The History of Gulley Farm - Dearborn, Michigan

The property of A.B. Gulley, Dearborn resident and farmer, built his home in 1859, situated about 25000 Michigan Avenue. Now home to Dearborn's Lodge #1945 Elks Club. This farm was later known as Valley Farm, a home for orphaned and disadvantaged boys during 1911 to 1916. In 1918 it was used as a community home for wayward and unfortunated girls, until early 1955, when it became home to the Dearborn Lodge.
The original tract was 160 acres, secured by patent from the United States by Richard McCurdy, on July 2, 1824. Later, 158 of these acres were purchased by Alfred B. Gulley on March 26, 1855. According to heirs of the original owner, the farm house was built in 1859. Orrin P. Gulley and his wife, Sophia Ida Gulley, inherited the property in 1880. It was from them, that Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Bryant Ford, purchased 80 acres in 1908.

After their third summer here, the Ford's offered the use of their property for a summer camp to the Protestant Orphan Home of Detroit. At the close of the summer, they offered to take some of the boys to begin a new home. Ten boys, all around age 11 or 12 , were selected as the first residents, and soon after 5 more were added.
On December 15, 1911, the farm was incorporated for the purpose of providing a home for boys ages 12 and over, not to exceed 18 years of age, who had lost one or both of their parents, had been abandoned, or whose parents were unable to care for them. It was the boys themselves who renamed the home, Valley Farm, after the ball park they had built on the property, located in the "valley" portion of the acreage.
Early resident, George Brady, who was a young boy on the Valley Farm, has recalled his years there in an article he wrote that is now in possession of the Dearborn Historical Society.
In part he talks of his early public education, and attending Presbyerian Church on Sundays with the Ford family. In addition to their education and recreation, the boys had daily tasks to perform before and after school, with the idea that they would become skilled in different types of farm work. Six Valley Farm boys became the first students of the Henry Ford Trade School, which opened October 25, 1916 in Highland Park, Michigan.

At the request of Henry Ford, a survey of the status of former Valley Farm boys was taken in 1943. Three of these boys could not be located. Leslie Harris had been killed while fighting in France during World War I. Two became lawyers, two business men, one a police lieutentant, four toolmakers, one a traveling sales, and George E. Brady, a local Dearborn Official. His brother, Lewis F. Brady, became a successful lawyer in Detroit. Another, Jessie Bollinger, later became Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Michigan, and obtained 2 batchlor's degrees.

Once a farm house, over a century old, now Dearborn Elks Lodge, is a landmark, the home to a number of young men, who later bacame great leaders of the community.

Contributed by Linda Ball