Day 10 - November 9, 2015 (Great Lakes Region Trip)
Today we were going to The Henry Ford Museum and the Ford Rouge Factory. It would be another full day.
We started early because we knew our day would be split. With reservations at 2:00 pm at the Ford Rouge Factory, we started at the museum. The museum covers 9 acres and is packed with unique exhibits.
Inside, the first thing we saw was the row of Presidential limousines. It was extremely interesting to us to see the progression of technology over a period of time. There were information signs with each car.
The first one was Teddy Roosevelt's Brougham (circa 1902 Brougham). Roosevelt preferred a horse- drawn carriage because he didn't like cars.
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| President Theodore Roosevelt's circa 1902 Brougham limousine |
The next car was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Sunshine Special (1939 Lincoln). It was specially designed with added security (rear platform and handles for Secret Service agents) after Pearl Harbor as well as hinged rear doors to help get President Roosevelt in and out of the car.
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| Back of President F. D. Roosevelt's 1939 Lincoln limousine |
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| Front of President F. D. Roosevelt's 1939 Lincoln limousine |
Dwight D. Eisenhower's Bubbletop (1950 Lincoln) was the next in line. It had a removable Plexiglass top that allowed him to see and be seen even in bad weather. There was also a folding "bug shield" to protect the President's face when standing during parades.
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| Back of President Eisenhower's 1950 Lincoln limousine |
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| Front of President Eisenhower's 1950 Lincoln limousine |
Next, we saw John F. Kennedy's convertible limousine (1961 Lincoln). After the assassination, the Secret Service had the car rebuilt during Johnson's and Nixon's presidencies. The former convertible was transformed with a permanent steel roof. and a reinforced rear trunk.
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| Back of President Kennedy's 1961 Lincoln limousine |
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| Front of President Kennedy's 1961 Lincoln limousine |
The last limousine was Ronald Reagan's car (1972 Lincoln). It was first used by President Nixon. Like all Presidential limousines after Kennedy, it had all of the security measures. It did have a sunroof panel where 2 people could fit to stand up (upper bodies out of the car) and be seen. The bullet that tried to assassinate President Reagan ricocheted off the rear panel (bullet hole still visible) and hit the President.
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| Back of President Reagan's 1972 Lincoln limousine |
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| Front of President Reagan's 1972 Lincoln limousine |
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| Bullet hole from attempt on President Reagan, 1981 |
While the Presidential carriage/cars were quite impressive, it was time to move to the next section, "Driving Across America." This area showed how people got from one place to another over the years. While there was so much in this exhibit, we will highlight some of our favorites.
Before cars, horses, bicycles, ships, and trains were the forms of transportation, other than walking, that people used to get around. Horses were living machines in the 1800s. By the late 1800s, "safety" bicycles became the craze. Since most people couldn't afford to own a coach, boat, or train, they shared rides on streetcars, coaches, or passenger trains.
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| Pope Columbia Safety bicycle, 1889 |
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| Abbot Downing Concord coach, 1891 |
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| Jones horse-drawn streetcar, about 1875 |
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| Noyes piano box buggy, about 1910 |
With bicycles and buggies being mass produced and more affordable by the end of the 1800s, people became more independent about traveling a little further from home. This created a new need for the people - eating away from home. Roadside diners and fast food restaurants began to pop up. In 1935, Howard Johnson opened food stands in the Boston area, selling his high butter-fat ice cream.
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| Original Howard Johnson's Sign, 1955, from Jacksonville, IL |
By the 1930s, A & W became one of the earliest drive-ins with "tray boys and girls." In 1921, White Castle opened as a hamburger eatery. Hamburgers were considered a "poor man food" so the common person could afford them. McDonald's first attempt of a drive -in restaurant in Southern California was plagued by problems. They shut down and reopened with a new "Speedee Service System" - assembly line production of a limited menu, at drastically reduced prices. The McDonald's concept was franchised in 1955.
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| White Castle sign, 1930; McDonald's sign, 1960; A&W sign, 1960s |
Diners, a uniquely American innovation, began springing up everywhere because the business was easy to get started. The diners came from the factory, completely out-fitted and ready to go. Families could move them anywhere and work the business as a family, keeping the cost of operation low.
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| Lamy's Diner at The Henry Ford Museum |
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| Lamy's Diner, opened in MA, 1946 |
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| Inside of Lamy's Diner |
Another issue for early travelers was lodging. In the late 1800s, most traveling people were traveling by train so they stayed in railroad hotels. By 1914, many were motorists. Cabins, cottages, and courts were an option during the 1920s. After World War II, many court owners realized they could save money if they stringed rooms together. "Motels" (motor + hotel = motel) were constructed along roads across America.
