Wilcox Mill

After purchasing the original Wilcox Gristmill, Henry Ford razed the dilapidated structure and constructed a new building in 1923. The facility initially produced generator cutouts and later it produced taps, a tool used for forming internal screw threads. For a time, 95% of Ford Motor Company's tap production took place here.

After Ford's tap operations were moved to Waterford, the company deeded the property to Wayne County in 1948. It has been a maintenance facility, a work station for the county's alternative work force, and a storage space.

Wayne County, in conjunction with local stakeholders and community leaders, is actively working with Tony Roko and the Art Foundation toward a proposed redevelopment plan for the Wilcox Mill site. The sale of the property and the Art Foundation's plan was approved by the Wayne County Commission in November 2019. The Art Foundation plan will transform Wilcox Mill into an arts campus with public greenspace open from dusk to dawn and a public sculpture garden.

The mill itself will be redeveloped in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Additionally, this potential development plan includes improved connections between Wilcox Mill's green space and Hines Park trails and facilities, as well as to surrounding neighborhoods.