Clarkston in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Building Clarkston History
at 90 North Main
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2018
1. Building Clarkston History Marker
It has been a building of many uses for many people.
It was built as Clarkston High School in 1910 and students learned and played here until 1930. In recent years, it was a community center and the Independence Township Hall. But in 1940 the property was bought by Henry Ford to manufacture parts for military and other vehicles during World War II. Ford added a power plant with a smokestack at the back, creating steam power with water from Parke Lake behind the building. Local workers here made vehicle straps and seat cushions.
You Auto Know
At his factories, Henry Ford always enclosed the power generators with windows so they could be easily seen
photograph captions:
• Students on Arbor Day, outside the Union School, an earlier wooden school building at this site, about 1900.
• Machinery inside the power plant, with view to back of main building, early 1940s.
• The power plant building, originally built by Ford. The chimney is now home to a large flock of chimney swifts.
Erected 2013 by MotorCities National Heritage Area, National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce
this page online
Location. 42° 44.304′ N, 83° 25.144′ W. Marker is in Clarkston, Michigan, in Oakland County. Marker is on North Main Street (State Highway 15) south of Clarkston Road, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, on the east side of the street, overlooking the subject property. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 90 North Main Street, Clarkston MI 48346, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Nelson Clark Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Becoming Clarkston (approx. 0.2 miles away); Getting Here (approx. one mile away); Sashabaw Cemetery (approx. 3.2 miles away); Sashabaw United Presbyterian Church (approx. 3.2 miles away); Seymour Lake Methodist Episcopal Church (approx. 5.3 miles away); Howarth School (approx. 5.8 miles away); Kelley-Fisk Farm (approx. 6.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clarkston.
More about this marker. Marker is a large rectangular composite interpretive panel, mounted horizontally on a waist-high metal post.
Related markers.
From the collections of The Henry Ford
2. Marker detail: Workers assemble vehicle seat cushions within the former school building, early 1940s
Courtesy of the Clarkston Community Historical Society
3. Marker detail: Clarkston High School building circa 1912
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 25, 2018
4. Building Clarkston History Marker (wide view; former High School building in background)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2019. It was originally submitted on January 4, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 481 times since then and 72 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 4, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
