“…Ford’s great museum and
reconstructed village reflected his conviction that history was the story of
technological progress” (403).
“Greenfield
Village aimed to present
‘a history that is intimate and alive, instead of something in a book,’ Ford
explained in 1929” (413).
The Book
Author Steven Watts divides The People’s Tycoon: Henry Ford and
the American Century chronologically
and topically. Watts defines each stage of
Henry Ford’s life with a word: mechanic,
inventor, father, educator, etc. The reader is introduced to a young farm boy
who grew up to influence many aspects of American life. Henry Ford was born
July 30, 1863 near Dearborn,
Michigan. At a young age he
became interested in mechanics and began work on his first car in 1893. In
1898, Ford obtained his first financial backers and began his quest to create a
car for the average person.
In the late 1920s, Ford became
interested in sharing his collection of American artifacts with the public. Out
of this came Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Ford sought to show how the
average person lived and required total authenticity. Instead of focusing on
politicians or war (which is often what history focuses on), Ford’s history was
about the average person and his accomplishments. Greenfield Village
particularly supported that history through the four categories: daily life in
the past, famous Americans (like Webster and Edison), Henry Ford’s life, and
the anchors of towns in the past: a town hall and church.
Watts provides a detailed and well researched biography of a man that is
well-known to Americans. The
People’s Tycoon is not just
the story of Henry Ford, it is also the story of his companies and the people
who helped Ford accomplish what he did. It is here that the narrative
struggles: by stepping away from Ford’s story and providing biographies of
others. The format (chronological and topical) requires some repeating of
information, which is helpful due to the length of the book. Overall, the
reader walks away with a complete biography of Henry Ford that reveals the good
and the bad.
The Place
Originally called the Henry Ford Museum
and Greenfield Village, the Henry Ford now refers to both the museum and
village. The museum is a fantastic collection of famous and everyday items from
the history of America.
Visitors can see presidential limousines, items made in America, and
the role automobiles played in American history. The village provides a living
history that all ages can enjoy. Majority of these buildings are the originals
that were disassembled in their original location, shipped to Michigan, and reassembled. Visitors can
explore Thomas Edison’s laboratory where he developed the light bulb, the bicycle shop of the Wright brothers, and take a ride in a replica Model T. I would recommend at
least two days at the Henry Ford, because there is so much to see and
experience. The Henry Ford is a great place to experience the history of America.
Another Ford sight in Dearborn is the Fair Lane Estate, the home of Henry Ford and his family. The buildings are currently being
restored, but the grounds are open to the public. While the Henry Ford provides
visitors an insight into American history, the Fair Lane Estate provides
visitors an insight into the life of Henry Ford.
