City of Dearborn history

March 7, 1932 – Unemployed Detroit workers organize the “Ford Hunger March” to protest increased lay-offs and to pass a list of demands to Henry Ford.

Hundreds of shots are fired into the crowd wounding sixty people and killing five.October 23, 1934 – Launching from Ford Airport, high-altitude balloonists Jean and Jeanette Piccard rise eleven miles in their stratosphere balloon and land in Cadiz, Ohio.

Jeanette is the first American woman licensed as a balloonist and the first to reach the stratosphere.1936 – John Carey becomes mayor of Dearborn.May 16, 1936 – The Ford Rotunda opens in Dearborn.

1937 – Progressive Arabian Hashmie Society opens the first Shi’a mosque in Dearborn inside a former bank building on Dix Avenue.

September 14, 1938 – Fordson Junior College, originally located in the basement of Fordson High School, opens with an enrollment of one hundred students.

April 1, 1941 – A major strike begins spontaneously when Ford Motor Company fires eight union members.

February 10, 1942 – Adjusting to wartime production, Ford automobile assembly ceases for three years.

May 22, 1944 – Fordson and Dearborn school districts consolidate.

April 7, 1947 – Henry Ford dies at age 83.

May 29-31, 1948 – Camp Dearborn opens for the first time during Memorial Day Weekend, hosting 2,500 visitors.

In the late 1950's, Harry Martin was appointed as the third Fire Chief of the Dearborn Township Fire Department.

February 19, 1951 – Facing allegations that he abused his office by preventing proper auditing, appointing unqualified department heads, and other claims, Mayor Hubbard survives a recall election.

Hundreds of shots are fired into the crowd wounding sixty people and killing five.October 23, 1934 – Launching from Ford Airport, high-altitude balloonists Jean and Jeanette Piccard rise eleven miles in their stratosphere balloon and land in Cadiz, Ohio. It later becomes Dearborn Junior College, and finally Henry Ford Community College in 1952.

In 1953 Ed Gorecki was appointed the second Fire Chief and the arrangement with the service station owners was becoming strained.

September 26, 1956 – The Ford World Headquarters building, also known as the “Glass House,” is dedicated.

September 28, 1959 – UM-Dearborn opens as the Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan.

Dearborn Heights was one of the first suburban fire departments to take the fire service in a new direction with the addition of the ambulance service in the mid 1960's.

Until it burns down in 1962, the massive structure is the largest permanent industrial exhibit building in the country and is the reception area for millions of Rouge Plant tourists.

April 8, 1963 – Unannexed sections of Dearborn Township incorporated as the city of Dearborn Heights.

In the mid 1970's, Gordon Warren was promoted from the rank of Fire Marshal to the departments sixth Fire Chief.

March 2, 1976 – Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn’s first shopping mall, opens.

In the 1980's, Errol Lewis became the departments seventh Fire Chief and was also promoted from the position of Fire Marshal.

1989 – Suzanne Sareini becomes first Arab-American elected to Dearborn city council.

Chief Langlois was promoted from the rank of Deputy Chief and was successful in improving the departments EMS service by instituting Advanced Life Support service in the city in 1997.

In 1999, Dearborn Heights opened the doors to a new state of the art Fire Headquarters located at 1999 N. Beech Daly.

He is the only Dearborn mayor to die in office.2006 – John B. O’Reilly, Jr. becomes Dearborn mayor.

The million dollar acquisition is renamed “Dearborn Towers” and acts as a retirement community for Dearborn residents until it is sold in 2012.