Ford Manufacturing Co. - Oklahoma City, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 28.062 W 097° 31.642
14S E 633615 N 3925907
This factory had a long and prosperous history as the automotive industry flourished.
Waymark Code: WMEBXB
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 05/04/2012
Views: 11
Built by Ford Motor Company in 1916, this factory was a major manufacturing site for the Ford Model T. This vehicle, built between the years 1908 and 1927 was the first automobile manufactured with interchangeable parts, for the middle class. At a price of $850 in 1909, the price continued to drop through the years, due to greater efficiencies in the manufacture, until it sold for only $260 in 1920.
This factory is a four-story building, with a two-story section on the west. The building is quite decorative with red brick laid in stacked bond pattern. The north side of the building has ten bays in the 4-story section and five bays in the 2-story section. The bays are separated by stepped brick pilasters sitting on stone bases, with stone caps. A stone beltcourse runs the full length of the building above the first floor windows, and a stone cornice is above the four story windows. Above the second and third story windows, spandrels of soldier and header bricks with diamond-shaped tiles provide a very artistic look to the factory.
Fred Jones, Sr. was an iconic figure in Oklahoma City history. He arrived here in 1916 as this factory was being built, and went to work for the Ford Manufacturing Co. He rose in responsibility and in the 1920s bought and operated three Ford dealerships of his own and was the largest Ford dealer in the southwest. In 1968, he purchased this factory building and moved his remanufacturing operations here. The factory was the site of remanufacture of Ford engines and component parts from 1968 until 2000. In 1971, this factory rebuilt engines and parts for over 2500 dealerships in the U.S.
Factory operations have ceased here, but Fred Jones Enterprises still maintains offices here, as well as Carpenter Square Theater Inc.
This website has great photos of the interior of this factory (
visit link)
This Wikipedia site gives the history and specifications of the life-changing Model T Ford. (
visit link)
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