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| Tourist cabin, about 1936 |
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| Room at tourist cabin, about 1936 |
By the 1950s, travelers were becoming a bit more selective in their lodging selection. Some corporate chains guaranteed travelers a standardized experience. These big chain hotels soon took over the small motels. As a way to compete, many of the small motel owners formed associations. In 1946, Best Western was opened where members had to maintain certain standards in order to display a Best Western logo. Holiday Inn became one of the leading corporate chain hotels, opening in 1952. There tall and flashy neon signs were designed to direct families from the new interstate roads. The sign became a symbol of quality with a standardized level of comfort. They were family-friendly, and parking and ice were always free. By 1957, Holiday Inn franchises were setting the model for other national chains.
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| Room at Holiday Inn, about 1965 |
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| Holiday Inn "Great Sign," 1952-1982 |
With all of the transportation changes over time, other innovations also were needed. Many are taken for granted today, but weren't needed until the onset of cars becoming available for the common person.
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| From 1978-1985, child seats required |
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| Traffic signals until the mid 30s |
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| Parking meters solve problems, 1920s |
Up until 1910, gas pumps were located by the city curbs. After that, gas stations were relocated back from the curbs and provided service. The kids had a chance to roleplay providing service to cars in this play area.
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| Early gas pumps |
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| Need a tire change? |
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| How about some coolant? |
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| Texaco service station, about 1940 |
We continued on in the "Driving in America" section, but moved to the aisles showing the development of the car. In the 1890s, Henry Ford was one of dozens of European and American inventors were trying to build a carriage which did not require horses. He invented the Ford Quadricycle in 1896, which used a gasoline-burning internal-combustion engine. The Ford Quadricycle broke down frequently, making it unreliable. However, the biggest reason it was unsuccessful was because it was very expensive to make. That meant the common man could not afford to buy it.
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| Front of 1896 Ford Quadricycle |
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| Back of 1896 Ford Quadricycle |
Many others continued to work on this invention called a car, including Henry Ford. In 1903, Ford contracted with the Dodge brothers, who owned a machine shop in Detroit, to make the engine, transmission, and chassis of Ford's Model A car. It's cost was $850, or about 1 year and 9 months average wage.
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| 1903 Ford Model A |
The Model C was produced in 1904 as a Model A with a more modern look and a little bigger engine. It was not successful. Next, came a Model AC. In 1906, came the Model F. He added Mercedes-style hoods on them, giving them the illusion of a front-engine design. However, the customers knew the engine was still under the seat and it was just for looks. Ford stopped production.
Work on new features began in 1903 when Ford built a Model B touring car. The 1905 model did not sell well, but its long lasting feature was the rear-axle and driveshaft design. Ford patented them in 1903 and used them in production of Ford cars through 1948. The Ford Model B sold for $2,000, or about 3 years and 9 months average wage.
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| 1905 Ford Model B |
Ford then created the 1906 Model Ford N. This was a two-seater runabout with 4 cylinders and a shaft drive which was different from other available cars. Not only could it go faster than other cars, but it cost less and was affordable by the middle-class at a price of $500, or approximately 1 year's average wage. It became America's top selling car. However, it was too small for most families.
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| 1906 Ford Model N |
There were other Ford cars being produced in the next few years but none of them were successful (Model K, Model R, and Model S). They didn't hold more than 2 or 3 people which was not meeting people's needs.
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| 1908 Ford Model S |
Then, Ford built was the Model T in 1909. It was the first automobile big enough and cheap enough for middle class families. Mass-production methods allowed the car to be sold for $850, or approximately 1 year and 7 months average wage. The Ford Model T cars soon were sold on all continents except Antarctica.
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| 1909 Ford Model T |
Model Ts were not fully produced on the moving assembly line until 1914. As production speed increased, it was decided to make them all black - not because black dried the fastest like some people thought. Instead, it was because production was faster with just one color and black was the least expensive and most durable.
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| 1914 Ford Model T |
In 1930, a new touring version of the Model A was produced by Henry's son, Edsel. This was to compete with Chevrolet who's new car designs were attracting people away from the Model Ts, beginning in 1928. The new Model A sold for $645, or approximately 5.5 months average wage. It was the end of an era for the Model Ts.
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| 1930 Model A touring car |
Henry Ford turned his attention to engines. In 1932, Ford produced a V-8 engine. Until this time, only the luxury cars had powerful engines. Ford's V-8 engine was the first engine light enough and cheap enough to go in Ford's inexpensive cars. This gave buyers the option to have a faster car.
