The United States has long been home to some of the world’s premiere automotive manufacturers. Cars made here are physical representations of American ingenuity and engineering skill, and these qualities endear them to owners throughout the country and all over the world. Many manufacturers have come and gone throughout the history of the automobile in the United States, but only a few have stood the test of time and cemented their place in the list of all-time greats. It should come as no surprise that the Ford Motor Company is near the top of that list, since the minds behind the company have created many innovative technologies and beloved vehicles since its founding over a century ago. In celebration of the company’s 120-year anniversary, let’s take a look at some of the most significant events in its early history.

The history of the Ford begins in 1896, a few years before the company was actually founded. Henry Ford, born to a family of farmers in 1863, had moved to Detroit during his teens in order to learn more about the burgeoning automobile industry. He worked at multiple mechanical workshops–including one under the Edison Electric umbrella–and slowly became skilled at building and repairing automobile engines. 1896 marks the year that Ford created his first fully functional gas-powered horseless carriage called “The Quadricycle.” It wasn’t much more than a horse cart on bicycle wheels, but it was capable of speeds up to 20 mph and was a sensation in Ford’s circle of inventors. Inspired by his engineering victory, Ford left his position with Edison and founded the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899.

However, Ford wouldn’t really gain his footing for a few more years. The Detroit Automobile Company (DAC) manufactured cars that were supposed to improve on the original quadricycle design while using lower-quality components. It was a move intended to keep prices down, but these automobiles were still priced much more highly than was fiscally viable. DAC vehicles saw increasingly diminished returns, and the company shut its doors in 1901. Later that same year, Ford would try again with the Henry Ford company. Unfortunately, this venture was quickly abandoned by Ford when his business partner William Murphy brought in a new consultant/designer who effectively replaced him. 

The Ford Motor Company rose from the ashes of these two attempts in 1903 and succeeded where the other two had failed. Ford and his new business partner, Alexander Malcomson, had powerful investors in the form of the Dodge brothers and were able to successfully create a car with quality components that was cheap to build. This car, the “999,” set a new land speed record when it reached 91.3 mph during demonstrations. It was toured around the country so that people could witness the power of a Ford automobile, and the buzz it created earned Ford enough capital to keep his company moving forward.

Ford’s next–and perhaps most important–stride forward was in 1908. He and his team of engineers created the Model T, the first highly-functional automobile that was affordable for the average consumer. The Model T was set apart from other early automobiles by its durability. Its use of steel-alloy components made it more suited to actual daily driving conditions than any of its competitors, and people all over the United States were desperate to get their hands on one. In fact, the demand was so high that even the newly-established Detroit factory could not keep up. Ford and his team of engineers, including incredible innovators Peter Martin and Clarence Avery, found their solution in the idea of the assembly line; individual workers were assigned to specific parts of the car so that the chassis could be passed along quickly and multiple cars could be assembled at once. Between 1911 (the invention of the assembly line) and 1914, production time for a single Model T would shrink incredibly from 12 hours to 1.5 hours. Additionally, this innovation decreased the car’s price from the already-affordable $825 to an unbelievable $360. 

The impact that the Model T had on the world was truly remarkable. For the first time since the invention of the automobile, driving actually became an accessible and commonplace form of transportation. The majority of U.S. drivers throughout the 1910s and 1920s first learned how to drive on a Ford, and by 1920 half of the cars in all of America were Fords. This success wasn’t limited to the U.S. either; 1908 saw the establishment of the first international Ford branch and Paris, and the following years would see the company succeed in Western Europe, Canada, Central and South America, and even some regions in Asia. The Model T had started something truly remarkable, and it continued to enjoy success over the remaining years of its life cycle. By the time Model T production ended in 1927, over 15 million units were produced, establishing an all-time sales record that would not be broken for the next 45 years.

The Ford Motor Company did not take this success for granted and used their initial success to put down firmer roots in the next few years. Henry Ford oversaw the production of new factories and increased his workers’ pay from around 2 dollars to 5, heavily increasing the number and satisfaction of Ford workers. Even when he turned over ownership of the company to his son Edsel in 1919, Ford Motors continued to do great things. It acquired the Lincoln brand, began work on the Mercury line, and even created the first commercially successful V8 engine. This progress was briefly hindered by the nationwide financial troubles of the Great Depression, but Ford returned to its prowess during World War II as a manufacturer of planes, tanks, and of course, cars for the war effort. By the time Henry Ford died in 1947, his company had become a leading producer and employer for the nation and the world at large.

Most success stories are not written overnight. It takes years or even decades and trial and error before a good idea can make it into production. However, the amount of success enjoyed by the Ford Motor Company during its initial 44 years is nothing short of remarkable. It revolutionized the way humans travel and made the world more productive than ever before. It stood behind noble, patriotic causes and demonstrated what massive undertaking human beings are capable of with enough grit and determination. Ford would continue their strokes of brilliance over the next 70 years with cars like the Mustang, the F-series, and the GT 40. However, none of these incredible creations would have been possible if the company had not succeeded initially. We are amazed at the innovations that the Ford Motor Company pioneered all those decades ago, and we’re excited to see what they continue to create in the future.

References:

Ford Motor Company | History, Headquarters, & Facts | Britannica

History of Ford Motor Company - Wikipedia

Ford Motor Company | Detroit Historical Society

History (ford.com)

Company Timeline (ford.com)