20th Century · Michigan
Greenfield Village
The Eagle Tavern at Greenfield Village. — w_lemay
Why Greenfield Village Matters
Henry Ford's tribute to the ordinary tools and workshops of American innovation, built by relocating the actual laboratory of Thomas Edison and the actual home of the Wright brothers to a single Michigan village.
By the Numbers
Founding
- Founder
- Henry Ford
- Opened
- 1929, dedicated on the 50th anniversary of Edison's light bulb
History
- Dedication event
- 'Light's Golden Jubilee,' attended by Thomas Edison himself
- Edison connection
- Contains Thomas Edison's entire relocated Menlo Park laboratory complex
- Wright Brothers
- Includes their boyhood home and bicycle shop, moved from Dayton, Ohio
Scale
- Buildings
- More than 80 historic structures relocated from around the country
Today
- Operator
- Part of The Henry Ford complex, alongside the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
Timeline
- 1929Henry Ford dedicates Greenfield Village on October 21, 'Light's Golden Jubilee,' with Thomas Edison in attendance
- 1930sFord continues relocating historic buildings, including the Wright Brothers' home and shop
Complete History
Henry Ford, who had grown wealthy revolutionizing manufacturing with the automobile, spent much of his later life obsessed with preserving the everyday tools, homes, and workshops of American innovation and rural life before they disappeared. Rather than build replicas, Ford insisted on relocating authentic historic structures piece by piece from across the country, assembling them into a single village on his property in Dearborn, Michigan.
The village's centerpiece was Thomas Edison's entire Menlo Park laboratory complex, which Ford had disassembled in New Jersey and rebuilt in Dearborn down to the smallest details, reportedly even importing New Jersey soil to surround it. Ford dedicated Greenfield Village on October 21, 1929, exactly 50 years after Edison's invention of the practical incandescent light bulb, in a ceremony called 'Light's Golden Jubilee' attended by Edison himself alongside President Herbert Hoover.
Ford continued adding structures in the years that followed, including the actual boyhood home and bicycle shop of the Wright brothers, relocated from Dayton, Ohio, where the brothers had developed their earliest ideas about flight. More than 80 historic buildings now make up the village, which operates today as part of The Henry Ford, a larger complex that also includes the adjacent Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
Historic Images
Interesting Facts
- Greenfield Village was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of Thomas Edison's invention of the practical light bulb, with Edison himself present.
- It contains Thomas Edison's entire Menlo Park laboratory complex, relocated from New Jersey.
- The Wright brothers' actual boyhood home and bicycle shop were moved to the village from Dayton, Ohio.
- More than 80 historic structures from across the country were relocated to create the village.
- Henry Ford built the village to preserve everyday American technological and social history, not just famous landmarks.
Visiting Today
- Hours
- Seasonal; check The Henry Ford's website for current hours
- Admission
- Paid admission (combination tickets available with the Henry Ford Museum)
- Best time to visit
- Summer, when the village's craft demonstrations and Model T rides are in full operation
- Nearby
- Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Detroit
Budget a full day — the village is large, and pairing it with the adjacent Henry Ford Museum makes for a long visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Henry Ford build Greenfield Village?
Ford wanted to preserve the everyday workshops, homes, and tools of American innovation and daily life, believing that ordinary history was as important to remember as famous battles and monuments.
Is Thomas Edison's actual laboratory really there?
Yes. Ford had Edison's entire Menlo Park laboratory complex relocated from New Jersey to the village, reconstructing it in detail.
What is the Wright Brothers' connection to the village?
The village includes the Wright brothers' actual boyhood home and bicycle shop, both relocated from Dayton, Ohio, where they developed their early aviation ideas.
What was 'Light's Golden Jubilee'?
The October 1929 dedication ceremony for Greenfield Village, held on the 50th anniversary of Thomas Edison's invention of the practical incandescent light bulb, with Edison himself in attendance.
