Every Lake
Ford Lake
Henry Ford dammed the Huron River in 1931 to power his Ypsilanti auto plant.
- 5 ft · first step
- 10 ft
- 15 ft
- 19 ft
- 24 ft
- 29 ft · bottom
About Ford Lake
Ford Lake sits on the Huron River in Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Henry Ford had the dam built between 1931 and 1932 as part of his plan to place small hydroelectric plants in villages across southeastern Michigan, and the dam supplied power to Ford's Ypsilanti auto plant in its early years. The reservoir it created covers roughly 900 acres and runs several miles of shoreline through the township. Ford Motor Company owned and operated the dam until 1969, when it deeded the property to the City and Township of Ypsilanti.
The lake is shallow across most of its area, and its long, narrow shape follows the original bends of the Huron River valley before the dam backed up the water. Boaters and anglers use it for bass and walleye fishing, launching from public access sites along the shore. Ypsilanti Township surrounds the lake on most sides, and the water is bordered by a mix of subdivisions and the industrial land once tied to the Ford plant it was built to power. Weekend boat traffic and local fishing tournaments are common in summer.
- 376 roads engraved around the shore, 18 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Ford Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Ford Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 5 ft, 10 ft, 15 ft, 19 ft, 24 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 29 ft. The lake covers about 1.5 square miles, and 376 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Ford Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Ford Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Ford Lake.
Ford Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Ford Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Ford Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 29 ft
- 1.5 square miles of water
- 376 shore roads engraved, 18 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
