Ford Charcoal Briquets
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Ford Motor Company manufactured charcoal from wood scraps produced by its lumber operations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The scraps were burned, mixed with starch and compressed into compact briquettes. Ford sold the charcoal to the public through its network of auto dealerships, as well as through conventional hardware, sporting goods and department stores. It was a prominent example of Henry Ford’s commitment to reducing and reusing waste.
E. G. Kingsford, Ford Dealer, Iron Mountain, Michigan, circa 1918 - 1
Edward G. Kingsford was operating a Ford dealership in Iron Mountain, Michigan, when his cousin-in-law, Henry Ford, contacted him about acquiring timberland in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Kingsford arranged the purchase of some 313,000 acres on behalf of Ford Motor Company. He then became vice president of Ford's Upper Peninsula operations, which included sawmills, factories, and a wood chemical plant.
View ArtifactE. G. Kingsford Ford Dealership, Iron Mountain, Michigan, circa 1927 - 1
Early automobile bodies were made of wood. Henry Ford wanted to secure a timber supply in the hardwood forests of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He contracted E. G. Kingsford, the authorized Ford dealer in Iron Mountain (and his cousin-in-law), to purchase land for company use. Iron Mountain quickly became the center of Ford's logging and manufacturing operations in northern Michigan.
View ArtifactFord Motor Company Iron Mountain Plant Sawmill and Power House, circa 1920 - 1
In pursuit of self-sufficient automobile manufacture, Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company purchased over 313,000 acres of timberland for logging in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A massive sawmill complex and powerful hydroelectric plant were constructed at Iron Mountain. Here, sawmill workers produced huge quantities of lumber for wooden automobile framework, floorboards, and wheels.
View Artifact1924 Ford Motor Company Institutional Message Advertising Campaign, "For the People and Posterity" - 2
In 1924-25 the Ford Motor Company ran a series of sixteen dramatic advertisements in the Saturday Evening Post and Country Gentleman magazines. Rather than promoting the Model T specifically, the ads aimed to convey the company's scale and philosophy. At the heart of this ad is a notion dear to modern environmentalists -- and long valued by farmers -- a denial of the very idea of "waste."
View ArtifactOperating Floor of Wood Distillation Division, Ford Iron Mountain Plant, Iron Mountain, Michigan, 1935 - 1
In pursuit of self-sufficient automobile manufacture, Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company purchased over 313,000 acres of timberland for logging in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A massive sawmill complex was constructed at Iron Mountain, including this chemical plant. Here, workers distilled scrap wood into useful chemicals for plant operations, antifreeze, paint, and even artificial leather.
View ArtifactCharcoal Briquet Production at the Ford Iron Mountain Plant, Moving Hot Dried Wood to Retorts, 1935
Ford Motor Company made charcoal from wood wastes produced by its Michigan lumber mills. Wood chips were collected, dried and burned in retorts. These special ovens captured the combustion gases so that they could be used to generate some of the energy needed to run the plant. The resulting char was crushed, mixed with starch and compressed into usable briquettes.
View ArtifactCharcoal Briquet Production at the Ford Iron Mountain Plant, Chute from Briquet Press to Dryers, 1935
Ford Motor Company made charcoal from wood wastes produced by its Michigan lumber mills. Wood chips were collected, dried and burned in retorts. These special ovens captured the combustion gases so that they could be used to generate some of the energy needed to run the plant. The resulting char was crushed, mixed with starch and compressed into usable briquettes.
View ArtifactBagging Charcoal Briquets Produced at the Ford Motor Company Iron Mountain Plant, 1935 - 1
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded barbecue accessories and packages of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View ArtifactFord Briquets and Fertilizer, Ford Exhibition Building, Century of Progress International Exposition, Chicago, Illinois, 1934
Chicago's 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition used the theme of progress to encourage optimism during the Depression. The Ford Exhibition Building, which sat on eleven acres at the fair and featured industrial demonstrations and informative displays like this, became the most talked-about exhibit of 1934.
