In 1891, Henry Ford left his small lumber business to work for the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Within two years, he would become chief engineer. During his time at the Edison Illuminating Company, Henry Ford also built his first automobile -- and had his first meeting with Thomas Edison.

This photograph shows Henry Ford, third from the right in the top row, with a mustache and coveralls. By early 1894, Ford would be promoted to chief engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. Some of his coworkers -- including George Cato and Jim Bishop, pictured here -- helped Henry build his first horseless carriage, the Quadricycle.

This photograph from about 1894 shows Henry Ford, with a mustache, on the far right. While working as chief engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit, Ford was also building his first horseless carriage, the Quadricycle, with the help of some of his coworkers.

Henry Ford constructed this power plant as an edited, scaled-down version of the Detroit station where he had worked. Here, Ford also housed one of Edison's most startling electrical devices -- the only surviving "Jumbo" dynamo from Manhattan's Pearl Street Station. While chief engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company Henry Ford built his first car -- and had his first meeting with Thomas Edison.

This power plant is an edited, scaled-down version of the station in Detroit where Henry Ford became Chief Engineer; it is also a setting for one of Edison's most startling electrical devices -- the only surviving "Jumbo" dynamo from Manhattan's Pearl Street Station. During his time working for the Edison Illuminating Company Henry Ford built his first car -- and had his first meeting with Thomas Edison.

Edison's successful lighting experiments at his Menlo Park laboratory in 1879 bore fruit in the practical system he put into operation in New York City, at the center of which was the Pearl Street power station. This was the first engine-generator to go online providing power to customers on September 4th, 1882. The sole surviving engine-generator from that installation, it is now displayed at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.

In 1944, Henry Ford constructed an edited, scaled-down version of the Detroit power plant where he had worked as chief engineer in the 1890s. Ford invited former Edison Illuminating Company coworkers to the November dedication in Greenfield Village.

Henry Ford constructed an edited, scaled-down version of the Detroit power plant where he worked as chief engineer in the 1890s. Former Edison Illuminating Company coworkers attended the November 1944 dedication in Greenfield Village. Looking on as he opens a valve to start generating power are George Cato (left), Ford's longtime friend, and Richard Elliott (left), who preceded Ford as chief engineer.

In 1944, Henry Ford constructed an edited, scaled-down version of the Detroit power plant where he had worked as chief engineer in the 1890s. Ford's former Edison Illuminating Company coworkers George Cato (left) and Jim Bishop (right) assisted with the project and participated in the November dedication ceremony in Greenfield Village.