How Henry Ford’s Big Swing Helped Put Dearborn on Par

Much like Henry Ford’s Model T made transportation accessible to much of the world, he had a similar goal in mind when he created the Dearborn Country Club a century ago. Ford saw the club as a way to put his hometown among the elite suburbs of the Detroit area. While the aforementioned Model T was still in its heyday, Ford directed his general secretary to “lay out a good, practical golf club that any- and everybody could use,” to be built on 163 acres of Ford-owned property off Military Street in Dearborn. Today, as the club marks its centennial, it has recently been added to the National Registry of Historic Places.

Famed golf course designer Donald Ross was hired to lay out the 18-hole course, which was completed in the spring of 1925. The English Tudor-style clubhouse was built by renowned Detroit-area architect and frequent Ford-commissioned designer Albert Kahn and completed in the fall of the same year. The dining room and ballroom of the clubhouse were built with hand-hewn beams, and their walls were made of stone and brick, while the floors were made of pegged oak and the roof of slate. Henry Ford’s wife, Clara Ford, was instrumental in designing the building and selecting its décor, which included antique English furniture. 

Membership was first extended to residents of Dearborn before it was expanded to include others within a 25-mile radius of the city. The club had more than 130 members by the first summer – most of whom were associates of the Fords in one way or another, and their descendants are still members of the club today. The first official member was Dearborn Mayor Clyde M. Ford. The Fords reportedly used the country club for private dinners and parties throughout the 1920s, according to Preservation Dearborn. 

The first event hosted at the club was a white tie dinner dance hosted by the Fords on Oct. 30, 1925. The venue was regularly used for dance parties, movie nights, and bachelor parties, though Henry Ford decreed there would be no smoking or drinking alcohol on the premises. Also, early recordkeeping included details of each member’s club-related activity, including visitors who were welcomed at the club. 

Operating a world-class club did not come cheap, though. With Ford Motor Company heavily involved in the production of military vehicles during World War II, ownership of the club was transferred to a Ford-owned company in 1944, allowing members to lease the club on an annual basis. Years later, the members purchased the club outright. 

In the years since, Dearborn Country Club has added a competition-sized swimming pool, as well as fitness areas, and now boasts a reported membership of 300. The golf course was redesigned in 1966 and is today known as “one of the most challenging, yet playable” 18-hole courses in the state of Michigan. The club has hosted the PGA Champions Tour’s Senior Players Championship and multiple LPGA events, as well as a British Open qualifier. In addition to golf, the club hosts special events, including serving as the longtime home of the Ford Retired Engineering Executives.

A Century of Stories 

As it marks its centennial this year, the Dearborn Country Club stands as a testament to the impact of Henry Ford, which extended far beyond the automotive industry, as well as a reflection of his vision to create a premier venue that put Dearborn on the map, much like the Model T did for his company.

Love Ford history? Access http://fordarchivesonline.com with your CDSID to search your favorite topics. Or visit http://fordheritagevault.com, where no CDSID is needed, to browse and download product history.