Spring Break
Estate grounds welcome wildlife, visitors
Ryan Schreiber
Issue date: 10/11/05 Section: H. Ford Estate
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Set over 72 acres of land owned by the University of Michigan-Dearborn - Ford Motor Company donated it in 1957 - the estate grounds house the largest metropolitan natural area in the state of Michigan.
Home to endless varieties of wildlife, the grounds are a colossal attraction to birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from across the country. In the direct migratory pattern of thousands of birds, visitors from near and far travel to the UM-D campus and the natural areas to observe rare bird species.
The grounds were originally farmland. When the estate and other complexes were completed in 1916, landscape architect Jens Jensen designed the surrounding areas, planting trees and flowers and stocking wildlife from as far away as England. Because the Fords were so fond of nature, the family spent much of its time working in the gardens and peering through their binoculars searching for animals.
Seven gardens were originally housed on the property and most are still cultivated by staff and volunteers today. The butterfly garden still earns its name, as sweet-smelling flowers attract the winged creatures all summer long. Other gardens included a thousand-plant peony garden and a ten thousand-plant rose garden.
The meadow leading from the side of the house to the man-made lake was named Jensen's meadow, as Mr. Ford greatly appreciated the fine work of his landscaper. To this day, every year on June 21, the sun sets directly between two strategically planted trees to the west of the lake.
Because the Fords enjoyed ornithology so much, 500 birdhouses were installed throughout the grounds. And although Mr. Ford often had successful technological endeavors, his heated birdhouse idea never took off - the feathered friends flew south for the winter anyway.
A large staff was needed to maintain the gardens. "Up to twenty-five men tended the grounds on a seasonal basis but exact numbers are difficult to determine due to Mr. Ford's practice of augmenting the staff with people temporarily pulled from his assembly lines," according to the Estate's Web site.
The original grounds also included a summer house, staff cottages, gatehouse, pony barn, skating house, greenhouse, maple sugar shack, root cellar and vegetable garden where Mr. Ford grew soybeans.
Today, the Environmental Interpretive Center on the northeast side of the UM-D campus is home to many programs and studies conducted on the grounds, attracting around 13,000 visitors to campus each year.
The natural areas "provide a place within an urban area as well as an outdoor classroom," according to EIC Director Rick Simek. "It's become known as such a hot-spot for birds."
And although none of Ford's exotic species survive today, the area's beauty surely does.