Belleville Presbyterian’s Historic Chapel

For the better part of a century, the chapel used for worship by Belleville Presbyterian members has played a vital role in US history.

In 1929, Henry Ford commissioned the design of what was designated his Martha-Mary chapel in honor of his wife Clara’s mother Martha Bryant and his own mother Mary Ford. The first such building was erected at Greenfield Village 20 miles east of Belleville. Ford generously shared his architectural plans, resulting in a total of seven duplicate chapels being built, including one in Massachusetts and two in Georgia.

Henry Ford owned vast tracts of farm land in Michigan, including an area called Camp Willow Run which provided life skills and economic opportunities for underprivileged teenagers residing in tents throughout the Great Depression. The Martha-Mary chapel erected in 1930 at this location provided worship opportunities for these orphans.

At the beginning of World War II, Ford and Charles Sorensen repurposed Willow Run to build a 3.5-million-square-foot factory designed by noted architect Albert Kahn and two long runways. The goal was employing automotive methodology to manufacture Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers with utmost efficiency. From 1941 through 1945, the plant’s mile-long assembly line yielded a remarkable 8685 4-engine planes, a major part of America’s Arsenal of Democracy. At peak production, less than an hour was needed to complete each 4-engined bomber. The Martha-Mary chapel continued providing worship opportunities for workers employed at this aircraft plant.

When the war ended, Ford sold his vast plant (and the chapel) to Kaiser-Fraser to build automobiles. GM later used these facilities to manufacture automatic transmissions. The airport is still used for airfreight operations.

The quaint Martha-Mary chapel was used for document storage before it was moved to Cherry Hill Village, now part of Canton, Michigan where worship resumed. When that congregation outgrew this church, it was sold to Belleville Presbyterian for one dollar and relocated to its present site on property that was also previously owned by Henry Ford. The first worship service was held July 15, 1979. The original pews and furnishings accommodating 120 worshipers remain in original condition.

The Belleville Presbyterian Church continues providing memorable worship, wedding, and celebration of life services for anyone interested in visiting this historic chapel.