrated production facility on the planet. The conversion of raw materials into finished industrial products in one single location allowed for quality control, boosts in efficiency, and reduced manufacturing costs.

This souvenir of the plant shows a simple overview of the massive complex that measured approximately 1 by 1.5 miles in size. Factory structures, transportation facilities, storage areas, and other features are individually labeled.

A bird’s eye view of the Rouge plant can be seen on the verso, along with a small map of the surrounding region dated July, 1941. Just a few months after publication, Ford Model A’s were being replaced on the production line by jeeps, tractors, and aircraft engines.