View Artifact"Industries Within an Industry, Ford By-Products," Ford Motor Company, 1939 - 2
Henry Ford was careful about reducing and reusing waste products from his factories. Wasted materials meant wasted money, which led to higher prices for the customer. Illuminating gas was taken from coke ovens. Portland cement was made from blast furnace slag. Most famously, wood scraps from Ford's Kingsford, Michigan, sawmills were converted into charcoal briquettes.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquets Display Booth, 1936
Ford Motor Company targeted commercial restaurateurs, not backyard barbeque chefs, with this booth promoting the company's charcoal briquettes. The briquettes were made from wood scraps produced by Ford's sawmill in Kingsford, Michigan. The side business in charcoal was far removed from the automotive industry, but it was perfectly in keeping with Henry Ford's desire to reduce and reuse waste.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquets and Picnic Kit Display in a Hardware Store, 1938
Ford Motor Company manufactured charcoal briquettes from wood wastes generated by its lumber operations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. To help promote the briquettes, Ford also sold charcoal grills through its auto dealerships and employee commissaries, as well as traditional hardware and sporting goods stores. Charcoal provided picnickers with a quick-burning fuel that eliminated the work of gathering and lighting firewood.
View ArtifactDry Goods Store, Ford Motor Company Plant, Pequaming, Michigan, 1926 - 1
Ford Motor Company opened its first employee commissary in 1919. By purchasing groceries, dry goods and over-the-counter medicines in bulk, Ford obtained better prices -- savings which it then passed on to employees through its company stores. The lumbering village of Pequaming, essentially a Ford company town, was especially dependent on its commissary; it was the only store in the area.
View Artifact"Tiny Tot and Buddy" Charcoal Briquet Stove and Ford Charcoal Briquets, 1936
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. The company noted that charcoal's steady, even warmth was ideal for small heat stoves like the one shown in this photograph. Because charcoal briquettes produced no sparks, they were safe to use in confined spaces like milk wagons, travel trailers and yachts.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquet Picnic Kit Grill, 1935-1945
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded barbecue accessories and bags of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View ArtifactBrochure, "Ford Charcoal Briquets, Fuel of a Hundred Uses," 1935-1941 - 1
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. This 1930s brochure suggests the many uses for this Ford byproduct.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquets Bag, 1929-1947 - 1
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded bags of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View ArtifactBags of Charcoal Briquets Produced by Ford Motor Company, 1941
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded bags of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View ArtifactBack of Ford Charcoal Briquets Package, 1936
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. This packaging promoted their use as a fuel for fireplaces, or as kindling for furnace fires. The briquettes were made from wood wastes produced by Ford's sawmill operations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The briquettes were then sold to the public through Ford's extensive network of automobile dealerships.
View Artifact"Ford Charcoal Briquets, Modernized Charcoal for Foundry and Metal Works," circa 1943
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. This brochure promoted their use as an industrial fuel. The briquettes' dry and even heat, according to the text, made them ideal for drying casting cores and molds, for covering molten metals to prevent oxidation, and for pre-heating castings prior to welding.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquets in Package with a Workshop Image, 1935
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. This packaging promoted their use in home and commercial workshops. Because the briquettes smoldered without open flames, they were safer to use around the flammable materials often found in workshops. The briquettes could be used to melt solder, or to soften metals like lead, copper and brass.
View Artifact"Ford Charcoal Briquets in Tobacco Curing," 1939
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. This brochure promoted their use to aid in the proper curing of tobacco. The briquettes, according to the text, produced a dry, even heat that removed moisture from tobacco leaves slowly and steadily. With Ford briquettes, farmers could "make their own weather" and ensure a perfect crop.
View Artifact"Ford Granulated Hardwood Charcoal for Poultry, Hogs, Cattle, Horses and Sheep," 1935-1940
Ford Motor Company's charcoal briquettes were good for more than just backyard cookouts. This brochure promoted their use as a feed supplement for poultry and livestock. According to the text, Ford charcoal had a purifying effect in animals' digestive systems, absorbing gases that might otherwise make them susceptible to illness. Ford recommended charcoal for hens, chicks, hogs, cattle, horses, and sheep.