The 1932 Ford V-8 cabriolet which used the new V-8 engine. Although they were beautiful, they were rare due to the low sales during The Great Depression years. They sold for $610, or about 6.5 months average salary.
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| 1932 Ford V-8 cabriolet |
The 1949 Ford Sedan had smooth sides, no fenders, and a big trunk. Families loved this redesign because it made things for comfortable and convenient for them. Until 1953, Ford used the prewar V-8 engines in these cars, allowing them to pull a boat or trailer. The cost was $1,590, or about 6 months average wage.
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| 1949 Ford Sedan |
The Ford Motor Company continued creating cars, creating new designs and features. One of two popular designs included the 1956 Ford Thunderbird and the 1965 Ford Mustang.
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| 1956 Ford Thunderbird |
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| 1965 Ford Mustang convertible |
We went in the Douglas Auto Theater and watched the movie, Driving America. This 10 minute movie showed the story of innovation surrounding the automobile.
Although we followed through some of the Ford Motor Company's history, there is a lot more. There were many other cars of significant importance on display. However, many of the cars displayed were just beautiful in design.
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| 1927 LaSalle roadster |
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| 1931 Duesenberg Model J convertible victoria |
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| 1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale convertible |
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| 1937 Cord 812 convertible |
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| 1941 Lincoln Continental convertible |
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| 1948 Tucker 48 sedan |
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| 1949 Volkswagon sedan |
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| 1955 Chevrolet Corvette roadster |
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| 1958 Edsel Citation hardtop |
The Henry Ford Museum had still more areas in the "Driving Across America" section. There were roadsters, racers, campers, buses, and more.
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| 1984 March 84C-Cosworth |
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| 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup |
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| Gilkie tent trailer, about 1927 |
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| 1927 Blue Bird school bus (oldest surviving) |
We had already spent over 3 hours in the museum and were getting hungry. We went to the Michigan Cafe and had a nice lunch. Robin's macaroni, cheese, and bacon came in an unusual bowl.
It was time to leave the museum and go to the Ford Rouge Factory.We went to our assigned location around 1:30 to board our bus. It took about 20 minutes to get to the factory. We were directed into the Legacy Theater (Stop 1). We watched a 13 minute movie about the highs and the lows of the Rouge factory. Next we moved to the Manufacturing Innovation Theater (Stop 2). In this theater, we saw a 10 minute multisensory exploration of the manufacturing experience. This was good, but a little overwhelming with the loud music and flashing strobe lights. During this, the F-150 was created as it popped out of the floor and then was added to through the manufacturing process. During these experiences, we were instructed to not take pictures during these stops.
Next, we rode the elevator up to the Observation Deck (Stop 3). Here we were met by a tour guide who explained the process of the Living Roof on top of the Truck Plant Final Assembly roof. This is ground-breaking environmental design and one of the largest of its kind in the world. Because of the effects of the Living Roof, the factory's temperature remains constant throughout the year without any air conditioning or heating. We saw how the plant is grown without soil. In addition, we saw the employee parking lot which was formed with larger aggregate to allow rainwater to soak down into the soil under the asphalt without leaving puddles. In addition, there were many other innovations as part of their environmental design. The view from this 80 foot tower was informative.
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| Strip without plants as control |
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| Living Roof of Ford's Truck Assembly Factory Plant in Dearborn, MI |
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| Employee parking lot with porous pavement |
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| Aggregate sample from employee parking lot |
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| Sedum plant used |
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| Material that holds plant |
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| Material on bottom to hold water for plants |
Finally, it was time for our Assembly Plant Walking Tour (Stop 4). We were excited to be able to observe the F-150 trucks come into the factory as a shell and leave as a fully functioning truck, ready to be shipped to dealers and new owners. We arrived at the entrance to the plant and were told that there had been a problem on the floor and the assembly line was halted. We walked around the 1/3 mile elevated walkway. and could see workers just waiting. There were volunteers stationed at various points around the walkway who would tell us what would normally be happening in each area. When we got about 3/4s of the way around, the line turned back on. We were able to see it functioning and how the workers did their specific jobs. We got back to the entrance and watched a little more. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos in this area as well.
Then we headed to the Legacy Gallery (Stop 5). Here we were able to see the 5 legendary vehicles made at the Rouge on display. They included: the 1929 Model A, the 1932 Ford V-8, the 1949 Coupe, the 1956 Thunderbird, and the 1965 Mustang. Also on display was the F-150 in an area where people could see up close and get inside.
