Search
- Damaged Car Hooked up to a Tow Truck, 1939 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1939
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car Hooked up to a Tow Truck, 1939
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Damaged Car Following a Traffic Accident in Chicago, Illinois, 1930-1945 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1930-1945
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car Following a Traffic Accident in Chicago, Illinois, 1930-1945
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Horizontal Air Traffic Controller Radar Display Plaque, circa 2001 - Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. Detroit Metro Airport received one of the first computer-integrated radar scopes capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen. This plaque commemorates that unit, used from 1970 to 2001.

- circa 2001
- Collections - Artifact
Horizontal Air Traffic Controller Radar Display Plaque, circa 2001
Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. Detroit Metro Airport received one of the first computer-integrated radar scopes capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen. This plaque commemorates that unit, used from 1970 to 2001.
- Report of Marine Casualty or Accident for Sunken Ford Freighter "East Indian," February 15, 1943 - The United States government requisitioned the Ford Motor Company's ocean-going freighter <em>East Indian</em> for wartime service. Newly fitted with anti-submarine and anti-aircraft guns, the freighter left for the Indian Ocean in May 1942. As the <em>East Indian</em> returned to America, the ship was sunk by a German U-boat. Four lifeboats with survivors were lost, but crew members on a fifth were rescued after being adrift nearly two weeks.

- November 03, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Report of Marine Casualty or Accident for Sunken Ford Freighter "East Indian," February 15, 1943
The United States government requisitioned the Ford Motor Company's ocean-going freighter East Indian for wartime service. Newly fitted with anti-submarine and anti-aircraft guns, the freighter left for the Indian Ocean in May 1942. As the East Indian returned to America, the ship was sunk by a German U-boat. Four lifeboats with survivors were lost, but crew members on a fifth were rescued after being adrift nearly two weeks.
- Damaged Car Following an Accident, Michigan, 1942 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car Following an Accident, Michigan, 1942
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Correspondence regarding the Ford Motor Company Freighter "Oneida," 1942 - Ford Motor Company owned a fleet of barges, tugs, canal boats, cargo carriers, and ocean freighters that transported company products and materials before the Second World War. In 1942, with growing military demands, the United States began requisitioning all available ships for wartime service. Government maritime and shipping administrations worked with Ford to identify and acquire ships needed for the war effort.

- 05 June 1942-06 July 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Correspondence regarding the Ford Motor Company Freighter "Oneida," 1942
Ford Motor Company owned a fleet of barges, tugs, canal boats, cargo carriers, and ocean freighters that transported company products and materials before the Second World War. In 1942, with growing military demands, the United States began requisitioning all available ships for wartime service. Government maritime and shipping administrations worked with Ford to identify and acquire ships needed for the war effort.
- Damaged Car after an Accident, Perrysburg, Ohio, 1937 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1937
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car after an Accident, Perrysburg, Ohio, 1937
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Damaged Car Following an Accident, 1941-1942 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1941-1942
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car Following an Accident, 1941-1942
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Damage to wrecked vehicles -- which was sometimes beyond repair -- became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Damaged Car Following a Traffic Accident in Pontiac, Michigan, 1942-1945 - Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.

- 1942-1945
- Collections - Artifact
Damaged Car Following a Traffic Accident in Pontiac, Michigan, 1942-1945
Automobiles are fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous. Accidents like the wreck pictured here became more commonplace as automotive speeds and the number of drivers on American roads rapidly increased in the 20th century. Eventually, manufacturers, governments, and drivers themselves were compelled to improve automotive safety.
- Fordline Rd. Street Sign, 1920-1970 - Cities and towns inevitably had to figure out how to name their streets. Some named them on a numbering system, others after places and people -- like this sign from Allen Park, Michigan, commemorating Henry Ford.

- 1920-1970
- Collections - Artifact
Fordline Rd. Street Sign, 1920-1970
Cities and towns inevitably had to figure out how to name their streets. Some named them on a numbering system, others after places and people -- like this sign from Allen Park, Michigan, commemorating Henry Ford.