Our story is one of family

Frank “The Chief” Corrigan relocated to Dearborn, Michigan, in 1923, enticed by the $5 daily wage promised by Ford Motor Company. At Ford, Frank worked third-shift on the Ford farms doing a variety of different jobs – sometimes even chauffeuring Henry Ford himself. The Chief was motivated, and in the daylight hours when he was not employed at Ford he sustained an ice delivery business with his brother. After the Great Depression hit, Frank drove his trucks to assist families forced from their homes move their belongings.

And thus, Corrigan Moving Systems was born.

World War II brought about a new challenge to Frank and Corrigan Moving due to the struggle hiring movers during the WWII years. Frank’s firstborn son, Paul Corrigan, was ordered back from the Air Force in 1945 to assist his family and the family business. Paul had always dreamed of going to a university. Instead, he assumed management of the company, going through what he called the “school of hard knocks”.

Paul showed himself to be a gifted leader, and under his guidance Corrigan started to expand. In 1949, Corrigan joined United Van Lines because the prospect of partnering with an agency-owned van line attracted Paul. The co-op structure provides agents, like Corrigan, a voice in the direction of the van line.

Over the following four decades, the Corrigan family expanded beside the company. Paul married Kathleen O’Hehir in 1954 and hand-in-hand they raised six children. At some point growing up all six of the children worked at Corrigan in some capacity, either on the trucks or in the office.

In 1969 Corrigan started its second warehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan and operated as a two-office business for the following 15 years. In 1984, they started a fast eight-year growth and procurement phase. New locations were opened in Auburn Hills, Toledo, Flint, Bay City and Grand Rapids. In 1987, Corrigan bought a new location in Farmington Hills and relocated their headquarters from the Dearborn office.

In 1995, Paul’s sons took over the executive positions at the organization.

Corrigan Moving has always welcomed growth options that help increase the quality and service offerings. Two excellent options presented themselves to David Corrigan, and so, in 2003, a branch was added in Rochester, New York. Then a Chicago, Illinois warehouse was added in 2006. These were the first Corrigan offices in each of these states. Additional growth brought an office in Cleveland, Ohio; and in 2018, a location was opened in Buffalo, New York. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania warehouse was added in 2022.

As Corrigan has expanded, it has also grown its services. No longer hauling ice, Corrigan now offers a broad range of services such as household goods relocation, commercial and workplace moving, record storage, systems furniture assembly and disassembly, logistics, and international freight forwarding.

Today, the Corrigan team continues to honor Frank’s initial mission. And because of that, we have expanded into one of the most reputable moving company countrywide.