Marysville in St. Clair County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
C. H. Wills & Company
Photographed By Kathy Garman, September 26, 2020
1. C. H. Wills & Company Marker
Inscription.
C. H. Wills and Company. . C. Harold Wills (1878-1940) began working as a draftsman for Henry Ford in 1902. When the Ford Motor Company was organized in 1903, Wills was its chief engineer and metallurgist. He designed every Ford car until he resigned in 1919. Deciding to manufacture his own car, Wills selected Marysville, a hamlet of two hundred on the banks of the St. Clair River, as the site for C. H. Wills and Company. In 1921 the first overhead-cam, V-8 Wills Sainte Claire was produced. Remembered for its Flying Gray Goose radiator emblem, it utilized strong, lightweight molybdenum steel and was the first car to have back-up lights. Hydraulic brakes, balloon tires and a six-cylinder engine were added before the factory closed in 1926, having produced 14,000 cars. The property was purchased by the Chrysler Corporation in 1935.
Erected by the Blue Water Region Antique Automobile Club of America
C. Harold Wills (1878-1940) began working as a draftsman for Henry Ford in 1902. When the Ford Motor Company was organized in 1903, Wills was its chief engineer and metallurgist. He designed every Ford car until he resigned in 1919. Deciding to manufacture his own car, Wills selected Marysville, a hamlet of two hundred on the banks of the St. Clair River, as the site for C. H. Wills & Company. In 1921 the first overhead-cam, V-8 Wills Sainte Claire was produced. Remembered for its Flying Gray Goose radiator emblem, it utilized strong, lightweight molybdenum steel and was the first car to have back-up lights. Hydraulic brakes, balloon tires and a six-cylinder engine were added before the factory closed in 1926, having produced 14,000 cars. The property was purchased by the Chrysler Corporation in 1935.
Erected by the Blue Water Region Antique Automobile Club of America
Erected 1985 by Michigan History Division, Department of State. (Marker Number L1100.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.
Location. 42° 54.487′ N, 82° 28.295′ W. Marker has
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been reported damaged. Marker is in Marysville, Michigan, in St. Clair County. Marker is on Huron Boulevard, 0.1 miles east of Busha Highway (State Route 29), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 940 Huron Blvd, Marysville MI 48040, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The marker is located on a concrete pad, outside the fenced-in property owned by the Chrysler Mopar Marysville Facility, and across the street from the Marysville Little League office building.
Photographed By Kathy Garman, September 26, 2020
2. The Chrysler Mopar Marysville Facility can be seen in the background.
Photographed By Kathy Garman, September 26, 2020
3. A view of the C. H. Wills & Company Marker looking north.
The Marysville Little League Office Building can be seen in the background across the street from the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2021, by John Garman of Rochester Hills. This page has been viewed 252 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 13, 2021, by John Garman of Rochester Hills. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
