Willis Avenue Station
| Company type | Facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy, District heating |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founder | Detroit Edison Company |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan , United States |
| Products | Steam heat |
| Owner | Detroit Edison Company |
The Willis Avenue Station functions as a steam generation facility that plays a crucial role within Detroit's district steam heating network. Situated at 50 West Willis Street in Midtown Detroit, this plant was constructed and remains under the ownership of the Detroit Edison Company. In 1997, it earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
Founded in 1903 with the goal of developing electric power plants in Detroit, Detroit Edison introduced the Willis Avenue Station as its inaugural steam power substation dedicated to producing steam heat. The district heating system originally catered to 12 clients using 3,000 feet of main pipelines in 1904, growing substantially to encompass 42 miles of underground mains and roughly 1,650 customers by the mid-1940s. To accommodate increasing heating requirements, the facility underwent major renovations from 1916 through 1927 and continues to supply the Cass Farm Survey Area.
Henry Ford
Adjacent to Willis Avenue Station stood an early electric generation substation operated by the Edison Illuminating Company beginning in 1886. It was here that Henry Ford commenced his professional journey in 1891, working as a night-shift Steam Engineer.
See also
- Holly Steam Combination Company
- National Register of Historic Places in Detroit
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1916
- DTE Energy
- Colonial Revival architecture in Michigan
- Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Historic district contributing properties in Michigan
- Energy infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places
- District heating in the United States
- Industrial buildings and structures in Detroit