Friday, July 24, 2015

A STEP WAY BACK IN TIME…GREENFIELD VILLAGE

Sunday, July 19 – On tap for today in Dearborn, Michigan, is the Henry Ford – Greenfield Village Museum. What can we say about this well-known historical park. Marsha says awesome.......Paul says exhausting! We spent six hours on our tour, walked 5.67 miles, took 10,907 steps and 324 pictures. All in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees and high humidity. YIKES!

The Henry Ford has four attraction areas that will fill four solid days of adventure. There is the Henry Ford Museum with the Rosa Parks Bus, Kennedy Limousine, Lincoln Chair and the Driving America Exhibit. The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre with Michigan's largest 2D/3D movie screen showing one of a kind documentaries covering the drama of American People, places and historical moments. There's Greenfield Village allowing one to stroll a historical village with Model T rides, Edison's Menlo Park Lab, Firestone Farm, Henry Ford Home, Noah Webster Home, and more. And the Ford Rouge Factory Tour with the awe-inspiring sweep and action of the factory floor and the manufacture of the Ford F-150.

Each of these attractions average about $20 person with extras like the steam locomotive or rides in the Ford Model T at extra costs. We choose to visit Greenfield Village and The Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

Our first day was in the Greenfield Village. We ventured back to a mid-nineteenth century village. The people are dressed in period attire and are involved in everyday tasks as they would have at that time. This is a HUGE village with block after block of places to visit and sights to see. All these 100's of building were collected by Henry Ford and brought to this sight as a historical reminder to the people of his day. We won’t post all 324 pictures, but the following gives you just a glimpse into the Village.

Firestone and Edison were two of Ford’s best friends. Henry moved many of their historic structures to this Village.

Firestone Farm

Firestone Farm

Paul remembers rungs put together like this one in his boyhood home.
Firestone Farm

That isn’t working any more, Paul.
Firestone Farm

Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison's lab

Did you know that Henry Ford was called, “America’s Number One Soybean Man”?

Henry Ford

soybean

In the Village, there is a glass blowing shop, pottery shop, cider mill, saw mill, weaving shop, gristmill, tin shop, and the list goes on and on and on.

weaving

Greenfield Village

The Roundhouse
Roundhouse

Wright Cycle Co.

There were two school buildings on the grounds.

McGuffey Schoolhouse

Look at the unruly child in the corner tuning the teacher out. Bad boy!
McGuffey Schoolhouse

Sarah Jordan Boarding house

Sarah Jordan Boarding house

Jordan borading house

If you are willing to pay the extra $16.00, you can get around this 80 acre museum by Model T, train, Model AA bus, or by carriage. We chose the old-fashion way…walking.

carriage

There are several places to stop and enjoy an authentic 1800’s lunch or drink. We decided to stop in at the Eagle’s Tavern to quench our thirst.

Eagle Tavern

Marsha had the original Primms Cup Cocktail, and Paul chose the Mint Julep. As we enjoyed our drink, the two bartenders told us stories of different drinks that were served back in the late 1800’s. Nice relaxing time.

Eagle Tavern

A fabulous visit and one not to be missed. As stated above, plan on spending the ENTIRE day at the Village and plan on returning home EXHAUSTED.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon.

15 comments:

  1. We did the Ford Museum and Greenville Village in two days. They did discount the museum because the roof was leaking and they had to cover some things in plastic. The second day we did Greenville Village. I wonder how the IMax and Rouge tours were but we were on overload and just couldn't take in any more.

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  2. Looks like you made tracks and hit some of the high spots of Greenfield Village. It's a fascinating place and well worth the effort. We did allow ourselves enough time either.

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  3. Looks like my kind of place. Love living history sites. I would have paid to not walk, though.

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  4. Love the Henry Ford. Been there many times. One of the best museums we've ever seen.
    If you haven't done the Rouge plant yet, call to see if the assembly line is running. It is a completely different tour when the plant is running.
    I love that Edison's chair is in the spot where he used to sit in it. His lab was awesome to see.

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  5. That is one heck of a long tour but would be absolutely fascinating. I love your covered bridge!

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  6. Thanks again for the update I was there 55 years ago but don;t remember too much, think we need to got back and do the whole think again,

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  7. This is quite the facility. That's funny that you chose those two parts and we chose the musuem. It was a very full day, also, but wonderful. Henry Ford's home in Ft. Myers is very interesting, as well. There are great photos of all of them camping in the Everglades with their suits on and the ladies in all their finery. I can't imagine it with all the mosquitos.

    Thank Paul for all the laughs! I hope the teacher used her switch on that bad student. I'm sure he deserved it:)

    I like your stop in the Eagle Tavern...an old fashion beverage and stories.What a fun time:)

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  8. YIKES is right. We will do this someday but it will be a lot of shorter days and less humidity and temps hopefully

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  9. What a great place ... but in 90F temps -- with humidity to boot -- I would have wilted very quickly.

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  10. We loved Greenfield and the Ford Museum. That is two places I would return to in the future.

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  11. Yep we too loved our visit at the Greenfield Village a few years ago...

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  12. I don't think I've been there since the late 60's. I"m sure lots of things have been added since then.

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  13. Your endurance is amazing. 324 pictures. Would you adopt Doug. He loves this kind of thing and I do not. I make sure I bring a book and I sit in the truck.

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  14. It is a great place. We have been there three times and I am sure we still can find lots of things that we missed:)

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  15. You are right, a day should be spent here and another day at the museum. We enjoyed both as well. It is really a great place to learn as well. Glad you made it this time.

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