John Pennington-Henry Ford House

The John Pennington-Henry Ford House is a Greek Revival residence in Macon Township with a symmetrical two-story form and a recessed pillared porch. Built on a fieldstone foundation, the structure features single-story wings extending from the main section.

John and Hannah Pennington built this residence in 1845, becoming early settlers in the region between Tecumseh and Saline. Decades later, Henry Ford purchased the property in the 1930s for his own purposes.

The residence displays oak floors and black walnut woodwork, reflecting construction choices of mid-nineteenth century Michigan settlers. These craft details reveal how families during this period furnished their homes with locally available materials.

The property sits at 8281 Clinton Macon Road and can be visited by those interested in historic architecture. Advance arrangements are recommended, as the house remains in private ownership with limited visiting times.

Henry Ford used the surrounding farmland to experiment with soybean cultivation, an innovative approach to diversifying agricultural output. These trials were part of Ford's broader interest in new crops and their industrial applications.