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| 1929 Model A |
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| 1932 V-8 |
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| 1949 Coupe |
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| 1956 Thunderbird |
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| 1965 Mustang |
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| 2016 F-150 truck |
We visited the Factory Store and did a small amount of shopping. Then we went back outside and got on the bus to return to the Henry Ford Museum.
Arriving back at the museum, we knew we only had about 1.5 hours left to see 9 more of the 11 sections. We definitely had to pick and choose. We looked at some of the outside statues of Henry Ford as well as the fall leaves in front of the chapel.
We went inside and saw the Weinermobile outside of the Museum Cafe. It was huge. In 1936, the Oscar Mayer Company began promoting their hot dogs on the streets of Chicago with their very first Weinermobile. The one on display is the 1956 prototype design of the newly designed 1988 fleet. They had a large vinyl hot dog bun with all of the trimmings for children to get in and make themselves a hot dog. There was also a glass case with Weinermobile memorabilia. Dean got really excited when he saw a weiner whistle like he had long ago.
We walked by the "Agriculture" section and went to the back of the museum. We went to the "Museum Gallery," which featured a display of Route 66 Roadside America Through the Lens of John Margolies. It was really cool. We walked in to a display of travel memorabilia. A few items we recognized. There were lots of photos throughout as well as a few cars.
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| 1963 Studebaker Avanti |
They were selling root beer floats in special glasses. We each got one and sat down at the picnic table and observed a neat animal crossing. It was all done through lights and motion sensors. As someone walked over the crossing, the leaves would "blow" away, revealing a hidden animal. It was really fun and, of course, Dean had to play a little bit.
From there we went to the Dymaxiom House, marketed as a new way of living for 1946. Buckminster Fuller was the mastermind behind this circular house design which offered many advantages according to the manufacturer:
- Dome shape offers more interior space
- Unrestricted air circulation through house
- Efficiently accommodates utilities in the center core
- Aerodynamic - less "drag" or heat loss
- Beautiful - all of nature is curvaceous
It was 1,017 square feet of living space. It had built-in revolving closets and "ovolving" shelves (push a button and the clothes on the shelves revolve and light up so clothes can be delivered without bending or reaching). It was amazing, but no thank you.
From the Dymaxiom House, we went into the section called "Your Place in Time." It had many items from the past and showed some of the evolution over time. There were many items we owned or still have. We went through this area very quickly.
The next section we went to was the "Heroes of the Sky: Adventures in Early Flight." We mainly looked at the Wright Brothers area.
Although there was a lot more, we moved into the "With Liberty and Justice for All" section. The first area was about Abraham Lincoln.
The next area in this same section ("With Liberty and Justice for All") was about Civil Rights.
In addition to memorabilia of whites vs colored, the bus Rosa Parks rode on was on display. We could get on the bus and a volunteer explained the story using the actual seats as visuals. Dean is actually sitting in the row where colored people could sit AS LONG AS the seat wasn't needed for a white person.
Our time was almost up and we had so much more we wanted to do. We walked into the "Made in America Manufacturing" section. Robin was fascinated by the Henry Ford violin section.
As we were walking to the exit, we walked through the "Fully Furnished' section. We captured a few pictures of some interesting pieces as we passed.
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| Owned by Cornelius Vanderbuilt |
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| U.S. House of Representatives Desk/Chair |
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| Owned by George Washington's mother |
We went into the museum's stores which stayed open an extra half hour and did some shopping. We had been at the museum and factory for almost 8 hours. There were 11 sections. We did 3 completely (Presidential Limousines, Driving in America and Museum Gallery), but only touched in 6 and skipped 2 completely. We could have easily spent another 1-2 days in the museum and definitely 1-2 more in Greenfield Village.
Being hungry and tired, we went back to Longhorn Steakhouse which was in an outdoor mall close by our hotel. All we could think of was a fireplace and a jacuzzi waiting for us. It was raining when we got to the hotel. We went to our room and found the bathroom full of water, standing on the floor. When we called down to the front desk, we were told that they were aware of it and didn't have a way to contact us. Really, how about calling the cell phone number on file? They told us they had a room for us just a few rooms down the hall. We got the new key and found the new room was way down the hall. It was a big hotel. So we packed up our things and started the transfer to our new room. When we arrived at the new room, we had a good laugh. We still had a jacuzzi and a fireplace; however, Dean had to give up his couch for watching tv. Instead, there was a treadmill! After all of his experience in the fitness rooms on our trip out West, this was icing on the cake.
It had been a long day. We did use the jacuzzi to relax our muscles, but it didn't take long before we hit the bed. Again, no fitness equipment for the Littles tonight!
