The Henry Ford II Freighter Entering Ford Slip in the Rouge River, circa 1940
THF155085 / The Henry Ford II Freighter Entering Ford Slip in the Rouge River, circa 1940
01
Artifact Overview
Henry Ford had two ore freighters built in 1924 and named them after his grandsons, Henry Ford II and Benson Ford. The ships plied the Great Lakes, transporting raw materials to and from Ford's River Rouge manufacturing complex. This painting by A. E. Bracy depicts the Henry Ford II. The freighter remained part of the Ford Motor Company fleet until 1989.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Oil painting (Visual work)
Date Made
circa 1940
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
64.17.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Stark Hickey.
Material
Canvas
Oil paint (Paint)
Dimensions
Length: 24 in
Width: 30 in
Keywords |
|---|
02
Related Content
SetHenry Ford II and Benson Ford: Ore Carriers of the Great Lakes
- 23 Artifacts
In 1923, Henry Ford ordered two 600-foot-long lake freighters to transport raw materials — iron ore, coal, limestone, and other bulk products — to and from his massive River Rouge manufacturing complex. Ford named the motorships after his grandsons, Henry Ford II and Benson Ford. By the summer of 1924, both freighters were plying the waters of the Great Lakes, becoming workhorses for Ford Motor Company for more than fifty years.