▁time ▁of ▁its ▁closure , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁oldest ▁Ford ▁plant ▁still ▁in ▁operation . ▁ ▁The ▁plant ' s ▁final ▁products ▁were ▁the ▁Ford ▁R anger ▁pick up ▁tr uck . ▁ ▁Pre viously , ▁the ▁plant ▁had ▁manufact ured ▁the ▁Ford ▁Model ▁T , ▁Model ▁T T ▁tr uck , ▁Sports man ▁convert ible , ▁Gal ax ie , ▁and ▁L TD . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Ford ▁officials ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁factory , ▁though ▁it ▁operated ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁past ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁closure ▁date ▁initially ▁announced . ▁ ▁The ▁plant ' s ▁final ▁tr uck ▁was ▁completed ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁buildings ▁have ▁been ▁demol ished ▁since ▁then . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁The ▁promise ▁of ▁cheap ▁hyd rop ower ▁was ▁the ▁chief ▁reason ▁why ▁Henry ▁Ford ▁agreed ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁plant ▁in ▁St .   Paul . ▁ ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁initially ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁making ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁on ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁However , ▁hydro elect ric ▁power ▁required ▁a ▁rather ▁large ▁dam , ▁which ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁first ▁lock ▁and ▁dam ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁demol ished . ▁ ▁Some ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁up stream ▁Me ek er ▁Island ▁Lock ▁and ▁Dam ▁still ▁po ke ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁water ▁when ▁the ▁river ▁is ▁low . ▁ ▁A ▁major ▁upgrade ▁to ▁the ▁Ford ▁Dam