The Henry Ford

I've never really loved history - as in the history we were taught as kids. King Henry did this and so and so retaliated with this maneuver that caused this uproar! Oh how boring it all was to a kid that really just wanted to go swimming and catch bugs. Now I homeschool my kids and occasionally feel guilty about the lack of history in our curriculum (did I just say I have curriculum????). On those days I usually yell out something to Ryder like "What president is on a penny" and "What was the Boston Tea Party" just to make myself feel better. How he knows the answers is probably thanks to the four hours of reading he does a day.

Another thing that doesn't truly appeal to me is well, history museums. This is something I'm sharing with you while hiding my face in shame. I don't like them. I find it boring to look at arrowheads, old photographs and slippers worn by Mrs. so and so. I know this is what some people love but I do not adore it.

Until now. Somehow I found out about THE history museum to rival any museum in Washington D.C. by pure circumstance. Thank goodness I did. THE HENRY FORD museum located in Detroit Michigan is a Disneyland of American History. There is every piece of anything you ever wanted to know about our country and everyone that had anything to do with its delivery to our current position of power. I have endless photos of all that I saw but I simply think it wouldn't do any good to show it all to you. We spent three days there - yes, I said THREE DAYS, parked in their parking lot and spending all day inside and outside of this amazing museum.

These are only some of the things we saw. Please realize that when I say we saw them, I mean that Henry Ford bought the buildings and had them shipped here and re-built exactly as they were. This is only a sampler of what is there...

The Presidential limos
The chair Lincoln was assassinated in
Rosa Parks bus
Edison's Menlo Park
The first house with electricity - in the world!
Family Home of the Wright Brothers, Firestone, Ford
The bike shop of the Wright Brothers
Ceramic factories, glass workshops, metal shops, old tyme candy shop, jewelry shops,
Courthouse Lincoln practiced law in

Oh, I give up. It's just amazing because it's shown in a very visual style. Henry Ford was a visionary - friends with Edison and Firestone most of his adult life he decided to save history anywhere he could find it. He hired had Oroville Wright oversee the moving of his own family home and bike shop to Greenfield Village and make sure it was set-up properly. He made an entire village filled with all things American history he could find and then hired the best people he could find to present it to people in an interesting way. I highly recommend anyone with a deep dislike of learning history, to find a way to make it to his museum at some point in their life. There is simply too much to explain to you! I loved it though and thought I'd share it with you guys. Just check out the website

www.TheHenryFord.org




Meanwhile, we're in Wisconsin right now visiting family. We won't be posting again for awhile as we don't have internet capabilities with photos. So, enjoy your spring and we'll be back real soon!