Flint Road Cart Factory/Durant-Dort Carriage Factory No. 1
This one-story mill was built in the early 1880s as part of an unsuccessful effort to diversify the Flint Woolen Mills. In 1886 J. Dallas Dort and Billy Durant began leasing it to manufacture road carts. By the end of its first year of operation, their Flint Road Cart Company had produced four thousand vehicles. The company later expanded to produce four-wheeled carriages, wagons, and, for a short time, bicycles. The company ceased carriage manufacturing in 1917, and this building and other surrounding factories were converted to the manufacture of the Dort Motor Car. This one-story mill was built in the early 1880s as part of an unsuccessful effort to diversify the Flint Woolen Mills. In 1886 J. Dallas Dort and Billy Durant began leasing it to manufacture road carts. By the end of its first year of operation, their Flint Road Cart Company had produced four thousand vehicles. The company later expanded to produce four-wheeled carriages, wagons, and, for a short time, bicycles. The company ceased carriage manufacturing in 1917, and this building and other surrounding factories were converted to the manufacture of the Dort Motor Car.
site number: L1395C
era: Industry and Invention (1875-1915)
year listed: 1987
year erected: 1988
