Henry Ford and Bryant Family Using Ford Model A to Power a Sawmill, Bryant Farm, 1903

01

Artifact Overview

One of the appeals of early automobiles, particularly to rural customers, was their versatility as portable power sources. With the aid of a leather belt, the eight-horsepower engine in the original Ford Model A, for example, could run small machines like saws, water pumps, and electrical generators. Uses beyond transportation made cars seem more practical to budget-minded consumers.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

1903

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

P.O.708

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 in

Henry Ford and Bryant Family Using Ford Model A to Power a Sawmill, Bryant Farm, 1903