American Road Marketing and Publicity Photographs Series
A set of photographs called American Road that was created primarily as a resource to help staff of the Ford Motor Company Archives answer requests for historical photographs that fell under the heading "something about roads."
Biographical / Historical Note
Archivists at Ford Motor Company Archives received numbers of requests for images relating to the history of the Ford Motor Company and the history of the automobile in general. This sometimes led to the creation of artificial (rather than archival) collections....
MoreArchivists at Ford Motor Company Archives received numbers of requests for images relating to the history of the Ford Motor Company and the history of the automobile in general. This sometimes led to the creation of artificial (rather than archival) collections. An example is a set of photographs called American Road that was created primarily as a resource to help staff answer requests for historical photographs that fell under the heading "something about roads." As a compilation, it was intended to cover the general and often vague needs for illustrations depicting Ford Motor Company's place in the development of transportation and travel in America.
LessScope and Content Note
Although entitled American Road, the series is comprised primarily of visual documentation of Ford vehicles in the early 1900s, with additional, although fewer, images into the 1960s. In addition, a number of folders include images of transportation modes...
MoreAlthough entitled American Road, the series is comprised primarily of visual documentation of Ford vehicles in the early 1900s, with additional, although fewer, images into the 1960s. In addition, a number of folders include images of transportation modes before the automobile became prominent. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject. Topics include early roads, road construction, driving conditions, bridges, various utilizations of the Model T, women drivers, railroads, cityscapes, streetscapes, landscapes, and an occasional portrait. Most of the images, but not all, remain in the original format (prints and/or negatives) in various photograph collections held by The Henry Ford. Researchers should note that some images that were originally part of this series were integrated into the Photographic Prints Vertical File, Accession 1660, under the subject term Automobiles, Contemporary.
LessCollection Details
Object ID: 64.167.1859.0
Creator: Ford Motor Company. Archives
Inclusive Dates: 1903-1964
Size: 1.2 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
Language: English
Collection Access & Use
Item Location: Not Currently On Exhibit
Access Restrictions: The series is open for research. Access to negatives requires permission of curator.
Credit: From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Digitized Artifacts From This Collection
In many cases, not all artifacts have been digitized.
Contact us for more information about this collection.
Fixing the Tire on an REO Automobile, 1900-1909
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
1912
Summary
Numerous tire blowouts plagued motorists on the poor roads of the early 20th century. The man in this photograph is either removing a tire for repair or replacing an already repaired tire. The REO Motor Car Company was a Lansing, Michigan-based company that began producing cars in 1905.
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
P.188.27334
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
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Fixing the Tire on an REO Automobile, 1900-1909
What is The Henry Ford?
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Stone Walkway or Plaza, circa 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
"Roads of the World" was part of the Ford Building at Chicago's 1933-1934 Century of Progress Exposition. Visitors to this attraction rode new Ford vehicles through reproductions of historic and modern roadways. To construct a realistic, immersive experience, crews used reference photographs -- like this one -- to recreate sections of 21 different "Roads of the World."
Keywords
Century of Progress International Exposition (1933-1934 : Chicago, Ill.). Roads of the World Exhibit
Object ID
P.188.10309
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Stone Walkway or Plaza, circa 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Two Historic South American Roads, circa 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
"Roads of the Pacific" was part of the Ford Exhibit, the most popular attraction at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. Visitors rode in brand new Ford V-8s over 14 reproductions of famous roads. Crews used reference photographs to construct a realistic, immersive visitor experience. These images helped them recreate part of the Inca Road, which spanned the South American Andes.
Object ID
P.189.11561
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Two Historic South American Roads, circa 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
"Building Good Roads," circa 1910
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Among many other things, Ford photographers documented a variety of road conditions and road building. This photograph of a construction site includes a horse-drawn wagon and a large steam traction engine.
Object ID
64.167.1859.21
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
"Building Good Roads," circa 1910
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Scene at the Fluela Pass, Switzerland, circa 1935
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Over nearly 100 years, Ford photographers documented company ventures, personal affairs, and daily life around the world. This photograph shows Fluela Pass, a historic route through the Swiss Alps.
Object ID
64.167.1859.7
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Scene at the Fluela Pass, Switzerland, circa 1935
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Saginaw County Macadam Road Construction Machinery, and Stone Spreading, 1905-1906
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
The establishment of the Michigan State Highway Department in 1905 made state funding available to township and county road commissions for improvements and repairs. The State Highway Commissioner published biennial reports highlighting the progress of "reward roads"--projects funded by the state. These images from his first report illustrate some of the equipment and construction methods used in Saginaw County.
Object ID
P.O.3723
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Saginaw County Macadam Road Construction Machinery, and Stone Spreading, 1905-1906
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Horse-Drawn Vehicle Being Driven Down a Dirt Road, circa 1910
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Among many other things, Ford photographers documented a variety of road conditions and road building. This photograph shows the sort of rutted, muddy roads used by horse-drawn vehicles and early automobiles alike.
Object ID
64.167.1859.27
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Horse-Drawn Vehicle Being Driven Down a Dirt Road, circa 1910
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Road through J. W. Wells State Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, circa 1950
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Over nearly 100 years, Ford photographers documented company ventures, personal affairs, and daily life around the world. This photograph shows a forest road through J.W. Wells State Park on Lake Michigan's Green Bay.
Creators
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
64.167.1859.33
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Road through J. W. Wells State Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, circa 1950
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Brockway Mountain Drive, Keweenaw County, Michigan, circa 1940
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
Brockway Mountain Drive is a scenic highway on the Keweenaw Peninsula, which juts into Lake Superior from the northern tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The picturesque roadway, which was constructed during the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, stretches just less than 9 miles and rises 1,320 feet above sea level.
Keywords
United States, Michigan, Keweenaw County, Brockway Nose (peak)
Object ID
64.167.1859.38
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Brockway Mountain Drive, Keweenaw County, Michigan, circa 1940
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
