Detroit: The Center of America's Industrial Heartland
Before the glory of Motown, Detroit was a compact, second-tier industrial city with a broad-based regional manufacturing industry. Like most manufacturing cities, its industry clustered mainly along the Detroit River, which provided power and easy transportation of goods. No one industry dominated. Leading Detroit industries included stove manufacturing, tobacco goods, drugs and chemicals, metallurgy, and meatpacking.Before the invention of the motorized, self-propelled auto car, Detroit was a second-tier industrial city with a diverse, largely regional manufacturing base. The thirteenth largest city in the United States in 1900 with 285,000 residents, Detroit was compact. Most of its population lived within a few mile radius of downtown. As in the case of most nineteenth-century industrial cities, its manufacturing clustered along the river, whose water provided power and easy transportation for incoming supplies and outgoing goods. No one industry dominated. Leading Detroit industries included stove manufacture, tobacco goods, drugs and chemicals, metal working, and food production.
Before the Motown boom, Detroit developed a broad-based industrial economy that spanned across a variety of businesses such as the tobacco, stove-making, lumber, and meatpacking businesses. In the page below, we will discuss a few that greatly impacted the Detroit economy.
A region that extended like a belt from lower New England down to Pennsylvania and across the Appalachians westward through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. All of the raw materials needed for automobile production were easily accessible to the city by the Great Lakes waterways and by rail. The coal regions of mountainous Pennsylvania and West Virginia were no more than a day away by rail. The great steel mills of Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Cleveland, Gary, and Chicago were all within a few hundred miles of the city. The iron and copper ore regions of northern Michigan and Minnesota were easily accessible by ship. At the confluence of east and midwest, Detroit's central location gave its auto producers easy access to the capital and markets necessary for its phenomenal growth.
Before the Motown boom, Detroit developed a broad-based industrial economy that spanned across a variety of businesses such as the tobacco, stove-making, lumber, and meatpacking businesses. In the page below, we will discuss a few that greatly impacted the Detroit economy.
A region that extended like a belt from lower New England down to Pennsylvania and across the Appalachians westward through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. All of the raw materials needed for automobile production were easily accessible to the city by the Great Lakes waterways and by rail. The coal regions of mountainous Pennsylvania and West Virginia were no more than a day away by rail. The great steel mills of Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Cleveland, Gary, and Chicago were all within a few hundred miles of the city. The iron and copper ore regions of northern Michigan and Minnesota were easily accessible by ship. At the confluence of east and midwest, Detroit's central location gave its auto producers easy access to the capital and markets necessary for its phenomenal growth.
See how the Railroads Converge at the Great Lakes?
The Tobacco Industry
The tobacco industry in Detroit took off before the Civil War with the immigration of many Germans and Jews who had cigar-making skills. Then, during the Civil War, soldiers shared their own cigar rolling skills, and brought these skills home with them after the war, giving the tobacco industry another push.
Some of Detroit's wealthiest merchants made their fortune in the tobacco industry. M.I. Mills, one of the most notable tobacco businessmen also had ties to the Detroit stove industry and was a founder of the First National Bank (now a national chain bank). He was the president of Banner Tobacco Co. and was mayor of Detroit in the 1860s. It was not uncommon for owners of big-time corporations to also have positions in city or state government. Around 1880, there were 4 major tobacco companies, Banner Tobacco (mentioned above), Rothchild and Brother Tobacco, Globe Tobacco and Mayflower tobacco. The Rothchild and Brother Tobacco Co. was founded by two German immigrants (presumably brothers, but no research confirmed this) who made Cuban cigars. Globe Tobacco Co. processed the most tobacco per year of all the compaines: 4.5 million pounds. Globe Tobacco made both cigars and chewing tobacco.
Mayflower Tobacco Co. made...Mayflower Chewing Tobacco. John J. Bagley, the owner of Mayflower Tobacco, moved to Detroit from New York in 1846 to work as an apprentice to Isaac Miller who owned his own tobacco company. Some years later, Bagely bought Miller's company and renamed it Mayflower Tobacco Co. Bagley was also involved in the politics of Detroit. He chaired the Republican State Central Committee around the 1850s and served as Michigan's chief executive. While in office, he advocated for the establishment of a Board of Health and was a supporter of prohibition. He died in 1881 and was memorialized by a street name, a statue on Campus Martius and (in accordance with his will) a public drinking fountain.
Daniel Scotten was another extreemly wealthy tobacco merchant. He owned Scotten-Dillon Company which sold $4 million of tobacco products annually. When Scotten died in 1899, he owned about 2,500 plots of land in Detroit and left his $7 million estate to his heirs. He also gave his personal collection of 20,000 rare books to the Detroit Public Library.
The tobacco industry employed thousands of Detroitans and contributed millions to the economy of Detroit. Many of the businessmen and merchants that ran these companies also contributed to the politics of Detroit.
Some of Detroit's wealthiest merchants made their fortune in the tobacco industry. M.I. Mills, one of the most notable tobacco businessmen also had ties to the Detroit stove industry and was a founder of the First National Bank (now a national chain bank). He was the president of Banner Tobacco Co. and was mayor of Detroit in the 1860s. It was not uncommon for owners of big-time corporations to also have positions in city or state government. Around 1880, there were 4 major tobacco companies, Banner Tobacco (mentioned above), Rothchild and Brother Tobacco, Globe Tobacco and Mayflower tobacco. The Rothchild and Brother Tobacco Co. was founded by two German immigrants (presumably brothers, but no research confirmed this) who made Cuban cigars. Globe Tobacco Co. processed the most tobacco per year of all the compaines: 4.5 million pounds. Globe Tobacco made both cigars and chewing tobacco.
