26 moments

1. Birth at the Ford farm

   1863-07-30 · Greenfield Township (present-day Dearborn), Michigan, USA

   

   Ford was born on the family farm in Greenfield Township, the rural community later incorporated into Dearborn. Coordinate is an approximate representative point for the former Greenfield Township farm area near Ford and Greenfield Roads.

2. Apprentice machinist in Detroit

   1879-01-01 · Detroit, Michigan, USA

   At sixteen, Ford left the family farm and began machine-shop work in Detroit, an early step in his technical career. The source supports the year but not a more precise date or workplace coordinate.

3. Return to the family farm

   1882-01-01 · Dearborn, Michigan, USA

   

   Ford returned to Dearborn, worked on the family farm, operated a portable steam engine, and later serviced engines for Westinghouse. City coordinate used because the precise family-farm location is not supplied by the quoted passage.

4. Move to Detroit for Edison employment

   1891-01-01 · Detroit, Michigan, USA

   

   Ford and Clara Ford moved to Detroit when he began engineering work for the Edison Illuminating Company. The source supports the year but not a more precise move date.

5. Quadricycle first drive

   1896-06-04 · Detroit, Michigan, USA

   

   Ford drove his first automobile, the Quadricycle, on Detroit streets, a formative public test of his gasoline-powered vehicle. The source supplies Detroit and June 1896; June 4 is supported by the associated Henry Ford article documenting the first test drive on that date.

6. Driving the Quadricycle

   1896-10-01 · Detroit, Michigan, USA

   

   A contemporary-period photograph documents Ford with his first gasoline-powered vehicle in Detroit later in 1896. The artifact title identifies Detroit; city coordinates are representative.

7. Sweepstakes race victory

   1901-10-10 · Grosse Pointe Race Track, Grosse Pointe, Michigan, USA

   

   Ford personally drove the Sweepstakes racer against Alexander Winton. The victory helped secure backing for his next automobile company. Coordinate is a representative point for Grosse Pointe; the former race track no longer survives as a functioning venue.

8. Lake St. Clair speed demonstration

   1903-01-01 · Lake St. Clair, Michigan, USA

   Ford demonstrated a newly designed car on Lake St. Clair ice, setting a speed record in the early Ford Motor Company period. The demonstration is presented in the article's 1903 Ford Motor Company formation context, but no exact demonstration date is given.

9. Everglades tour with John Burroughs

   1914-01-01 · Everglades, Florida, USA

   During the Florida visit that helped inspire the Vagabonds, Ford and John Burroughs toured the Everglades. Coordinate is a representative central Everglades point; the route and exact dates are not specified.

10. Visit to Edison in Florida

    1914-01-01 · Florida, USA

    

    Ford and naturalist John Burroughs visited Thomas Edison in Florida, helping inspire the later Vagabonds camping trips. The source identifies Florida but not the exact Edison residence or date; coordinate is a state representative point.

11. Panama-Pacific Exposition trip

    1915-01-01 · California, USA

    

    Ford, Edison, and Firestone were in California for the Panama-Pacific Exposition during the early Vagabonds period. The source establishes California in 1915 but does not name an exact venue or date; coordinate is a state representative point.

12. Peace-mission meeting at the White House

    1915-01-01 · White House, Washington, D.C., USA

    Ford and Louis Lochner met President Woodrow Wilson to seek official backing for Ford's proposed peace mission to Europe. The source identifies 1915 but does not provide the meeting date.

13. Vagabonds arrive at San Diego

    1915-01-01 · San Diego, California, USA

    Ford was among the Vagabonds on their California drive from Riverside to San Diego after the Panama-Pacific Exposition visit. The source supplies the route and year but not a more precise date.

14. Vagabonds drive from Riverside

    1915-01-01 · Riverside, California, USA

    

    While in California with Edison and Firestone, Ford joined a road trip beginning at Riverside and continuing toward San Diego. The source supplies the route and year but not a more precise date.

15. Peace Ship press conference

    1915-11-24 · New York City, New York, USA

    

    Ford announced in New York that he had chartered the Oscar II for a private diplomatic mission to Europe. City-center coordinate used because the press-conference venue is not specified.

16. Departure on the Peace Ship

    1915-12-04 · Hoboken, New Jersey, USA

    

    Ford departed aboard the Oscar II with a citizen peace delegation seeking to promote mediation during World War I. Harbor-area coordinate used; the precise pier is not specified.

17. Peace Ship arrival in Oslo

    1915-12-18 · Grand Hotel, Oslo, Norway

    

    After the Peace Ship reached Oslo, Ford—ill with influenza—retreated to the Grand Hotel and later met the press there.

18. Departure from Bergen

    1915-12-23 · Bergen, Norway

    Ford left the Peace Ship mission, traveled by train to Bergen with Samuel Marquis, and prepared to sail home. City-center coordinate used because the specific rail terminal and berth are not identified.

19. Return from the Peace Ship mission

    1916-01-02 · New York City, New York, USA

    Ford returned to New York after abandoning the Peace Ship mission in Norway because of illness and the mission's breakdown. City-center coordinate used because the arrival pier is not specified.

20. Vagabonds camping trip at Narrows

    1918-08-15 · Narrows, Virginia, USA

    

    Ford joined Edison, Firestone, and John Burroughs on a Vagabonds camping trip through the central Appalachians; a signed log documents their stop at Narrows. The source identifies the town and exact date but not the precise campsite.

21. Vagabonds camping trip at Hagerstown

    1921-01-01 · Hagerstown, Maryland, USA

    Ford joined a Vagabonds camping trip that included President Warren G. Harding and the Firestone family in Hagerstown. The source gives the year but not a more precise date or campsite.

22. Fort Myers visit with Edison and Firestone

    1929-02-11 · Fort Myers, Florida, USA

    

    Ford was photographed with Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone in Fort Myers, reflecting their longtime association and Florida visits. Coordinate is at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates area, a defensible representative site for the captioned Fort Myers appearance.

23. Visit to Germany

    1930-09-01 · Germany

    

    A captioned photograph documents Ford in Germany during a September 1930 visit, amid the expansion of Ford's international business. The source identifies only Germany, not a city; coordinate is a national representative point.

24. Groundbreaking at Richmond Hill

    1936-01-01 · Richmond Hill, Georgia, USA

    Ford broke ground for a Greek Revival mansion on his Richmond Hill property along the Ogeechee River. Coordinate is a representative point for the Ford Plantation/Richmond Hill estate; the quoted passage gives no exact groundbreaking date.

25. Edison Illuminating Company building dedication

    1944-11-08 · Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan, USA

    

    Ford appeared with former Edison Illuminating Company colleagues at the dedication of the reconstructed Edison building in Greenfield Village.

26. Death at Fair Lane

    1947-04-07 · Fair Lane, Dearborn, Michigan, USA

    

    Ford died at Fair Lane, his Dearborn estate, following a cerebral hemorrhage.