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- Airplane Flying over Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan, 1931 - Edsel and Henry Ford conceived the Dearborn Inn as a business opportunity, a first-class hotel hosting pilots and travelers transiting through the adjacent Ford Airport. It is noted as one of the first airport hotels. It also served traveling Ford employees and dealers, and visitors to the nearby Edison Institute (later renamed The Henry Ford).

- 1931
- Collections - Artifact
Airplane Flying over Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan, 1931
Edsel and Henry Ford conceived the Dearborn Inn as a business opportunity, a first-class hotel hosting pilots and travelers transiting through the adjacent Ford Airport. It is noted as one of the first airport hotels. It also served traveling Ford employees and dealers, and visitors to the nearby Edison Institute (later renamed The Henry Ford).
- Postcard, The Spalding Hotel, Duluth, Minnesota, 1914 - Automobiles, an electric streetcar, a horse-drawn buggy, and pedestrians are seen traveling down the street in front of the Spalding Hotel in Duluth, Minnesota, in this circa 1910 postcard. Proprietors opened the hotel in 1899 to cater mainly to railroad passengers. But by the time this postcard was made, more and more motorists were stopping to use the accommodations.

- 1914
- Collections - Artifact
Postcard, The Spalding Hotel, Duluth, Minnesota, 1914
Automobiles, an electric streetcar, a horse-drawn buggy, and pedestrians are seen traveling down the street in front of the Spalding Hotel in Duluth, Minnesota, in this circa 1910 postcard. Proprietors opened the hotel in 1899 to cater mainly to railroad passengers. But by the time this postcard was made, more and more motorists were stopping to use the accommodations.
- Thomas Edison Asleep at the Oriental Hotel, Manhattan Beach, Snapshot by Henry Ford, 1896 - Henry Ford attended the 1896 meeting of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies in Brooklyn, New York, with camera in tow. During the convention, Ford captured several candid shots of his boyhood hero, Thomas Edison. He also had a personal encounter with Edison at a banquet -- a brief but encouraging landmark in the ambitious engineer's life.

- 1896
- Collections - Artifact
Thomas Edison Asleep at the Oriental Hotel, Manhattan Beach, Snapshot by Henry Ford, 1896
Henry Ford attended the 1896 meeting of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies in Brooklyn, New York, with camera in tow. During the convention, Ford captured several candid shots of his boyhood hero, Thomas Edison. He also had a personal encounter with Edison at a banquet -- a brief but encouraging landmark in the ambitious engineer's life.
- Omnibus in front of Hotel Del Monte, Monterey, California, circa 1890 - Larger hotels in the second half of the nineteenth century often maintained horse-drawn coaches or omnibuses to transport guests to and from nearby railroad stations or take them on excursions during their stay. California's Hotel Del Monte, shown here with waiting omnibus, offered guests the 17-Mile Drive -- an outing complete with scenic views and stops at historic sites.

- circa 1890
- Collections - Artifact
Omnibus in front of Hotel Del Monte, Monterey, California, circa 1890
Larger hotels in the second half of the nineteenth century often maintained horse-drawn coaches or omnibuses to transport guests to and from nearby railroad stations or take them on excursions during their stay. California's Hotel Del Monte, shown here with waiting omnibus, offered guests the 17-Mile Drive -- an outing complete with scenic views and stops at historic sites.
- Trail Party Leaving El Tovar Hotel. Grand Canyon, Arizona, circa 1905 - Few places seemed more romantic than the American West to tourists at the turn of the 20th century. Many headed westward, seeking the untamed natural beauty and vast open spaces that epitomized opportunity, individuality, and what it meant to be American. Horseback tours on rugged terrain in Arizona's Grand Canyon added a level of excitement to casual sightseeing.

- circa 1905
- Collections - Artifact
Trail Party Leaving El Tovar Hotel. Grand Canyon, Arizona, circa 1905
Few places seemed more romantic than the American West to tourists at the turn of the 20th century. Many headed westward, seeking the untamed natural beauty and vast open spaces that epitomized opportunity, individuality, and what it meant to be American. Horseback tours on rugged terrain in Arizona's Grand Canyon added a level of excitement to casual sightseeing.
- Cliff House, San Francisco, California, circa 1905 - Millionaire and future San Francisco mayor Adolf Sutro opened this French chateau-inspired building in 1896. San Franciscans could dine, dance, or explore exhibit galleries in this elegant meeting place -- all while enjoying a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. This Detroit Publishing Company photograph shows the Cliff House from Ocean Beach.

- circa 1905
- Collections - Artifact
Cliff House, San Francisco, California, circa 1905
Millionaire and future San Francisco mayor Adolf Sutro opened this French chateau-inspired building in 1896. San Franciscans could dine, dance, or explore exhibit galleries in this elegant meeting place -- all while enjoying a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. This Detroit Publishing Company photograph shows the Cliff House from Ocean Beach.
- Pacific Ocean, San Diego, California, 1935 - In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Among many other things, Ford photographers documented San Diego during the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. Ford Motor Company's exhibition was the fair's largest and most popular.

- 1935
- Collections - Artifact
Pacific Ocean, San Diego, California, 1935
In 1913, Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company's photographic department. Though few internal records describe company photography, remaining photographs reveal a wide range of departmental activity. Among many other things, Ford photographers documented San Diego during the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. Ford Motor Company's exhibition was the fair's largest and most popular.
- The Electric Bus of the Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, Vermont, circa 1910 - In the 1800s, many hotels maintained horse-drawn coaches or omnibuses to transport guests to and from nearby railroad stations or take them on excursions during their stay. As manufacturers introduced horseless options, like this electric bus used by Vermont's Woodstock Inn, hotels adopted them as shuttles and sightseeing vehicles.

- circa 1910
- Collections - Artifact
The Electric Bus of the Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, Vermont, circa 1910
In the 1800s, many hotels maintained horse-drawn coaches or omnibuses to transport guests to and from nearby railroad stations or take them on excursions during their stay. As manufacturers introduced horseless options, like this electric bus used by Vermont's Woodstock Inn, hotels adopted them as shuttles and sightseeing vehicles.
- People Viewing the Thomas Flyer at Hotel Oriental, Kobe, Japan, New York to Paris Race, 1908 - The 1908 New York to Paris race was a 22,000-mile automobile endurance contest. After crossing the continental United States, teams shipped their vehicles to Asia. The Americans, driving a Thomas Flyer, disembarked in Japan in early May. As the Flyer and crew trekked carefully over the narrow Japanese roads, they encountered many inquisitive, courteous and helpful people.

- 1908
- Collections - Artifact
People Viewing the Thomas Flyer at Hotel Oriental, Kobe, Japan, New York to Paris Race, 1908
The 1908 New York to Paris race was a 22,000-mile automobile endurance contest. After crossing the continental United States, teams shipped their vehicles to Asia. The Americans, driving a Thomas Flyer, disembarked in Japan in early May. As the Flyer and crew trekked carefully over the narrow Japanese roads, they encountered many inquisitive, courteous and helpful people.
- Postcard, Night Scene of the Flamingo Hilton and the Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada, circa 1988 - Conrad Hilton's idea was a nationwide chain of unique -- not identical -- hotels. This postcard shows the chain's hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

- circa 1988
- Collections - Artifact
Postcard, Night Scene of the Flamingo Hilton and the Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada, circa 1988
Conrad Hilton's idea was a nationwide chain of unique -- not identical -- hotels. This postcard shows the chain's hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.