Celebrating Henry Ford’s 150th Anniversary

1903 Model A (with Bill Ford) returns to the Ford Family.

Ford Family Reunites with 1903 Model A

The return of a 1903 Model A, considered the oldest surviving Ford vehicle, kicks off a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of company founder Henry Ford’s birth. Executive Chairman Bill Ford recently purchased this key artifact of Ford heritage at an auction. “[My great-grandfather’s] vision to build cars that are reasonably priced, reliable and efficient still resonates and defines our vision as well.” said Bill Ford.

Visit the Henry Ford 150 Years site.

A Manufacturing Revolution Dawns

One hundred years ago, building automobiles was a slow process, as workers moved from car to car. Building a car using “station assembly” took more than 12 man-hours! But Model Ts were selling so fast that Henry Ford had to find a way to speed up production, which resulted in the Moving Assembly Line, a revolutionary innovation.

Read how Henry Ford changed the world.

Five-Dollar Day Jump Starts the Middle Class

In 1914, Ford Motor Company announced plans to double worker’s pay and shorten the workday. Instead of $2.34 for nine hours, most workers would then make $5.00 for eight hours. (During the first year alone, this decision would end up costing Henry Ford $10 million.) But the day after the announcement, 10,000 people flocked to Highland Park clamoring for jobs that would allow them to enter the middle class – and buy the very cars they’d labored to build.

Read how Henry Ford became a hero to millions of workers.

Pony Car Outpaces the Herd for 50 Years

In 1964, Ford Motor Company unveiled its sporty new Mustang — and a revived racing program. Before long, Shelby GT350 Mustangs dominated on the racetrack. On the street, performance junkies coveted the Boss 302. Several generations later, Ford Motor Company is planning a 50th Anniversary edition of its famous pony car.

Read more about the redesigned Mustang reveal coming in April 2014.

Henry Ford 150 Events

A busy calendar of events leads up to Henry Ford’s 150th birthday on July 30, 2013. You can help us celebrate Ford’s legacy by participating in a variety of fun-filled and informative activities.

See the Henry Ford 150 Celebration events calendar.