Popular Research
Topics
Information for Enthusiasts and Researchers
The artifacts on display at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village often have very interesting histories. Some of the most popular questions we field at the Benson Ford Research Center are answered below. You’ll also find more information in several other places:
- Biographies and interviews with innovators are in Explore.
- Information on tens of thousands of digitized artifacts are in Collections.
- Behind-the-scenes stories on selected artifacts and exhibits are in Explore.
- More on the history of The Henry Ford is in History & Mission.
The Henry Ford
Origins of The Henry Ford
How and why Henry Ford started what would become the premier collection of American innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness.
The Allegheny Locomotive
Key facts about the Allegheny Locomotive, an H-8 class train designed to pull heavy loads in the Allegheny Mountains in the mid-19th century.
Kennedy Presidential Limousine
The history of the car in which President Kennedy was riding when he was assassinated – and why it doesn’t look like it did then.
The Lincoln Chair
President Abraham Lincoln was sitting in this chair when he was assassinated in 1865
Herman Miller and The Henry Ford
Learn more about the Herman Miller-related collections The Henry Ford holds.
Historic Innovators
George Washington Carver
Born into slavery in a tiny Missouri town during the final year of the Civil War, George Washington Carver went on to become one of America’s most notable and prolific agricultural scientists.
Innovator Bio & Curator Interview
What If
Related Artifacts
Thomas Edison
The extraordinarily innovative Thomas Edison remains the most prolific inventor in history.
Innovator Bio & Curator Interview
What If
Related Artifacts
Rosa Parks
Many consider Rosa Parks’ singular act of protest to be the event that sparked the Civil Rights movement.
Innovator Bio & Curator Interview
What If
Related Artifacts
The Wright Brothers
Learn how Orville and Wilbur Wright began an aviation revolution.
Innovator Bio & Curator Interview
What If
Related Artifacts
Henry Ford
The Life of Henry Ford
Henry Ford’s ingenious approach to mass production and his $5 day were only the beginning of his legendary achievements and experiments.
Innovator Bio & Curator Interview
What If
Related Artifacts
Soybean Car
Ford’s experiments with making plastic parts for automobiles out of soybeans in the early 1940s
Henry Ford Quotations
Henry Ford was remarkably quotable. Find quotes authenticated by our staff here.
The Vagabonds
Summer camping trips with friends Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs.
Henry Ford and Anti-Semitism: A Complex Story
Henry Ford’s unfortunate ascent into anti-Semitism can be better understood by looking at several of his influences.
Ford Motor Company
Chronology
A detailed chronology of Ford Motor Company’s first 100 years, from 1903 to 2003.
Ford Rubber Plantations in Brazil
Ford Motor Company’s efforts to secure a regular source of rubber resulted in the establishment of plantations in Brazil.
Vehicle Production Records
Information on the historic vehicle production records we hold from Ford, Lincoln, and Du Pont.
Ford Motor Company Parts Drawings
Learn more about parts drawings for Ford Motor Company, 1903–57, that are part of our collections.
Ford Motor Company Photographic and Film Department
A history and bibliography of the output of this department, and what our collections hold.
Ford Motor Company Sociological Department and English School
In the 1910s, Ford Motor Company established schools and codes of behavior to manage and assimilate its workers.
Benson Ford Research Center
313-982-6020 | research.center@thehenryford.org
For more assistance or to ask a question, visit AskUs!
For information about our reading room, call 313-982-6020.
