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P‘art’ of history
Reclaimed factory offers space for veterans and artists
Henry Ford had the right idea in
1944 when he used one of his factory
buildings to employ veterans of World
War II.
Nearly 75 years later, members of
the Canton Township Partnership for
the Arts & Humanities are following
Mr. Ford's lead and restoring a building
on the same property into spaces to be
used by veterans and area artists work-
ing onprojects.
The Village Arts Factory, a 14-acre
property at Cherry Hill and Ridge
roads, is now leasing space for artists
to pursue their crafts.
Veteran Gerald Dodson of Canton
said his work in making jewelry has
helped him cope with post-traumatic
stress disorder. He served in both
Vietnam and Korea and is among
returning military veterans who'll ben-
efit from art therapy and more at the
VillageArtsFactory.
The Ann Arbor-based Eisenhower
Center will become a tenant in the
building this fall explained Jill Engel,
executive director of the Canton
Partnership for the Arts &Humanities.
That new tenant will work with female
veterans as part of theAfter the Impact
program.
“They decided to work last fall
specifically with female veterans
because it (that segment of returning
veterans) is underserved,” she said.
This fall is the target to open the
large warehouse studio space and
gallery boutique located in the Cherry
Hill Village area. Tenants in the arts
community are being sought regionally
with an understanding the larger ones
in particular will provide arts classes
for veterans.
The dormitory dates back to 1944
and is among sites on the National
Register of Historic Places from the
U.S. Department of the Interior. It was
part of Henry Ford's effort to employ
veterans returning from World War II
as part of his village industries pro-
gram.
The Canton building is one of the
least publicized of Ford's sites where
post-war disabled veterans were
employed. The 1940s workers also sup-
plied parts for theWillowRun Bomber
Plant.
Volunteer and local business owner
Glenn Shaw has been working to help
line up tenants to support the endeav-
or. The women's portion of the project,
which won't include them living on
site, will provide art, music, health and
wellness services.
Shaw said woodcarvers, glass blow-
ers “all these different things that are
considered in the arts category” are
sought as paying tenants in the build-
Julie Brown
Staff Writer
Work is under way, including at the former dormitory site, which holds a 1944
National Register of Historic Places plaque from the U.S. Department of the
Interior by the door.
Jill Engel, executive director of the Canton Partnership for the Arts & Humanities,
and volunteer Glenn Shaw are working on the Village Arts Factory and are seek-
ing paying artist tenants.
