Henry and Clara Ford lived here from 1908 to 1915. The Fords were the first of a community of automobile magnates to reside in the Boston-Edison neighborhood. The Italian Renaissance Revival house, designed by Malcomson, Higginbotham and Clement of Detroit was completed in 1908. The elaborate gardens were designed by T. Glenn Phillips. The Fords built a machine shop above the garage for their son Edsel, who showed a keen interest in automobile design. The seven years in this house were the most creative of Mr. Ford's career. His
Model T, mass production methods and wage-price theories which revolutionized American life and industry and reverberated around the world, all commenced while he resided here. In 1915 the Fords moved to
Fair Lane, their estate in Dearborn.