Ford and Friends Celebrate Model T Centennial in Indiana: Part 1

In this nine part series our own contributing journalist and noted historian Joseph Cabadas traveled back in time to the “brass era”, when a certain American entrepreneur named Henry Ford

ushered in a car that offered the average family a level of mobility that was never before possible. We look at how the Model T changed history, both here in North America and around the world, and you'll get the chance to see that this history is alive and well today, puttering around at the Model T Centennial held in Richmond, Indiana. Come along for the ride and celebrate this monumental vehicle, a vehicle that was as much a part of North American families as it was a work horse on the farm... introduction by Trevor Hofmann, Editor-in-Chief

RICHMOND, Ind. – In the relatively flat farmlands of central Indiana, near the Ohio state line, nearly 900 Ford Model Ts (and maybe four times that many enthusiasts) from all over the world were gathered for the car's centennial anniversary.

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called the “Flivver” or the “Tin Lizzie” in its day – derogatory nicknames for cheap cars – the Ford Model T is the car that changed not only the United States, but the world, noted Jay Klehfoth, one of the main organizers for the Centennial Model T Party.

About 15 million Model Ts were produced from 1908 –1927 as Ford ushered in the moving assembly line that changed how products would be produced from that time forth. But, more importantly, before the Model T existed “94 percent of people never traveled more than 20 miles from home,” Klehfoth said. After the T's introduction, the car allowed unprecedented freedom of movement for vast numbers of people.

Events at the Centennial Model T Party included road rallies, a fly-in of antique aircraft, parts swaps, contests aimed at disassembling and reassembling Model Ts,

talks by Ford officials about future products, visits by Ford family members, and just the camaraderie of T owners. The celebration of the automotive icon may be one of the few bright spots for Ford Motor Company, which on July 24 posted a shocking $8.7 billion loss for the second quarter of 2008 and announced a new round of job cuts plus a switch in production from its truck and sport-utility vehicle lines to smaller cars.

Instead, the muddy, rutted roads that the Model Ts originally contended with – America had the worst roads in the industrialized world in the early 1900s – modern freeways and asphalt two-lane roads are the norm around Richmond, Ind. While original Model T owners might be able to find a general store that sold

gasoline from measuring cups and an old stagecoach lodge, the centennial participants could drive to Starbucks, visit Walmart, fill up at a local gas station, or stay in the local Holiday Inn or other motels (note, the word “motel” or motor hotel, a term that probably wouldn't have existed without the success of the Model T).

Despite the prevalence of modern conveniences and corporate retail icons in the area, Klehfoth said that the centennial part was being held in central Indiana because it had “quiet, peaceful” areas and a large Amish community nearby. In some cases, an Amish farmer or two riding on a horse-drawn buggy were visible as Model T owners shuttled visitors around.

“Additionally, Indiana is pretty centrally located,” Klehfoth said. Richmond is also home to the Model T Museum, which Jay and his wife, Barbara Klehfoth, founded.

Note: Come back tomorrow for part two: Edsel Ford II on hand to Ring in the Celebration