From the Model T to the Mustang, the remarkable automotive legacy of Henry Ford lives on just outside Detroit in Dearborn, Mich. Here is where The Henry Ford, a complex showcasing the inventor’s achievements as well as his massive collection of Americana that includes everything from JFK’s presidential limousine to the bus where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, provides fascinating places to visit and hold events.
Our first stop on a FAM trip in May was at the Ford Rouge Factory, which once turned out Model T and Model A cars and now assembles Ford F-150 trucks. There we joined the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, starting with a documentary highlighting the life of Henry Ford and a 360-degree multisensory presentation about the truck assembly process, greatly enlivened by special effects.
From there we strolled along elevated walkways to view the actual truck assembly happening on the factory floor and went up to an observation deck for views of the building’s massive living roof, a habitat of sedum plants and nesting birds, as well as a solar energy system. Both were added when the factory was recently remodeled. Groups can combine the tour with events in spaces that include the observation deck, two theaters and the Legacy Gallery, a display of vintage Ford cars.
Since it became available two years ago, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour has been a huge hit with meeting groups, especially those in the automotive industry, according to Bill Bohde, senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Detroit Metro CVB.
“This is only one of two places in the U.S. where you can actually see cars being built,” he said.
Then it was on to the Henry Ford Museum, a 12-acre tribute to American innovation and historic milestones that includes a circular aluminum house designed by Buckminster Fuller, Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theater, the Rosa Parks bus and much more. Not surprisingly, the museum’s transportation exhibits are especially strong, including a display of presidential limousines and Driving America, a vast assemblage of classic vehicles encompassing everything from century-old electric cars to sleek Thunderbirds and a 1960s Volkswagen camper van.
The Driving America Car Court, one of many event spaces at the museum, provides a backdrop for up to 500 guests that includes a 1950s diner, neon drive-in signs and other classic Americana. The museum’s largest space, the Museum Plaza, hosts groups of up to 5,000. Theater spaces include a replica of a classic drive-in movie theater and the Giant Screen Experience, which offers state-of-the-art digital projection, sound and seating.
Heading to the adjacent Greenfield Village, we boarded replicas of Model T roadsters for a leisurely drive around the largest open-air museum in the U.S., a collection of historic buildings arranged in an idealized village setting. Along the leafy streets are the Illinois courthouse where Lincoln practiced law, Noah Webster’s house, the Wright Brothers’ bicycle shop, Thomas Edison’s research lab and much more.
At the Eagle Tavern, built in 1831 as a stagecoach stop, we enjoyed a lunch that included fluffy biscuits and old-fashioned pickled relishes served by costumed waiters in 19th century garb.
The Eagle Tavern, where up to 180 guests can have candlelit dinners, is one of many spaces available to groups at the village, according to Melissa Foster, media and film relations manager at The Henry Ford.
“Special events are a big part of what we do here—you can even buy the entire village out, which is what Steven Spielberg did recently,” she said.
Heading over to Midtown Detroit, we made one more stop pertaining to the legacy of Henry Ford—the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex located in the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant where Model Ts were first produced in 1908. Now a National Historic Landmark following a major restoration in 2000, the old brick-walled factory is a museum where visitors can explore Henry Ford’s 1908 office and two floors of lovingly restored antique cars on loan from Model T enthusiasts from around the world. Groups of up to 300 are accommodated for receptions and other events.
