Dearborn and The Henry Ford

The night before we were set to arrive in Dearborn, we stayed at Walter Hayes State Park. On our way out to buy groceries, we decided to treat ourselves to some coffee and free internet.

An older couple was sitting next to us at the coffee shop. The wife seemed preoccupied with doings on her laptop, but you could tell the gentleman felt a little out of place without an electronic gadget. As we were leaving, the couple started to chat with us. We learned that the gentleman worked for Ford Motor Company for the past 40 years, and he was now enjoying his pension. He talked about the recent changes to the company, his daughter works there, and how things just aren't the same. He is very grateful for his years at Ford and his new found freedom of the open road in his RV.

They are keeping an online journal, just like us. Funny that neither of us ever introduced ourselves, but the conversation was more important. (Their names: Gale & Anna.) We shared with them our upcoming stops and they gave us some advice on the sights and warnings about the people in Dearborn. Warnings being due to the recent downturn in the economy and significant loss of jobs in the area. We were told that people are doing anything to make a buck.



We arrived in Dearborn looking forward to our visit. Richie's mom was born in Clawson, but spent plenty of time in Dearborn, so she shared fond memories of the city - especially her Girl Scout days spent at The Henry Ford, particularly Greenfield Village.


What is The Henry Ford?

The Henry Ford is the blanket name for a number of attractions including an IMAX theater, a museum, Greenfield Village, and a factory tour. It also includes a public high school called the Henry Ford Academy which enrolls approximately 500 students a year, and the Henry Ford Learning Institute - an organization designed to start schools around the nation modeled after the Henry Ford Academy.


Note: This is not just any Henry Ford, this is THE Henry Ford. We didn't want to cause any confusion and they didn't want you to forget it!


We were fortunate to stay at the delightful Dearborn Bed & Breakfast, which is about a mile walk from The Henry Ford. Our check-in time wasn't until later in the afternoon, so we called the innkeeper ahead of time to schedule a 9:15am ticket pick-up (it was a package deal). Silly us didn't realize the time change and actually arrived at the B&B at 10:30am instead of the time we thought - 9:30am. Silly time zones.


We were anxious to tour the Greenfield Village, which is a collection of historic structures from around the country and of historical significance. It's almost your one-stop history amusement shop.

Henry Ford admired Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, the Wright Brothers, and many other inventors of the day. He admired them so much that he has an entire section of the park dedicated to Thomas Jefferson and the likes.


We really had a grand time exploring and learning - and dodging (no pun intended) the Model T's and horse-drawn carriages carrying tourists.


Mrs. Linda was hoping we would see glass blowing and other craft works. We must admit that we really enjoyed watching the artisans make their craft from candlestick making, candle-dipping, pottery makers and especially the tin shaper.


We spent all day there - open to close - well, we arrived about an hour after it opened due to our time zone mishap. Do'h!

We headed to Walnut Grove Field to watch a baseball game with 1867 rules.

The Lah-De-Dahs vs. The Nationalists

Some of the 1867 rules:

• The pitcher was required to throw underhand.
• No players wore gloves (not even the catcher!); only fingerless gloves were allowed to protect the palm.
• 3 balls and the player could take the base (as opposed to today's 4 balls).
• Foul balls did not count as strikes.
• The umpire would warn the hitter before he began calling strikes, and likewise warn the pitcher before he started calling balls.

We didn't stay to the finish because there was just so much to see!




Lunch was at The Eagle Tavern, an 1850's restaurant with food served "communal" style (diners sit at a long common table, so we shared a table with other guests). We started with complimentary pickled eggs (which were purple) and cucumbers sided with the best blueberry muffins. Then we shared a Pan-Fried Trout fillet with zucchini and summer squash. And we must say the stout was incredible! (Yes, we had a mid-day alcoholic beverage, please don't tell anyone!) We learned that "alcohol consumption during the early 19th century reached a per-capita peak that has never since been duplicated."

The Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Roundhouse

Firestone Farm, an example of rural life in 19th-century America

Farris Windmill

The Farris Windmill is said to be the oldest windmill in the U.S. and has had a number of different owners, but named after the Farris family which operated it for 3 generations. The windmill was used to grind corn. The wind moved the sails to operate the machinery inside. It was built in the mid-1600's and operated in three locations in Cape Cod, Mass.

The Phoenixville Post Office, where we wrote postcards to family and friends.

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"The American who buys an automobile finds himself with this great difficulty;
he has nowhere to use it."
- Col. Albert A. Pope, pioneer automaker

Our next stop was the Henry Ford Museum. It was a bit overwhelming with hundreds of items from horse-drawn buggies and farm equipment to the history of American highways to anitque furniture. But we managed to have a great time and learn more about the history and variety of transportation than you can imagine! Very nostalgic, very cool.


In the exhibit for the geodesic dome home and an alternative lifestyle, we discovered this letter from a company on Bainbridge Island!

It reads:

Are there any communities or individuals within a 1,000 mile radius of Seattle, Washington who are now generating their own power?

We're doing research for an upcoming movie about energy and power and would appreciate any information - firsthand or otherwise - on home generated power... especially that using recycled materials or natural sources (wind, water, sun or tides) which add no heat load to the earth's biosphere.

Entheos Communications Corp.
Rt. 6, Box 6590
Bainbridge Island, Wash. 98110

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?!?

And yes, this is the actual bus from Montgomery, Alabama that Rosa Parks refused to change seats.

1885 Omnibus
It could carry 24 seated passengers and another 10 could stand and hang on to the top!

1961 Skidoo Snowmobile

The Skidoo was the first snowmobile to be marketed as a recreational vehicle rather than a utilitarian device.

• $866 (Canadian)
• 7 horsepower @ 3600 rpm
• 335 lbs.

Today you can buy one with:

• 150 horsepower
• weighing 431 lbs.
• and costs $5,000 (and that's a deal on last year's model)

This is a HUGE train snowplow!

We didn't get a gift like this when we joined AAA!

Ingo-Bike

The Ingo-Bike was first called an Exercycle. They were ridden by standing on the platform, pulling the handlebar, and flexing the knees in rhythm with the rear wheel's up-and-down rotation.

This Cycling Poem reads:

YOU SHOW WHAT YOU ARE!

Were it not for this Cycling mania,
We might never have found you out,
But the "form" you adopt on the Cycle,
Shows your nature beyond a doubt.
The coarse and brazen indecency,
Which in nets and dress you display
Tells us the sort of creature you are,
And gives you completely away.

And another Cycling Poem...

A BIDDY-WHEEL WOMAN

It's an outrage on the public that ought to be abated,
And not a day 'mongst decent folks be longer tolerated,
To have such a frightful object along the highways flying,
Shocking all beholders, and setting horses shying -
Horses? Why a trolley ear with fright would sureley shriek,
To see you coming on your Wheel, you awful-looking freak.

If only these folks could see the revealing cycling shorts that are worn today... they'd be horrified!

1949 MG TC Roadster

The plaque reads: "Slow and not very roomy, the venerable MGs nonetheless stole the hearts of many American servicemen during and after World War II due to their good handling and sporty, "fun-to-drive" demeanor."

"Oh, public road, you express me better than I can express myself."
- Walt Whitman, American Poet

Heehee!