- Willis Avenue Station
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Willis Avenue StationWillis Avenue Station
Location: Detroit, Michigan Coordinates: 42°21′5.6″N 83°3′43.41″W / 42.351556°N 83.0620583°WCoordinates: 42°21′5.6″N 83°3′43.41″W / 42.351556°N 83.0620583°W Built: 1916 Architect: Detroit Edison Company Architectural style: Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Colonial Revival Governing body: Private Part of: Willis-Selden Historic District (#97001478) MPS: Cass Farm MPS NRHP Reference#: 97001097[1] Significant dates Added to NRHP: September 22, 1997 Designated CP: December 01, 1997 The Willis Avenue Station is a steam heat production plant used in Detroit's district steam heating system. The plant is located at 50 W. Willis, near Woodward, in the center of the city's Midtown Detroit neighborhood. Built and owned by the Detroit Edison Company, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[1]
History
Detroit Edison was organized in 1903 to build and operate electric plants in Detroit.[2] The Willis Avenue station was the first steam power substation used by Detroit Edison for the production of steam heat. Three other plants serve the central heating district of Detroit.[2]
When the plant first went on line in 1904, there were 3,000 feet (910 m) of mains in place, serving only 12 customers.[2] During the summer of that year, an additional 10,000 feet (3,000 m) of mains were constructed, and the infrastructure was increased as the years went by. By the mid 1940s, there were 42 miles (68 km) of underground mains and serving approximately 1,650 customers.[2] During that time, the Willis Avenue Plant was updated and altered numerous times to serve the heating needs of the community, especially between 1916-1927.[2] The station continues to serve the Cass Farm Survey Area.[2]
Henry Ford
This station in located near the original location of a electric generating sub-station owned and operated by the Edison Illuminating Company. It began operation in 1886. Henry Ford began his career with the Edison Illuminating Company on September 25th, 1891 assigned to this substation as a Steam Engineer, working the 6:00pm to 6:00am shift.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ a b c d e f Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station from the city of Detroit
City of Detroit Architecture · Culture · Detroit River · Economy · Freeways · Government · History · Historic places · International Riverfront · Media · Music · Neighborhoods · Parks and beaches · People · Skyscrapers · Sports · Theatre · Tourism · Transportation
Industrial landmarks in metropolitan Detroit City Antietam Avenue Bridge • Cass Motor Sales • Chestnut Street Bridge • Crescent Brass and Pin Company Building • Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station • Dry Dock Complex • Edwin S. George Building • Globe Tobacco Building • Graybar Electric Company Building • Michigan Bell and Western Electric Warehouse • Milwaukee Junction • New Amsterdam Historic District • Stroh River Place (Parke-Davis Plant) • Riverwalk Hotel (Parke-Davis Laboratory) • Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District • Piquette Plant • Frederic M. Sibley Lumber Company Office Building • Frederick Stearns Building • Russell Industrial Center • Stuber-Stone Building • West Jefferson Avenue – Rouge River Bridge
Suburban Ford River Rouge Complex • Ford Valve Plant • The Henry Ford • Willow Run
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Topics Lists by states Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • WyomingLists by territories Lists by associated states Other Cass Farm Multiple Property Submission Cass-Davenport Historic District • Chapel of St. Theresa-the Little Flower • Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station • Detroit-Columbia Central Office Building • Graybar Electric Company Building • Hotel Stevenson • Robert M. and Matilda (Kitch) Grindley House • League of Catholic Women Building • Saints Peter and Paul Academy • Warren-Prentis Historic District • West Canfield Historic District (Boundary Increase) • Willis-Selden Historic DistrictCategories:- Historic district contributing properties
- Buildings and structures in Detroit, Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Buildings and structures completed in 1916
- Infrastructure-related listings on the National Register of Historic Places
- Coal-fired power stations in Michigan
- Former coal-fired power stations in the United States
- DTE Energy
- Colonial Revival architecture in Michigan
- Michigan Registered Historic Place stubs
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