Mayflower Tobacco Co. made...Mayflower Chewing Tobacco. John J. Bagley, the owner of Mayflower Tobacco, moved to Detroit from New York in 1846 to work as an apprentice to Isaac Miller who owned his own tobacco company. Some years later, Bagely bought Miller's company and renamed it Mayflower Tobacco Co. Bagley was also involved in the politics of Detroit. He chaired the Republican State Central Committee around the 1850s and served as Michigan's chief executive. While in office, he advocated for the establishment of a Board of Health and was a supporter of prohibition. He died in 1881 and was memorialized by a street name, a statue on Campus Martius and (in accordance with his will) a public drinking fountain.
Daniel Scotten was another extreemly wealthy tobacco merchant. He owned Scotten-Dillon Company which sold $4 million of tobacco products annually. When Scotten died in 1899, he owned about 2,500 plots of land in Detroit and left his $7 million estate to his heirs. He also gave his personal collection of 20,000 rare books to the Detroit Public Library.
The tobacco industry employed thousands of Detroitans and contributed millions to the economy of Detroit. Many of the businessmen and merchants that ran these companies also contributed to the politics of Detroit.
Vernor's Ginger Ale
Like many other great inventions, the secret of Vernor's ginger ale was stumbled upon somewhat by accident. Ginger Ale began being imported from European countries in the 1850's; at this time Vernor was working at Higby and Stern' Drug Store where he began experimenting with his own mixture of the drink. In 1862, he stopped work and enlisted in the Union army, but not before putting his experimental ale in casks. He came back after the war to find that 4 years of aging had done the trick to his ginger ale, thus, Vernor's was born. The young entrepreneur opened his own store, pictured on the left, at 235 Woodward Ave. (the road extending straight out from the Grand Circus) in the late 1860's. Vernor also sold his ginger ale to other drug stores in Detroit. In 1896, Vernor was turning enough profit that he closed his drugstore and opened a plant to age and bottle the drink. Vernor's became a staple drink in the Detroit area.
Although a bit out of the time frame of this project, Vernor's is one of the few ales to survive Prohibition in the 1920's
Although a bit out of the time frame of this project, Vernor's is one of the few ales to survive Prohibition in the 1920's
The Stove Industry
This is a picture of a Champion Oil Stove Advertisement that dates from the year 1883.
In 1880, Detroit was the recognized center of the stove making industry.
The stove industry began in Detroit when Jeremiah Dwyer established the first stove factory on the east side. Their business boomed, and attracted other businessmen to the area. By 1922, the stove industry grossed $10 million per year.
The Michigan Stove Company, The Detroit Stove Works, The Penninsular Stove Company, the Art Stove Company, and the Detroit Vapor Stove Company emerged as the five largest firms in the Detroit area. Later, The Michigan Stove Company and the Detroit Stove Works would merge, forming the Detroit-Michigan stove company. They would eventually be bought by the Welbilt Company--the last stove company in Detroit today.
Although falling in importance, stove making remained an important part of the Detroit economy leading into the 20th century.
In 1880, Detroit was the recognized center of the stove making industry.
The stove industry began in Detroit when Jeremiah Dwyer established the first stove factory on the east side. Their business boomed, and attracted other businessmen to the area. By 1922, the stove industry grossed $10 million per year.
The Michigan Stove Company, The Detroit Stove Works, The Penninsular Stove Company, the Art Stove Company, and the Detroit Vapor Stove Company emerged as the five largest firms in the Detroit area. Later, The Michigan Stove Company and the Detroit Stove Works would merge, forming the Detroit-Michigan stove company. They would eventually be bought by the Welbilt Company--the last stove company in Detroit today.
Although falling in importance, stove making remained an important part of the Detroit economy leading into the 20th century.
The World's Largest Stove: The Columbian Exposition, 1893
Carved in oak but painted to look like metal, this huge stove was one called the largest in the world. It was exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and was a copy of a "Garland" model kitchen range built by the Michigan Stove Company. It was 25 feet high, 30 feet long, and 20 feet wide.
This historic stove burned down after being struck by lightning on August 14th, 2011.
This picture was taken in the mid-19th century.
Follow this link to an interesting article about the history of the stove: http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=198
This historic stove burned down after being struck by lightning on August 14th, 2011.
This picture was taken in the mid-19th century.
Follow this link to an interesting article about the history of the stove: http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=198
Worker Treatment
Ford Motor Company remained popular with its employees because of Henry Ford's religious adherence to this slogan.
Part of Ford's $5-a-day plan included English classes.
Part of Ford's $5-a-day plan included English classes.
English as a Second Language
This picture depicts immigrants in an English class given by the Training Service of the Department of Labor in the Ford Motor Company.
Many of Ford's employees did not speak English. “The Sociological Department of the Ford Motor Company was organized in March, 1913, and oversaw a broad array of social benefits for Ford employees, including assistance in living in well-maintained single-family homes as opposed to small apartments… the Sociological Department was responsible for determining if employees’ personal lives and personal habits made them eligible for the full wage. This phase of the Department's activities terminated with the reorganization of the company in 1920.” [ from http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Race/R_Overview/Sociological_Depart.htm]
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90707449/