Page 14 - Richmond Hill Driving Trail

STOP Henry Ford at
28 Richmond Hill Marker

40 Richard Davis Drive
(at Richmond Hill City Hall)

Henry Ford, the pioneering automobile
manufacturer from Detroit, and his wife Clara,
began acquiring land in the area known as Ways
Station in 1925. His agricultural and forestry
projects became major sources of employment
for the local community. In 1936-37, the Fords
built their winter residence, “Richmond Hill,” a
landmark that influenced the renaming of Ways
Station to Richmond Hill in 1941. Their lasting
legacy includes advancing employment, education,
healthcare, housing, and skills development within
the community. The home “Richmond Hill” is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a
private home and is not open to the public.

STOP Ford Superintendents’
29 House

85 Richard Davis Drive
(across from Richmond Hill City Hall)

The Ford Superintendents’ House, built in
1930, originally housed J.F. “Jack” Gregory, who
oversaw Henry Ford’s operations in Richmond
Hill, including significant agricultural ventures
that provided employment for locals. Gregory’s
tenure spanned from the 1920s to 1946, when Ray
Newman took over, focusing on cost reduction
and profitability until Clara Ford’s passing in
1950. Today, J.F. Gregory Park, spans 335 acres
and features a City Center and amenities.Visitors
can enjoy a lake, walking trails, and birdwatching
opportunities along former rice fields.

Henry Ford discovered coastal Georgia in 1917
while on a yachting cruise with his friend,
naturalist John Burroughs, who showed Ford
the beauty of the Ogeechee River area.

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