On July 1, 1931, Henry and Edsel Ford hosted many noted dignitaries at the opening of the Dearborn Inn, located directly across the street from the Ford Airport on Oakwood Blvd.

Now 80 years later, a book about the history of Dearborn Inn has been written by Dearborn native Jennifer (Czerwick) Ganem, and published by Arcadia as part of their Images of America Series.

To celebrate, Dearborn Inn is hosting a champagne reception and book-signing event in the hotel lobby on Thursday, Nov. 10 between 5-8 p.m. The inn is anxious to show off the completion of a multi-year renovation throughout the hotel, including the introduction of a new restaurant, Edison’s, as well as the conversion of the popular Ten Eyck Tavern restaurant to the hotel lounge.

Ganem began collecting Dearborn Inn memorabilia many years ago, and attributes a bed she owns from Dearborn Inn, a photo she found in the attic of her West Dearborn home and some Dearborn Inn dinner plates that a friend purchased, as the three intersecting reasons that she began researching the inn’s rich history.

“I was born and raised in Dearborn, and already had a life-long interest in both Ford and local history, writing this book seems to have been my destiny … my way of helping to preserve a small piece of history and telling this important part of the Ford story,” Ganem says, as she is anxious to continue gathering memories and important pieces of history from those with information to share. “The book is written, but the story is just beginning. I look forward to meeting everyone who attends the book signing event.”

Most recently, the Dearborn Inn lobby and adjacent sun porch were completely refurbished. The classic black and white checkerboard marble floor was restored to its original luster, and new hand-tufted area rugs and furnishings were installed. Paint colors were selected to highlight the Albert Kahn – designed architectural features such as pilasters, crown moldings, and the decorative ceiling filigrees that surround the original chandeliers. While all of the lobby seating consists of new, traditional furnishings, many of the desks and side tables have been carefully refinished to retain a sense of the past.

For more information about the inn visit www.dearborninnmarriott.com or call (313) 271-2700. Books will be available for purchase and to be signed by the author at the reception on Nov. 10. Ganem will also be signing books at Barnes and Noble in Allen Park on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 2-4 p.m. For more details about the newly released book, visit HERE or HERE.

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 5:30 am and is filed under Around Town. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.