Richmond Hill Plantation, Laboratory-Powerhouse & Chimney, East of Richmond Hill on Ford Neck Road, Richmond Hill

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2348-I. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Henry Ford converted this abandoned rice mill for use as his personal laboratory. A steam boiler in this structure also created electricity and heat for the nearby Ford Mansion. Description: The Laboratory-Powerhouse is a two story load bearing brick building in an L-shape configuration. From historic photographs, it is evident the original rice mill was two stories, however the Ford era ( 193 restoration was only one-story high. This building was dilapidated when it was rehabilitated in the for use as a business office. The original rice mill portion measures 80' x the powerhouse addition (which creates the L shape) measures 30' x At present, both floors are asymmetrically subdivided into offices.

The chimney associated with the powerhouse is constructed ofload bearing brick and rises 58 feet in height. A six foot wide underground tunnel extends from this building to the Ford Mansion. It is constructed of reinforced concrete and is 6' wide with a 6' ceiling height. History: Joseph Clay constructed the original portion of this building in the as a steam powered rice mill. By the time Henry Ford first visited the tract in the the building was a ruin. It is labeled as an "old mill" on a plat. About 193 7, Henry Ford had the old rice mill restored as an experimental laboratory. Ford kept an office in the laboratory, which was used primarily to test various agricultural products' potential for synthesizing rubber.

He ordered a powerhouse addition built on the southeast end of the building. The brick in the original portion of the building is markedly different from the addition. During the renovation, Ford had the old coal burning steam boiler (which had powered the rice mill) sent to Dearborn for repair. The steam engine was completely restored and it was placed in the "Powerhouse" portion of the building. The tall chimney furnished a strong updraft for the wood fires; it made the fire bum hotter and the steam boiler was thus more efficient. Also, two V-8 gasoline engines were installed and connected to the electric generator. When the boiler was not fired, the gas engines could be used to create electricity for the Ford residence.

Steam heat pipes and electrical lines ran about from the Powerhouse to the Ford Mansion via a tunnel. The building was almost a ruin in when Ghaith Pharon had it rehabilitated as his business offices. RICHMOND HILL PLANTATION, Laboratory-Powerhouse and Chimney HABS No. GA-2348-I (Page 2)

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2348-I. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

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Historic American

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Historic American Buildings Survey Library

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Richmond Hill Bryan County Georgia

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Richmond Hill Survey

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Park Service

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