All Day and Still Not Enough!

Monroe, Michigan
Harbortown RV Park
Back In #129

Today was a case where there just wasn't enough hours in the day.  

John, Karen, Bill and I left this morning a little after 9 for Greenfield Village.  I wasn't sure what to expect but knew this was a part of the Henry Ford Museum.  

Bernie had given us directions to get around the flooded highways.  However, we heard on the news that the highway was open and returned the way we had on Tuesday.  I couldn't believe the difference from the way the road looked on Tuesday to today.  There were no signs of the disaster except for all the belongings, carpet and possessions from homeowners lining the curbs.   According to the news, the losses could total 1.2 billion dollars.  

It's been a while since I've seen Bill smiling continuously for the whole day, but today was one of those days.  

I have no idea how you can explain what Greenfield Village is.  I have hundreds of photos, and yet I felt we didn't take very many.  

This was a replica of Henry Ford's boyhood home.

When you entered one of the 103 exhibits, there were period dressed historians with a lot of information on the subject.

Henry Ford's boyhood home.

Henry Ford had to knock bricks out of the wall in order to test the Quadricycle outside as it wouldn't fit through the door.

When we entered this building there was a historian dressed in period clothing and he explained the story of the Ford Motor Company and there was also a video that played on two walls.  The Ford Motor Company building is a replica that was built in 1945 and is one fourth the actual size.  

These weren't just buildings with furnishings they were filled with period antiques and treasures. One of the original bicycles built by the Wright brothers was inside.  

The amazing things were that the historians knew the complete story and told you little human interest stories about the people.  

John and Karen said it was about 10 years ago when they were here and couldn't believe how much the place had changed.  

  We stopped for a quick lunch and since the weather was picture perfect, we ate outside.  So did two women with 10 rowdy kids that were next to our table.  

Bernie told us yesterday that Faygo creme soda is made in Detroit.  Bernie also said Michigan is famous for Vernon Ginger Ale and uses real ginger.  Bill decided he needed to have a Faygo with his lunch.  

Rides in the Model T's appear to be very popular and they are everywhere in the Village.

Abraham Lincoln heard cases as the circuit judge in this Logan County courthouse.  The courthouse was dismantled and re-erected in the village.  The corner furniture cabinet was a piece that Abraham and his father built.  

Bill kept trying to get a photo of this fellow riding this bicycle.  He stopped to show us how he got on and off.  

This is a part of the Thomas Edison Menlo Park Complex.

The Machine Shop (replica of the the original) served as the first central power station when Thomas Edison had a press conference to demonstrate his light system.

This is the upstairs of the previous photo.  The organ at the end of the room was used to entertain employees on their breaks.

Edison's male employees used Sarah Jordan's boarding house for lodging.  It was the first house in the area to be electrified. 

When you toured the upstairs, they had an audio recording playing with the voice of a cleaning women complaining about the condition the men left the rooms.  

Here's Karen and I at the Rocks Village Tollhouse.  Did you realize that Americans have been paying tolls to travel roads since the 1600's?  I could have lived without knowing that fact.  

The Ford Proving Ground was across the street, but Bill couldn't get his timing right to get a photo of the test cars as they raced in front of the logo.  

It's time for our train ride around the village and to give our feet a break.

The train went through a wetland that was one of the largest in Michigan.  

The train rode by the Henry Ford Academy Village Campus is a school for students specializing in the sciences and math.  

They use railroad cars for the classrooms.  The percentage of students who graduate are in the 90's.

All of the employees were very friendly and always waved as they went by. 

This covered bridge came from West Finley, PA, not far from where we used to live.  

Can you believe there were two turtles sunning themselves in the pond?

Did I mention there were 103 buildings?

Many of these 103 buildings had second floors with lots of steps.  Are your feet hurting from following this blog yet?  

This plantation home from Maryland was the only place where we saw any sign of the heavy rains from Monday.  

This is a picture of Karen's finger and Bill and I in front of the Farris Windmill, the oldest wind mill in the United States.

Here's John and Karen posing in front of the windmill. Notice no finger in this photo.  

These ladies were showing us how they make yarn beginning with the wool from the sheep.

The man of that house went out back to chop wood.

There is just no way you can explain Greenfield Village.  Some of the famous names that are represented here are: Thomas Edison,  George Washington Carver, the Wright Brothers, William Holmes McGauffey, Luther Burbank, Robert Frost, and Noah Webster just to mention a few.

All I can say is, if you haven't been recently, you need to see it.  Karen and John kept saying that a lot of things weren't there the last time they saw it.  The Village is very clean with manicured landscaping.  The village is large enough even with all the people that it doesn't seem crowded.  

The bad thing is that there is no way you could see everything in a day.  We'll just have to make a return trip and see all the things we missed.  It's definitely on the "go back list". 

Turtle Safely.....