The Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and Ford isn’t holding back in letting everyone know about it. The facility is special, even remarkable, in a lot of people’s eyes because it’s the only production facility in the U.S. to manufacture cars uninterrupted for 100 years. And just as the complex its centennial anniversary, Ford is already adding more facilities inside the complex in preparation for the automaker’s future manufacturing processes.

The 100th anniversary of Ford’s Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan is one of those awesome things that we don’t get to appreciate until it’s brought to our attention. The fact that it’s been around for 100 years is incredible in it of itself. But it hasn’t just been “around” all that time, it’s had its lights on since 1918 and has never closed it. It’s been through two world wars — the facility was first used to build Eagle Boats for the U.S. Navy during World War I — and 18 U.S. recessions, and in all those moments in history, it has continuously produced some of Ford’s most iconic models. Care to guess what Ford model is currently being produced in the facility? Give yourselves a pat on the back if you guessed the Ford F-150, which happens to be America’s best-selling model.

There’s so much history tied into this facility that it’s easy to drown in all the stories that have happened there. But just as it has lasted as long as it has, the facility isn’t in danger of being shut down anytime soon. It’s too important for Ford, not just because it’s where the automaker builds the current F-150, but because it’s also being prepared for the future, whether it’s inside the complex or outside in nearby locations.

“Just as the Rouge has been a harbinger of progress for a century, Ford is committed to ensuring our trucks continue to power the world in a sustainable way – whether they are powered by EcoBoost engines, hybrid powertrains, or are fully electric,” Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company’s executive chairman, said in a statement.

Those words aren’t PR spins, either. There’s concrete action behind them. How about the $35 million training facility that Ford expanded just a few miles from the Rouge complex. These are indications that Ford is serious about accelerating and improving its manufacturing process in different areas, including robotics, 3D printing, collaborative robots, and artificial intelligence. Sitting at the heart of all that manufacturing and developmental sphere is the Rouge production complex. Not bad for a 100-year old facility, right?

The Rouge, as Ford calls it, will retain its status as ground zero for all these manufacturing developments. “New technology and innovation continue to be hallmarks of all Ford plants – inspired by what the Rouge has been known for during the past century,” Joe Hinrichs, president of Global Operations, said. “We will continue finding new ways to apply new technology and tools to deliver high-quality vehicles for our customers and even more meaningful work for our hourly workers.”

“To us, it’s more than a factory,” Ford said. “It’s a source of pride for generations of workers who have built the best cars and trucks in the world. It’s an all-American symbol of strength, opportunity, and hope; a place where we’ve always been creating tomorrow together.”

One hundred years later, that “tomorrow” Bill Ford is talking about still chugging along.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford F-150.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford F-150 Raptor.