Sunday, April 19, 2020

Cast Iron Charlie Sorensen's Home - Rouge Park - Detroit



Photo from rougepark.org


History of Charles E. Sorensen

Charles E. Sorensen, also known as Cast Iron Charlie, was a important employee of the Ford Motor Company during its first four decades.  Over his career with the Ford Motor Company, Sorensen was instrumental in several key milestones, including:

One of six Ford employees hand picked by Henry Ford to develop the Model T

Coordinated the building of the Ford Highland Park Assembly Plant

Developed along with several other Ford managers, the moving automotive assembly line

Provided his casting techniques knowledge during the development of the Ford Flathead V8

Led the design of the Ford Willow Run B-24 Bomber Plant


Location of the Sorensen Home



What is left of the Sorensen Home is located at the south end of Rouge Park, just north of Warren road and about 100 yards west of the intersection of Sawyer Avenue and Spinoza Drive.  The best way to enter the area is about 150 yards north of the cannon off of Spinoza Drive.  See the 'X' in the map below.  The 'Dot' is the location of the cannon.

map courtesy of Google Maps




History of the Sorensen Home



The Sorensen Home was built starting in 1914 and finished in 1917.  An addition and landscaping was added in 1918.  The land for this estate was bought by Henry Ford as he wanted Charlie as a neighbor.  Henry & Clara Ford's Fairlane estate was being built about the same time also on this branch of the Rouge River, but downstream by about 2.5 miles.  It is interesting to note that Henry Ford owned several thousand acres of land at the time (mostly what is now the central area of Deaborn, Allen Park, Lincoln Park and Melvindale).  However his land ownership ended just south of Warren Road.



In 1923, the Sorensens sold this property along with several adjacent land owners to the City of Detroit.   This area was then turned into the Rouge Park starting in 1925.  Rouge Park is 1.7 times the size of NYC's Central Park.  The Sorensen house was then used as a lodge where refreshments could be purchased.  During WWII, it was converted into a serviceman's center for the 728th Military Police Encampment.  I imagine the cannon was added in front of the home during this era.  The cannon is a Spanish cannon from the 18th century.  It was taken from Spain after the Spanish American War.  After the war, it was used as the Rouge Park Recreation Center.  In 1984, the house was torn down after a destructive fire.

Here are some photos that I recently took of what is still left of this estate.  


   The Promenade

Stone Wall - Rear Area of the Home

Stairways Leading to the Home from the River Bed

The Promenade Looking South

The Rouge River Looking North

References:
Friends of Rouge Park  rougepark.org
Wikipedia
MotorCities National Heritage Area motorcities.org
Nailhed nailhed.com
Google Maps
The Dearborn Historical Museum thedhm.com
The Henry Ford Collections and Research thehenryford.org


The Active Return of this Blog

After a four year hiatus, I have decided to revive this blog.  I had no intention to stop writing the blog, it just seemed like other interests took a higher priority.  It will still focus on places to see, eat, drink and visit around the City of Detroit and surrounding Detroit area.  I will also feature other places to visit in and around Michigan.  The State of Michigan has a lot to offer.  

In keeping with the title of this Blog, Bullitt in Detroit, I will still feature my 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt as part of a blog entry's photo collection.  In addition, I've added a 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt to my personal fleet, so expect to see that car also.

I have started to increase my studies of the Detroit Automotive Industry history.  So expect to see entries on locations around Detroit that was part of the Detroit Auto Industry.  



Hope you enjoy my past and future posts and once the State of Michigan starts opening up, make plans to visit to these locations.

Also, I will start editing some of my prior entries as a few locations have, unfortunately, gone out of business.

Thanks.

Greg
April 19, 2020