Ford Motor Company. Engineering Photographic Dept.

In 1918, a second Ford Motor Company photographic department, the Engineering Photographic Department, was formed to focus on engineering and technical imaging and located at the Fordson Tractor Plant on Oakwood Boulevard in Dearborn, Michigan. In 1923, tractor operations were moved to the Rouge Plant and a building designed by Albert Kahn was constructed on the site. The Engineering Photographic Department moved into the new Engineering Laboratory, which Henry Ford also chose over the Rouge for the location of his administrative office. Nearby were the Ford Airport, Dearborn Inn, the Edison Institute and Greenfield, an early American village, now The Henry Ford. While the department focused primarily on design, engineering, and technical developments along with industrial initiatives like Ford Village Industries in initial years, by the mid 1920s, Henry's personal interests were also significantly represented. Photographers responded to Henry's requests for photography on a variety of subjects, especially his antiquarian, restoration, and educational interests. By 1929, staff began a separate negative series to differentiate the two. One negative log was maintained "For the Company" and a second "For Henry Ford."