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Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
daveg
(130.36.62.---)
Date: July 31, 2012 05:09PM
Very interesting article on the history of what is now known as Ford City and the home of Tootsie Roll.
http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/chicago.html
One tid-bit from the CRHS and FC tour last Sunday - it was the largest building in the world covering 82 acres.
http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/chicago.html
One tid-bit from the CRHS and FC tour last Sunday - it was the largest building in the world covering 82 acres.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
tomc
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 11, 2012 03:59PM
they made jet emgines for fighter jets. at night you could hear the roar. after that Tucker made his car there until they drove him out of business. look up the tucker car;quite unique. also the movie, tucker. tom c
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
hawks24
(---.rpslmc.edu)
Date: February 22, 2013 02:45PM
why is it called Ford City? The website talked about Dodges.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 22, 2013 05:16PM
Go to http://forgottenchicago.com/forum/1/1389/1983/re__ford_city#msg-1983
and scroll up to the top of the page and follow the thread.
and scroll up to the top of the page and follow the thread.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
jak378
(---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: February 23, 2013 12:26PM
Never made jet engines. The Wright Cyclone that was made there was a radial, piston engine for the B-29. Made by Dodge.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
Business7007
(---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: March 23, 2013 08:57PM
The Ford engine plant on the current site of Ford City from which it takes its name was a WWII plant that made aircraft engines for many of the planes with which we won the war. At different times during the war you might have different companies with War Department contracts making engines, but it always kept the original name of the Ford plant. It was actually built by the government and Ford was the first one to have the contract for aircraft engines in that plant early in the war.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 23, 2013 11:48PM
As was previously noted on FC the original purpose of the Ford City complex was to produce radial aircraft engines that would power the B-29 Superfortress. The B-29 was the plane that brought the Japanese to their knees after dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was Chrysler Corporation, not Ford, that was awarded the contract to build the Wright Cyclone radial engines, an 18 cylinder, 2200 horsepower behemoth. The Dodge Division was chosen to staff the plant which was called Dodge Chicago.
After the war the plant was leased by Preston Tucker for his ill fated attempt to compete with Detroit. Sometime following Tucker's exit Ford entered the building to build jet engines, some of which powered fighters for the Korean War.
I think Ford left around 1959 and maybe since they were the last tenant before it's retail re-birth we now know the shopping center as Ford City. Dodge, Tucker, Ford, in that order.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2013 10:28PM by b.a.hoarder.
After the war the plant was leased by Preston Tucker for his ill fated attempt to compete with Detroit. Sometime following Tucker's exit Ford entered the building to build jet engines, some of which powered fighters for the Korean War.
I think Ford left around 1959 and maybe since they were the last tenant before it's retail re-birth we now know the shopping center as Ford City. Dodge, Tucker, Ford, in that order.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2013 10:28PM by b.a.hoarder.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
Lance Grey
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 24, 2013 12:45AM
It was a loose Brontosaurus that took out many of Chicagos huge, factory complexes.
..Everyone knows Brontosaurus were Plant Eaters. :P
..Everyone knows Brontosaurus were Plant Eaters. :P
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 24, 2013 08:20PM
I hope Ford City doesn't turn into another 'dead mall'.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 24, 2013 10:26PM
Today's Chicago Tribune "Chicago Flashback" feature (Sec.1 pg. 19) is WWII war materiel production in the Chicago area.
Re: Ford City - before it was Ford City
Posted by:
Business7007
(---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: March 25, 2013 12:35AM
b.a.hoarder has it right, first Dodge to build B-29 engines until the end of the war,then Tucker for his still-born car, and then Ford in 1950 to build their cars but before that happened came Korea and Ford started to build piston aircraft engines but then switched to jet engines when that became the norm.
