Soybean Processing Building at the Ford Rouge Plant, Dearborn, Michigan, 1940

Summary

Starting in 1931, Henry Ford invested much money and research into soybeans. Ford viewed the crop as a bridge between agriculture and industry, and he used soybean oil and soybean-based plastics in Ford Motor Company vehicles. At the Rouge's processing building, soybeans were crushed and mixed with hexane -- a chemical that extracted the soybean oil.

Starting in 1931, Henry Ford invested much money and research into soybeans. Ford viewed the crop as a bridge between agriculture and industry, and he used soybean oil and soybean-based plastics in Ford Motor Company vehicles. At the Rouge's processing building, soybeans were crushed and mixed with hexane -- a chemical that extracted the soybean oil.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

08 November 1940

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1660.P.833.74603.A

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 8.25 in

Width: 10.25 in

Connect 3

Discover curious connections between artifacts.

Learn More