Sitting almost in the shadow of Detroit at the far western edge of Wayne County is Cherry Hill, one of Canton Township’s historic villages. This is the location where you will find Henry Ford’s last village industry and a large industrial warehouse on 14 acres of property that sat vacant for over 10 years. The Cherry Hill Ford Factory Complex consisted of two buildings: the Veterans’ Dormitory and the Ford Factory. In 2003, this village industry was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Cherry Hill Historic District.
In May 1943 Ford purchased 175.12 acres in the area and dedicated 14.5 acres to the plant and it’s grounds. Ford spent about 2 years preparing the site, including the landscaping. His goal was to create a space where disabled WWII veterans could peacefully rehabilitate until they were ready to re-enter society as fully productive members.