View ArtifactUsing Ford Charcoal Briquets for Grilling in Restaurant Kitchen, 1937
Ford Motor Company promoted its charcoal briquettes to commercial restaurateurs as well as backyard barbeque chefs. The briquettes, made from wood wastes generated by Ford's sawmill operations, produced a steady and even heat ideal for broiling meats. Ford boasted that the hardwood used in its charcoal gave a special aroma and flavor to any foods cooked over it.
View ArtifactSam Malick Grilling Steaks, 1938
Ford Motor Company promoted its charcoal briquettes to commercial restaurateurs as well as backyard barbeque chefs. The briquettes, made from wood wastes generated by Ford's sawmill operations, produced a steady and even heat ideal for broiling meats. Ford boasted that the hardwood used in its charcoal gave a special aroma and flavor to any foods cooked over it.
View ArtifactChef Broiling Steak and Hot Dogs over Ford Charcoal Briquets, 1938
Ford Motor Company promoted its charcoal briquettes to commercial restaurateurs as well as backyard barbeque chefs. The briquettes, made from wood wastes generated by Ford's sawmill operations, produced a steady and even heat ideal for broiling meats. Ford boasted that the hardwood used in its charcoal gave a special aroma and flavor to any foods cooked over it.
View ArtifactFord Charcoal Briquets and Packaging, 1935-1937
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded barbecue accessories and packages of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View ArtifactLadies Using Ford Charcoal Briquets and Grill at a Picnic, 1937
Cars and cookouts were a natural fit in the 1920s and 1930s. As roads improved, Americans were eager to go exploring, whether on short day trips or longer journeys. A roadside picnic saved money for budget-conscious travelers, or it provided a destination in itself for a family on a Sunday drive. Ford used these themes to market its charcoal briquettes.
View ArtifactGrilling at a Family Picnic Using Ford Charcoal Briquets, 1935
Cars and cookouts were a natural fit in the 1920s and 1930s. As roads improved, Americans were eager to go exploring, whether on short day trips or longer journeys. A roadside picnic saved money for budget-conscious travelers, or it provided a destination in itself for a family on a Sunday drive. Ford used these themes to market its charcoal briquettes.
View ArtifactGrilling Meat over Ford Charcoal Briquets, 1935
Cars and cookouts were a natural fit in the 1920s and 1930s. As roads improved, Americans were eager to go exploring, whether on short day trips or longer journeys. A roadside picnic saved money for budget-conscious travelers, or it provided a destination in itself for a family on a Sunday drive. Ford used these themes to market its charcoal briquettes.
View ArtifactUsing Ford Charcoal Briquets in a Picnic Grounds Grill, 1935
Cars and cookouts were a natural fit in the 1920s and 1930s. As roads improved, Americans were eager to go exploring, whether on short day trips or longer journeys. A roadside picnic saved money for budget-conscious travelers, or it provided a destination in itself for a family on a Sunday drive. Ford used these themes to market its charcoal briquettes.
View ArtifactHunting Scene for Ford Charcoal Briquets Advertising, 1937
Ford Motor Company manufactured charcoal briquettes from wood wastes generated by its lumber operations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Ford promoted its briquettes as a compact, quick-burning fuel ideal for a number of indoor and outdoor uses. Here two duck hunters enjoy a pot of coffee warmed over Ford-made charcoal.
View ArtifactAdvertising Poster, "Use Ford Charcoal Briquets," 1938
Ford Motor Company sawmills created heaps of wood wastes. Some was used to produce steam for factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Dealers sold branded bags of the popular briquettes in Ford dealerships across the country.
View Artifact"Let's Have a Picnic... with Ford Charcoal Briquets and Charcoal Grills," circa 1940
Ford Motor Company manufactured charcoal briquettes from wood wastes generated by its lumber operations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. To help promote the briquettes, Ford also sold charcoal grills through its auto dealerships and employee commissaries, as well as traditional hardware and sporting goods stores. Charcoal provided picnickers with a quick-burning fuel that eliminated the work of gathering and lighting firewood.
View Artifact
