Search
- Hydraulic Shear at Ford Rouge Plant, 1927 - To produce steel for Rouge plant operations, Ford used ten open-hearth furnaces. The furnaces, each with a capacity of at least 180 tons, resided here in the open-hearth building. These workers used a steam-powered shearer to smash scrap metal into small pieces. The bits of metal joined with molten iron in one of the furnaces and eventually became steel.

- 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Hydraulic Shear at Ford Rouge Plant, 1927
To produce steel for Rouge plant operations, Ford used ten open-hearth furnaces. The furnaces, each with a capacity of at least 180 tons, resided here in the open-hearth building. These workers used a steam-powered shearer to smash scrap metal into small pieces. The bits of metal joined with molten iron in one of the furnaces and eventually became steel.
- Men Working on V-8 Radiator Grilles, Ford Rouge Plant, 1935 - At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included over 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1935, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford manufactured more than 942,000 automobiles.

- November 25, 1935
- Collections - Artifact
Men Working on V-8 Radiator Grilles, Ford Rouge Plant, 1935
At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included over 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1935, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford manufactured more than 942,000 automobiles.
- Rustproofing Steel Hub Caps by "Granodizing" Process, Ford Rouge Plant, 1936 - At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.

- December 18, 1936
- Collections - Artifact
Rustproofing Steel Hub Caps by "Granodizing" Process, Ford Rouge Plant, 1936
At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.
- Employee Manufacturing Gaskets, Ford Rouge Plant, 1936 - At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.

- January 24, 1936
- Collections - Artifact
Employee Manufacturing Gaskets, Ford Rouge Plant, 1936
At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.
- Cadmium-Plating of Brake Shoes at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1936 - At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.

- March 11, 1936
- Collections - Artifact
Cadmium-Plating of Brake Shoes at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1936
At its peak in the 1930s, Ford Motor Company's massive Rouge factory employed more than 100,000 workers. The complex included more than 15 million square feet of floor space and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. In 1936, when this photo was taken, the people of Ford built more than 790,000 automobiles.
- Checking ID Badge of Ford Employee's Service Dog "Blackie," October 1942 - Blackie was a leader or service dog that helped blind employee Sylvester Rypkowski travel to and from his job at the Ford Rouge factory during World War II. The dog, like his human coworkers, was finger (or "paw") printed and received a photo identification badge -- standard for war workers. Local and regional newspapers ran articles about Blackie and his role in wartime production.

- October 05, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Checking ID Badge of Ford Employee's Service Dog "Blackie," October 1942
Blackie was a leader or service dog that helped blind employee Sylvester Rypkowski travel to and from his job at the Ford Rouge factory during World War II. The dog, like his human coworkers, was finger (or "paw") printed and received a photo identification badge -- standard for war workers. Local and regional newspapers ran articles about Blackie and his role in wartime production.
- Tommy Bridges Welcomes Jesse Owens to Work at Ford Motor Company, November 23, 1942 - Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. In 1942, his friend Willis Ward encouraged Owens to join Ford Motor Company and ultimately succeed Ward as director of its personnel department for African American employees. Owens later worked in public relations at the company. He remained with Ford until 1946.

- November 23, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Tommy Bridges Welcomes Jesse Owens to Work at Ford Motor Company, November 23, 1942
Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. In 1942, his friend Willis Ward encouraged Owens to join Ford Motor Company and ultimately succeed Ward as director of its personnel department for African American employees. Owens later worked in public relations at the company. He remained with Ford until 1946.
- Jesse Owens and Willis Ward, Ford Motor Company, November 23, 1942 - Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. In 1942, his friend Willis Ward encouraged Owens to join Ford Motor Company and ultimately succeed Ward as director of its personnel department for African American employees. Owens later worked in public relations at the company. He remained with Ford until 1946.

- November 23, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Jesse Owens and Willis Ward, Ford Motor Company, November 23, 1942
Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. In 1942, his friend Willis Ward encouraged Owens to join Ford Motor Company and ultimately succeed Ward as director of its personnel department for African American employees. Owens later worked in public relations at the company. He remained with Ford until 1946.
- Employee Moving Boxes of H. J. Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, circa 1920 - Before complete mechanization of the manufacturing process, many tasks at the Heinz factory were done by hand. The H.J. Heinz Company documented the many departments of the manufacturing process through photographs. This photograph shows an employee moving boxes. These boxes were possibly heading for the shipping dock to be loaded onto a train or truck.

- circa 1920
- Collections - Artifact
Employee Moving Boxes of H. J. Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, circa 1920
Before complete mechanization of the manufacturing process, many tasks at the Heinz factory were done by hand. The H.J. Heinz Company documented the many departments of the manufacturing process through photographs. This photograph shows an employee moving boxes. These boxes were possibly heading for the shipping dock to be loaded onto a train or truck.
- Garments Knitted for the War Effort by Employees at the Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant, October 1942 -

- October 26, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Garments Knitted for the War Effort by Employees at the Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant, October 1942