"The Henry Ford" as it is called includes three major attractions - Museum of Innovation, Greenfield Village, and the Factory Tour. Since we were recovered from the day-long exploration of the Village last Friday, today we visited the Museum of Innovation. Our friend, Loren, had not been in years and joined us for today's adventure.
The first thing we encountered was the Wienermobile. I immediately replayed the song in my head - "Ohhh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener. . .". The Dog House in the background is where you can get a, you guessed it, hot dog. It was far too early for eating and we had acres to explore.
1952 Wienermobile served as a prototype for Oscar Mayer's more recent 1988 fleet. Can you sing the song?
The "Agriculture" exhibits featured the 1st Fordson tractor and the Sperry-New Holland combine among many other unique machines that tried to make life on the farm easier and more productive. Having relatives who farm in Iowa, I can say from first-hand experience machines today dwarf the combine below and I suspect they will probably continue to grow.
1975 Sperry New Holland Combine - In a single operation, this combine cut down cornstalks, separated and husked the ears, chopped the cornstalks for fodder, and shelled the kernels.
The Dymaxion House was designed after WWII as the home of the future. Made of aluminum (now plentiful due to production innovations in support of the war) and assembled in factories much like airplanes, everyone was going to live in one. It was loaded with innovations, but, as you know since this is the only remaining specimen, those plans didn't materialize. The home had no insulation - imagine how cold it would have been in a Michigan winter!
As we wandered through the exhibit entitled "Your Place in Time" we marveled at all the things from our childhoods that are now museum fodder. It made me feel old. There was a photo op in a 1917 Overland car that was, at least a little before my time.
"Made in America" included dozens of complete power generation stations that pretty much all turned steam into electricity. It was fascinating to look at the complexity and ingenuity of the early generators. If I remember correctly, the smallest/earliest would power around 400 40-watt bulbs. The largest was listed in Megawatts and I didn't convert that back to light bulbs, but it was quite an exponential growth over a very short span of time.
The First Modern Power Source - The practical steam engine was invented around 1710 to pump water out of deep mines.
The Corning Glass Ribbon Machine, 1928, revolutionized light bulb production when it was introduced. It takes a ribbon of molten glass and blows it into moving molds, making 600+ glass casings a minute. It reduced the cost of bulbs but put glass blowers out of work. In the 1970s, fifteen of these machines produced most of the world's bulbs.
Corning Glass Ribbon Machine, 1928
The next section called "Heroes of the Sky" included a reproduction of the Wright Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis and Amelia Earhart's airplane among others. Henry Ford's involvement in aviation helped make passenger flights practical, but his aviation division was only in full operation from 1925 to 1932. He lost over $5.5 million in that time and never turned a profit.
The Tin Goose, Henry Fords airplane, was made of a corrugated aluminum alloy called "duralumin" that was as strong as steel while remaining relatively lightweight.
The Tin Goose
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible
Price: $2,538
Average 1956 wage: $4,342 per year
Along one hall were Presidential Vehicles from the one Kennedy used all the way back to a carriage used by Teddy Roosevelt.
Kennedy's car, 1961 Lincoln, used from 1961 to 1977.
Teddy Roosevelt's 1902 Brougham
President Roosevelt was not fond of automobiles, and rarely used one.
There was a section simply labelled "Railroads". I felt very small standing next to the largest locomotive I have ever seen. I lost count of the wheels but I think it was a 2-12-4.
"Driving America" was a large section packed with all manor of vehicles. We learned Charles did not really travel in the RV below but he did broadcast from inside it on location.
1975 FMC motorhome used by Charles Kuralt and his crew as a rolling studio. They traveled more than a million miles and visited all 50 states while filming “On the Road” for 27 years.
Possibly the most detailed model I have ever seen, the 1/8th Scale Team Lotus type 38/1 can be yours for $6,511.00 (shipping charges $256.00). Limited edition of 99 pieces. (dust cover included).
The Bugatti was the most ostentatious, most expensive street car on display. It had to be the exact opposite of Henry Ford's concept of a mass produced vehicle for the common family. Still, if I could take any one car home with me I think this would be the one.
Bugatti Type 41 Royale was longer than a Duesenberg and twice the horsepower of a Rolls-Royce. More costly than both put together. Bugatti built only six Royales. It was yours in 1931 for only $43,000 including the rampaging elephant hood ornament below.
A close second, after the Bugatti, for favorite car as a work of art would be the Cord. Its sleek good looks were ahead of their time! How about those retractable headlamps?
1937 Cord 812
I was not even aware that there was a Mustang concept car built in 1962. I thought the Mustang line started with the 1964 and a half model and it did not look anything at all like the mid-engine screamer below.
1962 Mustang 1
From the outrageous to the exotic to a car that I could conceivably one day own - an early model Ford Thunderbird (or the more recent retro version) - still one of my all time favorites!
1956 Ford Thunderbird
In another section entitled "With Liberty and Justice For All" there were some surprising and interesting bits of memorabilia. The bus (or a replica, I was not clear) where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat was on display. Lincoln's chair seemed a little bit out of place, but it was historic so why not?
Washington's Camp Chest, made by William Chapple, London, England 1783
As the war wound down, Washington used this mess kit on his tour of battlefields in New York and New England.
This is the actual chair in which President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865. It was originally located in the President's special box in Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.
"Exploded" Model T
MATHEMATICA
A World of Numbers...and Beyond
Designed by Charles Eames for IBM
There was so much more than we could possibly show even if I included all 300+ pictures we took. My impression of The Ford was a cross of The Smithsonian with Disney's Epcot and it is not to be missed! I know we will visit again someday.
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