Henry's Museum

The museum Henry built

Although perhaps best remembered for the Model T and mass production, Henry Ford also left a legacy of living history.  In one trial, he famously dug himself into a hole with his disdain of historical facts claiming he didn’t need to know exactly what happened in the past. While he may not have cared about the dates of the American Revolutionary War, he built a village that has kept the 19^th century alive with 3D exhibits and hands on activities.  He preserved many historic buildings and exemplars of a way of life undone by the mechanical/automobile age and created a foundation to keep them around in perpetuity. So, I drug Steve to see the Henry Ford Museum and his Greenfield Village, an ode to life in the 19^th Century. As the complex man who created it, the museum defies simple description. It probably deserved more than the one day we could devote to it – here are the highlights of our visit.

Riding in a real life 1916 Model T –

Wondering the village we visited the Wright Brothers workshop and boyhood home, Edison’s Menlo Park campus, Noah Webster’s home, and a McGuffey school house next to McGuffey’s childhood home. Exhibits also included stores from the era with authentic merchandise and re-enactors – the jewelry store attendant tried to sell Steve a precious gift for his wife. He was spared a visit to the lady’s hat store. We also took a peek in Ford’s family farm house which included three ladies using the wood fired stove to prepare a picnic for July 4^th. Those were authentic smells. And, we stopped at the replica of Ford’s garage where he built his first car and had to enlarge the door to get it out. We left the village without riding the steam train, vintage bus, or horse drawn wagons. Nor did we explore the farms or artisans making glass, pottery and other crafts of the era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ford's first car

 

 

We moved on to the museum with a vast collection of cars and unique exhibits like the car Kennedy was in when he was assassinated, the bus Rosa Parks rode, and a Weiner mobile. Again, we could have wandered for hours through the extensive displays and collections on everything from how the assembly line operates to Buckminster Fuller’s prefab house from 1946 built at the Beechcraft airplane plant which accounts its silver skin.

 

Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion House

 

 contemplating a Bugatti

 mass production and the result

 

 

 

If I lived in this area a membership to this institution would be on the top of my list.  We met a couple who are members and come in regularly just to wander and have breakfast or lunch as well as enjoy the special events. I’ve never owned a Ford car, but I am now a big fan of the Henry Ford Museum. Another trip through Detroit may be in our future!