We joyfully passed over the Michigan border and stopped at the Michigan Visitor Center. A very nice worker there filled our bag with all kinds of brochures to fill our days in Michigan. It was rather overwhelming to look at all the possibilities stretched out before our eager eyes. Our first campground reservation was at Sterling State Park in Monroe, Michigan. It was dreadfully hot and we found the major difference between campgrounds in Michigan and those in other states we were familiar with, was that most of the Michigan state park campgrounds were not full hookup facilities. It was common in Michigan to have electric only sites. We realized quickly that for most of our stays in Michigan we would have to plan accordingly and ration the water in our fresh water tank and monitor the amount of waste in our sewer tanks so we would not have to move during our stay for water or to dump.
We set our early the next morning and drove to Dearborn, Michigan to see the Henry Ford Museum. Little did we know what a treasure of information and sights we would discover there. It turned out that in addition to the Ford Museum, there was also Greenfield Village next door. Greenfield Village is an outdoor village with several historic districts featuring Ford, Edison, and the Wright Brothers. Henry Ford spent a great deal of money buying and reconstructing important buildings and events in history. Due to the extreme heat, we chose to walk through Greenfield Village first since all the exhibits were outside. We figured we would save the air conditioned Ford Museum for afternoon and in case of afternoon thunderstorms. There is no way to describe Greenfield Village or the Ford Museum. The easiest way to show you is through pictures.
Greenfield Village:
This is the 150th anniversary of Henry Ford’s birth.
This is the bicycle shop owned by the Wright brothers in Dayton, Ohio that was reconstructed in Greenfield Village.
This is the front room of the Wright brothers bicycle shop.
Room in the bicycle shop where the Wright brothers repaired bicycles.
This is where the Wright brothers built their glider.
The Wright brothers lived in this house in Dayton, Ohio which was reconstructed in Greenfield Village. They had a small play on the steps with actors portraying Orville, Wilbur and their sister.
Bill with a statue of Henry Ford.
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Henry Ford home.
As a retired teacher I especially liked this quote on the blackboard in Henry Ford’s schoolhouse.
Bill standing outside the original Ford Motor Company.
Henry Ford’s first attempt at building a car.
Train rides were available on this train. It was built in 1877 and sometime in the early 20th century Ford bought it and began a makeover of the engine.
Bill and I rode in a Model T car. This particular model T was actually used in days past as a taxi.
Bill is shown a demonstration of a working single piston gasoline engine by a guide in Greenfield Village.
It was common to see Model T ford cars throughout the streets of Greenfield Village giving tours.
Also common to see people in period costumes.
Bill with statue of Thomas Edison.
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Edison’s workshop.
Edison’s workshop.
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Of particular interest to my Charlottesville family and friends, as well as my teacher friends.
The McGuffey school was constructed in 1934 in Greenfield Village as a memorial to William McGuffey. It was built of logs from a barn on the farm in Washington County, Pennsylvania where McGuffey was born in 1800.
The home of Robert Frost was was purchased by Henry Ford and moved from Ann Arbor Michigan to Deerfield Village.
Noah Webster house moved from New Haven to Deerfield Village.
A quote about Noah Webster on the wall of his home. The home had on display some of his first dictionaries.
After grabbing a quick lunch in Greenfield Village, we gratefully walked into the refreshing coolness of the Ford museum.
The actual chair Lincoln was sitting in at Ford Theater when he was shot.
An “exploded” view of a Model T….what it would look like if it was taken apart.
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Franklin Roosevelt’s presidential car.
Rear of Roosevelt’s car.
Eisenhower’s 1950 Lincoln presidential car.
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The car Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated. The bubble top has been put back on the car.
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Oldest surviving school bus.
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Second car to cross the United States.
The actual bus Rosa Parks was sitting in when she refused to give up her seat in 1955.
Bill sitting on the Rosa Parks bus.
Rear of the Rosa Parks bus.
The end of a long and busy day. What an incredible experience!
While doing some quick geocaching in Monroe we came across this statue of General George Custer.
Born in New Rumley, Ohio, George A. Custer grew up in Monroe in the home of his half sister.
Statue of General George Custer in downtown Monroe. Unveiled June 4, 1910. Also known as “Sighting the Enemy”.