Automotive Heritage

Day Tour 1 : "Must-See" Dearborn Attractions

Tour Overview

A trip to The Henry Ford in Dearborn is an absolute must during your visit to Detroit. Revered as "America's Greatest History Attraction", The Henry Ford provides an unparalleled chronicle of American life and of the people and ideas that changed lives through innovation. The campus of The Henry Ford includes five distinct attractions -- Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center, and Henry Ford IMAX Theater.

One could easily spend 2-3 full days exploring everything there is to see and do at The Henry Ford. However, most people simply don't have that much time. Therefore, we highlight in Day Tour #1 the two "must-see" attractions -- the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Day Tour 2 includes the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, another fascinating and engaging experience. With both of the tours, if time permits, we recommend visiting the Benson Ford Research Center, IMAX theater, and Automotive Hall of Fame as well (all are located on the grounds of The Henry Ford).

Dearborn [A]

In case you haven't heard, the City of Dearborn is Ford country. Not only does Ford maintain its corporate headquarters here, the company's Land Development Division owns and manages over 5 million square feet of commercial real estate and development properties in the City. Nearly every corner of Dearborn it seems has ties to Henry Ford or the Ford Motor Company.

Your immersion into Ford country begins even before you reach the gates of The Henry Ford. On your way into town along Michigan Avenue, you will pass the Henry Ford Library, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, and Ford Motor Company World Headquarters, also known as the "Glass House." Coming south on Oakwood Boulevard and arriving at Village Road, you will note to the right the entrance to Ford's Research and Engineering campus where the bulk of the company's design and development activities take place.

On your way out of town as you travel along Oakwood Boulevard and Rotunda Drive, you will see on your left a red brick wall, the inside of which used to contain Henry Ford's private airport. On the opposite side of the road is the Dearborn Inn [B] (pictured above), a 23-acre Albert Kahn-designed colonial retreat built by Henry Ford in 1931 to house overnight guests. The airport is now used as a Ford Motor Company test track, and the Dearborn Inn is now a Marriott Hotel offering a setting reminiscent of a bed and breakfast. Further east on Rotunda is the Jack Nicklaus-designed Tournament Players Club of Michigan. As you near I-94, the infamous Rouge Factory complex is visible in front of you.

Henry Ford Museum - Dearborn, Michigan by sjb4photos.

Henry Ford Museum [C]

20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn

Website

The Henry Ford Museum houses an array of exhibits showcasing the results of American genius at work. In addition to one of the finest automotive history collections in the country, exhibits include the world's most accurate replica of the Wright brothers' Flyer, the only remaining prototype of the Dymaxion house, and John F. Kennedy's fateful Dallas limousine.

Greenfield Village [C]

20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn

Website

Travel back in time to seven historic districts offering the sights, sounds, and settings of America's past. A steam locomotive transports you through this 90-acre time machine and from one town to the next. Walk through replicas of Thomas Edison's Menlo Park Complex and Henry Ford's Bagley Avenue Workshop. Watch craftsmen employing early manufacturing techniques to create a variety of authentic crafts. All of this and more. You may never want to come back to the present!