McFaddin-Ward House Museum Lecture Series Presents “Wheels of Progress: How Detroit and Ford Motor Company Put the World on Wheels” by Matt Anderson

Join us for “Wheels of Progress: How Detroit and Ford Motor Company Put the World on Wheels,” a free public lecture presented by Matt Anderson on Thursday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Visitor Center Lecture Hall.

Anderson, the curator of transportation at The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan, will provide an engaging overview of the automobile industry in Detroit, highlighting the significant and transformative role of the Ford Motor Company.

Serving as The Henry Ford’s John and Horace Dodge Curator of Transportation since 2012, Anderson oversees the development, care, and interpretation of the museum’s collection of nearly 300 motor vehicles, as well as the collection’s horse-drawn carriages, railroad locomotives, rolling stock, and aircraft.

Additionally, Anderson is a past president of the National Association of Automobile Museums and a member of the board of directors for the Society of Automotive Historians. His previous roles include the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland; the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana; and the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In conjunction with the lecture, a Rare and Classic Automobile Display featuring a striking collection of noteworthy cars, including several iconic Ford models, will be held in the Visitor Center parking area for public viewing and enjoyment. Cars will include a 1913 Ford Model T Wide-Track, 1936 Ford Phaeton V8, and 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR. Meet the automobile owners, take a glimpse inside these rolling pieces of history, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts.

McFaddin-Ward House Museum lectures are free and open to the public, but space is limited. Doors open at 6 p.m. Lectures begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 409-832-2134.

For those unable to attend, the full lecture will be available for viewing on the museum’s YouTube Channel (youtube.com/@mcfaddinwardhouse) and website (mcfaddin-ward.org/about/videos) after the event.

This program is supported by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

*Images from the Collections of The Henry Ford