In the 1920s, Henry Ford bought Nuttallburg as part of his effort at vertical integration, seeking to control the coal supply needed to power his factories by owning coal mines as well as other parts of production. He purchased Nuttallburg in 1920, but the plan failed largely because he could not control the railroads needed to ship the coal, and he sold his rights in 1928. During the eight years that the Fordson Coal Company, managed by his son Edsel Ford, operated the mine, Ford invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in improvements, including the construction of the tipple and conveyor. His involvement at Nuttallburg is a primary reason the site is recognized as a nationally significant National Historic District.