The Continental Motor Co., established in 1905 in Muskegon, Michigan, quickly became a cornerstone of the burgeoning automobile industry. Starting with the production of robust automobile engines and later expanding into aircraft engines, Continental’s growth necessitated a move to a more industrial hub. Detroit, the Motor City, was the natural choice for this expansion, marking a significant chapter in the company’s history and its impact on the car industry.
Albert Kahn’s Vision: Building the Detroit Plant
In 1912, Continental Motors established its Detroit presence with a state-of-the-art factory designed by the renowned architect Albert Kahn. Kahn, celebrated throughout Detroit for his industrial designs, envisioned a plant capable of producing an impressive 18,000 engines annually. The main building boasted substantial 2-foot thick walls, while the powerhouse section featured even more robust 3-foot thick walls, a testament to the scale and power of the operation. Expansions over time saw the plant grow to encompass nearly 12 acres, solidifying Continental’s commitment to Detroit and the automotive sector.
In March of that year, the Jefferson factory began operations, signaling Continental’s entry into the big leagues of the rapidly expanding car industry. By July 1, 1912, “active manufacturing operations” were underway, marking the start of a prolific period for the company. During its tenure at this factory, Continental Motors became the unsung hero powering numerous iconic automobiles. Engines produced here drove vehicles from brands like Hudson, Abbott-Detroit, Detroiter, Kaiser-Frazer, and nearly a hundred other manufacturers, showcasing the breadth of Continental’s influence across the car industry.
Contemporary reports from the Detroit Free Press highlighted the factory’s immense capacity, noting it far exceeded the Muskegon plant. An advertisement from May of the same year in the Free Press even proclaimed Continental as “the largest motor mfg. co. in the world,” reflecting the optimistic outlook for the company and its new Detroit facility. However, even amidst this growth, challenges arose. In the early 1920s, a robbery occurred where employee pay envelopes were stolen, a stark reminder of the human element within this industrial giant.
Diversification and Wartime Contributions
As the 1920s progressed, Continental Motors expanded its engine production to include four-cylinder engines alongside its standard car engines. Recognizing the growing importance of aviation, the company also ventured into aircraft engine manufacturing at the same Detroit factory. In the early 1930s, Continental briefly attempted to produce its own automobiles, but faced intense competition from established local brands, making it a challenging venture.
The Continental Motors factory’s significance reached new heights during World War II. Detroit transformed into the “Arsenal of Democracy,” and Continental played a crucial role in this effort. The factory shifted to producing vital aircraft parts and combat vehicle motors, including engines for R-975s and tanks. To accommodate this shift, the facility was adapted, notably with the addition of testing cells in 1942. These specialized chambers, with their distinctive peaked, metal roofs that could be opened for ventilation, allowed engineers to rigorously test engines at full power while mitigating the dangers of carbon monoxide exposure.
Production of “vital war materials” accelerated as WWII intensified. By the end of 1943, the East Jefferson plant employed 8,000 Detroiters, working tirelessly seven days a week. However, even wartime production faced unexpected disruptions. A humorous yet telling incident occurred during Christmas 1943, when a large number of workers arrived for the day shift inebriated, rendering them “too dazed to do precision work.” This led to the plant being temporarily shut down until the midnight shift, highlighting the human factor even in critical wartime industries.
As the war drew to a close, the future of war production plants became a topic of discussion. In October 1944, it was announced that many Michigan plants, including Continental’s, would be disposed of by the Defense Plant Corporation after being declared surplus. Despite the impending shift, Continental’s factory continued to be vital for war efforts, handling the production, crating, and shipping of aircraft and tank engines, along with essential spare parts.
The Kaiser-Frazer Era and Beyond
Following WWII, Continental Motors transitioned into a new phase. In 1945, the company entered into a contract to produce engines for Kaiser-Frazer (K-F) vehicles, another Michigan-based automotive company. As Continental’s own production declined post-war, K-F leased the Detroit plant in 1947, effectively turning it into Kaiser-Frazer’s engine division. Initially employing 1,200 workers, the plant ramped up quickly, producing 12,000 engines per month by August.
However, Kaiser-Frazer also faced its own set of challenges. By 1948, the company began experiencing financial pressures, leading to production cutbacks and layoffs. The Detroit plant, like others, faced reduced workweeks and closures due to fuel and transportation shortages, exacerbated by a harsh winter that affected numerous Detroit automakers, including Chrysler, Packard, and General Motors.
In 1951, Kaiser-Frazer purchased the East Jefferson factory from Continental, marking a change in ownership. As the Korean War began in 1950, military production saw a resurgence. Kaiser-Frazer’s Detroit plant was repurposed to produce engines for training planes and helicopters, such as R-1300s and engines for C-119s, leading to increased output and employment. Despite this, the automotive industry faced further production cuts in 1952, a trend anticipated even before the end of WWII.
The Kaiser-Frazer partnership concluded in 1953, coinciding with the end of the Korean War and a subsequent decrease in military production needs. Kaiser Motor Inc., formed from the previous partnership, took ownership of the Jefferson factory. In April 1953, Kaiser Motor merged with Willys-Overland Motors Inc., leading to a relocation of most Kaiser production to Toledo, Ohio. The Willow Run factory was sold, and eventually, other Michigan factories followed suit.
By 1955, production at the 12801 E. Jefferson Ave. plant had ceased, and Kaiser Motors largely exited the Michigan business landscape. The closure resulted in job losses, contributing to Detroit’s rising unemployment, although some former Kaiser employees found work at nearby companies. In 1965, Detroit Engine Corp. acquired the rights to the Continental Motors engine line, and in 1969, Teledyne Inc. acquired what remained of Continental.
From Recycling to Remnants: The Factory’s Later Years
During the 1960s and 1970s, much of the sprawling factory was demolished, leaving only the power plant, foundry, and test cells standing. The cleared land was repurposed for various uses, including a U.S. Postal Service building and the Wayne County Probation Office.
In the 1980s, Continental Aluminum, a metal-recycling company unrelated to Continental Motors, purchased the remaining buildings and began operations in the foundry. However, Continental Aluminum faced numerous complaints and fines due to the toxic nature of its metal recycling processes. The company relocated in 1998, and the former Continental Motors plant fell into further decline.
The foundry portion was demolished in 2008, and scrappers further dismantled the remains of the production plant, even taking the water tower around 2011. Today, only the distinctive test cells with their peaked roofs and the power plant with its “Continental” labeled smokestack remain. These remnants serve as a powerful reminder of the once vast factory and its significant contributions to the automobile and aircraft industries, Detroit’s industrial heritage, and the nation’s war efforts. Even now, driving down East Jefferson, the Continental smokestack can still be glimpsed, standing as a silent sentinel behind a Dollar General, a poignant echo of Detroit’s industrious past and the enduring legacy of Continental Motors in the car industry and beyond.
