Sunday, December 18, 2016

Merry Christmas History From The Ford Rotunda


Over a period of twenty-seven years, the Ford Rotunda hosted over 16.5 million visitors. In the 1950's, it was the fifth most popular tourist attraction in the United States. 

The building was ten stories tall. Its steel and aluminum framework was covered with Indiana Limestone to match the Ford Motor Company's Administration Building across Schaefer Road. The building resembled four gear wheels stacked in decreasing size from the top to bottom.

It was originally built for the Chicago World's Fair and opened to the public on May 14, 1934. After the fair was over, the building was reconstructed on a site in Dearborn, Michigan and used as Ford's World Headquarters for a brief time. The building was closed to the public during World War Two and used as a tech center for military training.  

The Ford Rotunda was reopened on June 16th, 1953 to celebrate Ford Motor Company's fiftieth year in business. It was used as an exhibition center displaying all the recent models of Ford automobiles. In addition to a Test Drive Track ride which circled the building, other exhibits were The City of Tomorrow, The Hall of Science, and something called The Drama of Transportation.

 Fifty-six years ago on November 9, 1962, the roof was being waterproofed with hot tar in preparation for the annual Christmas Fantasy exhibition. The roof caught fire and within an hour, the building had burned down. The nine year long holiday tradition came to an end. 


Those of us from the Detroit area who grew up when the Rotunda was in its heyday, namely we Baby Boomers, sadly remember the passing of this great Christmas tradition.


For a video presentation of the Ford Rotunda from the Dearborn Historical Society, view this link: http://vimeo.com/46364168

For more detailed history of the Ford Rotunda, consult this link: http://automotivemileposts.com/autobrevity/fordrotunda.html
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8 comments:

  1. Smashley RoseJuly 9, 2020 at 3:58 PM

    Hi! Do you know the artist of the painting above

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 28, 2020 at 9:05 AM

    I was very fortunate that my parents took me there several years when I was a kid. Wee Willie Winkie was my favorite exhibit - I was wide-eyed while watching him run out one door and into another. And I loved seeing Santa - and this was the REAL Santa Claus.

    I have never seen a Christmas exhibit since then that has even come close to wonder and beauty of the Ford Rotunda Christmas Fantasy. I still wish it would be recreated.

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownDecember 11, 2021 at 10:18 AM

    Oh yes, I remember Christmas at the Rotunda! They used to give away a free comic book. All the cars in the comic book were Fords, of course. Anybody still have their comic book?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sjhDecember 11, 2021 at 1:41 PM

      Yes. Me. I have the 1962 coloring book "Christmas at the Ford Rotunda."

      Delete
  5. talkischeapDecember 11, 2021 at 11:08 PM

    My grandma just gave me her nativity scene from here that was gifted to her from my great grandma the first year she married my grandpa in 1957.

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownDecember 12, 2021 at 5:29 PM

    Never understood why that wasn't rebuilt

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousDecember 13, 2021 at 1:24 AM

    The Christmas displays were special for the kids and family! And there was so much more. There were small patches of different rods from different countries in the back. and bits of history installed throughout. It was really special in a lot of ways!

    ReplyDelete