Road to America 250 starts with Ford: Union Station exhibit shows off vehicles
One of America’s most beloved brands is celebrating America 250 with a look at its past — while driving America forward.
“What I want people to get from the exhibit is that Ford has been ingrained in American culture and has helped in a lot of ways define American culture,” Ford’s Heritage Brand Manager Ted Ryan told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday.
Ford hosted a public exhibit at Union Station in Washington, D.C., with many different Ford vehicles to showcase the American spirit for the country’s 250th birthday.
People traveling through Union Station stopped and pulled out their phones almost immediately, taking pictures with the cars they liked the best.
Ryan said everyone has a vehicle they’re drawn to because they have some kind of connection to it, whether it be from pop culture or history.
Ford vehicles have carried Americans to and from work for 123 years, and it all started with the Model T. The Model T revolutionized car manufacturing and changed the way Americans traveled, according to a Ford press release.
The exhibit featured the 15 millionth Model T, which was the last one ever made. It was produced at the Ford factory in Michigan in 1927, marking the end of the vehicle’s 19-year production.
The hunter green vehicle had the words “The Fifteen Millionth Ford” painted on its sides. Ryan said the car’s engine is hand-stamped with the number 15,000,000 by eight of Ford’s longest-serving employees, each employee stamping one numeral.
Ford helped refine the moving assembly line, cutting build time for the Model T from over 12 hours to about 90 minutes in some stages. This helped cut production costs too, and made the cars more affordable.
Previous to this, motor vehicles were only seen as available for the wealthy. The significant drop in price made car ownership attainable for middle-class families.
Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, also made a profound impact with the “$5 workday.” He increased wages and reduced working hours, motivating workers and giving them the financial means to afford the very cars they were building.
This shift in affordability and industrial job growth contributed to broader economic changes that helped enable the Great Migration. Many black Americans from the South were able to move North in search of more opportunities.
One of Ford’s most iconic vehicles was also on display, the Mustang. The white Mustang was unveiled in April 1964 on the floor of the New York World’s Fair. It boasted red interior leather that coated the seats and steering wheel, giving it a velvety appearance.
“You see the way people react to the different vehicles,” Ryan said, highlighting how visitors were taking in the sights.
Ryan also highlighted little surprises in the exhibit, such as a 1934 flathead Ford V-8 that was lent to the exhibit by Jay Leno. Leno bought a flathead for $350 when he was 14 years old. The car didn’t run, so he worked on it for two years before getting his license, according to the exhibit.
Leno sold that truck but eventually bought another one and lent it to the collection.
Ryan also highlighted Ford’s role in the 1969 moon landing. Ford’s aerospace subsidiary designed and built much of the computer equipment used in mission control.
Now, Ford’s F-Series is one of the most widely known and bestselling vehicles in Ford’s line. The F-Series has been America’s bestselling trucks for 49 years, according to Ford’s press release.
The exhibit is free to enter and is open daily through July 14 in the Main Hall at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
“Bring the kids. Bring your father. Bring whoever taught you to drive,” Ford said.