April 7, 1947

Henry Ford died.

According to one Ford biographer, “at the time of his death, Henry Ford was summed up as a patriot, philanthropist, philosopher, sociologist, reformer, economist, teacher, and above all, a man of simple tastes. He was widely depicted as an inspiration of youth and symbol of individualism, American ingenuity, free enterprise and America itself.”

Scores of Michiganders eulogized the 83-year-old Ford. Michigan senator Arthur Vandenberg noted that “he probably had as great an impact on his time as if he had been president of the United States.”

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.