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| Outer Buildings |
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There are several auxiliary or "outer" buildings on the grounds of Edsel & Eleanor Ford House that were built in the same style as or one compatible to the main house. All of these buildings are open to the public as part of a house tour or grounds admission.
Pool House
The Pool House, also referred to as the "recreation house," is situated near the pool and contains a living room, kitchen, separate changing rooms for men and women and a squash court with a spectator's gallery. A tennis court located just outside the Pool House was eliminated after the children were married. This area was also used as a place where lawn games and activities could be enjoyed near the Pool House.
Play House
For the young visitor, the most fascinating building on the grounds is the charming Play House, a 2/3 scale Tudor-like house situated near the south edge of the Meadow. A gift from her grandmother Clara, it was built in 1930 for Josephine's seventh birthday. The house contains miniature furnishings in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and sitting room. Three sides of the second-story gable ends of the Play House are decorated in high-relief stucco with characters from well-known nursery rhymes, such as Old King Cole, The Cow that Jumper Over the Moon and Little Miss Muffet.
Power House
Fashioned in the Cotswold style, the cottage-like appearance of the Power House conceals its utilitarian purpose of providing power and heat. The main house and Power House are today still heated by two of the original boilers installed in 1927. A third boiler was used to heat the pool, but has not been used since Mrs. Ford's death in 1976. The Power House is connected to the main house by a 160-foot underground tunnel.
Gate Lodge
The Gate Lodge, a familiar landmark on Lake Shore Road, was created with the same Briar Hill sandstone exterior, leaded-glass windows and hand-split stone-shingled roof as the main house. The Gate Lodge contains two generous apartments that were once used for staff members and their families and a small apartment in the archway over the drive. This is also the sight of the new permanent Garage Exhibit "Edsel Ford's Dream Car - The Lincoln Continental."and the South Cottage Exhibit.
Garage Exhibit
The Garage is the site of "Edsel Ford's Dream Car - the Lincoln Continental," a permanent exhibit that was introduced in March 2001. The exhibit chronicles the story of Edsel Ford's work as a pioneer in the world of automotive design, his role in increasing the importance of automotive styling at Ford Motor Company and the creation of his dream car - The Lincoln Continental.
In addition to featuring historic photos and design sketches, the exhibit recreates a 1930s design office, including drafting tools, tables and a 1/10th-scale painted model of the Lincoln Continental. At the centerpiece of the exhibit are two rare automobiles that are on display: Edsel Ford's 1941 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet and Eleanor Ford's custom-made 1952 Lincoln Town Car.
South Cottage Exhibit
The South Cottage, one of the two apartments in the Gate Lodge, houses an exhibition of more than 100 rare Ford family photographs. Generations of Fords are shown enjoying favorite pastimes including sailing and ice-skating. In addition, several pieces of memorabilia are on display.
Activities Center
The Activities Center was opened in 1990 to serve as a welcome and orientation center for guests and to accommodate the increasing number of events hosted by non-profit organizations. Built in the former location of greenhouses, a service building and maintenance garage, the Activities Center was designed by Albert Kahn Associates in the same architectural style as the original buildings. In fact, portions of the building are the original historic structure.
The air conditioned Activities Center is also the site of the Tea Room (link), the Gallery Shop (link) and public restrooms. If you are interested in hosting a function in the Activities Center (link to usage)
 
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