No one can af-FORD to miss a trip like this!

This past week we made a short trip to Dearborn, Michigan.... because no family should go a whole summer without a little taste of a summer vacation :).

We chose this location because of Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum! Mom and Dad actually purchased a few tickets on the FVH auction this past year and we were excited to redeem them. However, as Dad started looking into the logistics and such, he realized that it would save us money to purchase a family pass, rather than use the free tickets and then buy tickets for the rest of the family... this meant Grandpa and Grandma got to come along because we couldn't just let the tickets go to waste!

As it turned out, Grandma and Grandpa did come along with us... which was super, until we realized we had forgotten their free tickets. Frustration didn't last long though when we discovered that the campus trusted the fact that we had the tickets at home and let them come in with us free!! We were pretty impressed! And ... that was only the beginning of the day :). 

Dearborn, Michigan is where Henry Ford was born and also where he created his famous Model T. Before he died, he began collecting the homes, labs, workshops, etc. of different people he admired: Thomas Edison and Noah Webster to name a few. We learned he never took no for an answer and was able to retrieve lots of now-famous buildings and bring them to Dearborn. He created the campus with a school in mind: the students would learn in the historic buildings. The place did operate as a school for quite some time, but is now a tourists attraction called Greenfield Village. Along with the variety of buildings, they put on little skits in the summer featuring different historical figures. We enjoyed one full day at the Village on Thursday, and then on Friday, we split our day between back at the village and the Henry Ford Museum. They were hot days, but worth what we saw... Mom said she would add the campus to her list of places every family should visit!

Tales of Huck Finn and Mark Twain were quite humorous with this story teller... you would have loved it, Cole! :)

We watched Laura Ingall's presentation Thursday morning... she would have also made a perfect Anne of Green Gables! :)

What's a fun day in the 1900's without a carousal ride?!

Along with our tickets came unlimited rides in a Model T! They gave us multiple refreshers when we were tired of walking and needed some breeze :).

meet Thomas Edison...

...and the Wright brothers on their front porch! 

At the museum Friday morning- it was such a pretty building!

reassembling a Model T

you can't see it here but trust my word... his tongue was out :)

who knew Henry Ford also experimented in creating airplanes during his lifetime?

Part of the museum was different presidential vehicles... this is the one Kennedy was shot in.

more Model T building, assembly line style

Back at the Village Friday afternoon! (Grandpa and Grandma and the boys ended up staying at the museum as they had more they wanted to see there) 

Part of the village was an old farmhouse: the actual home of Harvey Firestone. Harvey and Henry became good pals when Henry began needing five Firestone tires for each Model T! Anyway, in the farmhouse the ladies prepare a home-cooked meal each day for the farmers who tend the field and gardens. They use only produce they grow and meat they raise, etc. It was interesting to see them making onion rings and other things while many visitors walked in and out! Don't think I could handle that much multi-tasking :)

We loved the atmosphere the Model T's created :). 

Kenan printed a "Midwest Territory Stage Line Notice to Passengers" in the print shop. 

hats, anyone?!

these ladies wanted the right to vote :)

the play these two presented was hysterical :). 

We also watched some narratives on slave life and the plantation Henry retrieved from Maryland.

Thomas Edison's lab and workshop.

Hopefully the pictures and captions didn't spoil your own family trip to Greenfield Village :). It is a huge place... so much more I didn't mention! It was a great little getaway... just not long enough :). We were hit hard when we reentered home life by a full sweet corn day resulting in over 100 quarts! Don't think we needed that much but hey, we'll take it now that it's done :). 

Now we are looking forward to our trip to DC in October... and trying to enjoy our crazy summer days in the meantime :). -faith