From left, Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Edward G. Kingsford gather in August 1923 at the Ford Motor Co.’s private grounds at the Cowboy Lake grove in what would later become part of the city of Kingsford. (Dickinson County Library/Guy Forstrom)

Editor’s note: The Iron Mountain News on Aug. 18, 1923, published this account of a visit to Dickinson County by industrialist Henry Ford, joined by his wife, Clara, along with inventor Thomas Edison and businessman Harvey Firestone, and their wives. Their visit to the area, home of the Iron Mountain Ford Motor Company Plant, came just months before the charter for the newly formed Village of Kingsford was approved Dec. 29, 1923.

Henry Ford and party arrived here from Escanaba at 1:15 o’clock this afternoon and will remain for a few days at the Ford Motor company’s private grounds at the Cowboy Lake grove, about a mile northwest of the Ford plant.

Included in the party are Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Edison, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey P. Firestone, Harvey P. Jr., Miss Bogue, a friend of the Firestones, Mr. E.G. Kingsford, of this city, and Mrs. E.G. Kingsford, who joined the party here at 2:30 o’clock this afternoon.

The trip was made here in three Lincoln cars, which conveyed the passengers, and two additional Lincoln supply trucks and a white pantry car. The party carries complete camping equipment. One of the trucks contained nothing but tents and cots which were being set up this afternoon.

Have First Lunch Here

At 2:30 o’clock this afternoon the round camping table was set up, loaded with an abundance of food, and the party enjoyed its first luncheon in Iron Mountain. The table, which comfortably accommodates the party, is in two sections with a revolving center stand so that any of those at the table may turn it around to get any food desired.

A movie man took pictures of the group around the luncheon table.

Each car was driven by a chauffeur and a Japanese cook and helper are also included on the staff.

Speaking for Mr. Ford; Mr. Kingsford said that the trip to the northern peninsula is purely recreational and that the motor king refuses to comment or discuss civic problems.

When asked what the itinerary of the party would be, Mr. Kingsford stated that they plan on visiting all the Ford operations in the Upper Peninsula as well as parts of the Copper Country. Other than that, he said, nothing is known. Mr. Edison, “commander-in-chief” of the group, will map the route.

The Ford party arrived in Escanaba early this morning. His visit was just about as long as the last one he made. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Edison and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Firestone have been on a combined motor and yachting trip and were joined a few days ago by E.G. Kingsford, chief of Ford operations in the Upper Peninsula.

After motoring through the lower peninsula the trucks and motor cars were placed on board a specially chartered Ann Arbor car ferry and shipped to Escanaba. The big ship crawled through a blanket of heavy fog and landed at the dock about 3 o’clock this morning.

Travel on Palatial Yacht

The party made the trip from Traverse City on Mr. Ford’s new sea going yacht, Sialia, the third or fourth of the name owned by him. The new craft is about 300 feet long and has every known safety device as well as the latest in ocean going comfort.

Crude oil is burned and the tanks hold enough to carry the vessel 6,000 miles. There are 30 men in the crew, three of whom divide the day in continuous wireless service.

The Sialia arrived in the bay at Escanaba about 1 o’clock this morning and anchored off shore until well along in the morning when it docked to allow the party to disembark and proceed on their journey to Iron Mountain.

Hundreds At Dock

By the time the party were ready to come ashore hundreds of people had arrived at the dock and as Thomas Edison stepped across the gangplank the three cheers were given for him as “the greatest inventor in the world.” The grand old man of electricity is very hard of hearing but he knew what it was all about and nodded his pleasure as he made his way to the waiting car.

“Hurrah for our next president,” was the signal for a whole bunch of cheers as Mr. and Mrs. Ford came down the gangplank and went to their car.

E.G. Kingsford, who many took to be Mr. Ford, occupied the car with them. Mr. Ford made no acknowledgement of the cheering as that is not his way, but his pleasure showed plainly as he carefully assisted Mrs. Ford into their luxurious sedan.

Ford Meets Ford

Slowly an old man stepped up and explained to the motor king that his name was Ford, too, and that he was probably some relation to the owner of the million dollar yacht tied up to the dock. Mr. Ford, the motor magnate, asked him what part of the country his relatives came from and when given the information promptly declared, “We are no relation.”

Finally all the bags, boxes, books, wraps, coats and parcels were loaded into the trucks and cars and the famous trio with their wives and other members of the party started on the way to Iron Mountain. There were four or five touring cars and three big trucks.

Pictures of Trip

There was just one Ford car in the outfit and that was used by the moving picture machine men, for where the camping party goes so goes the movies. They make a photographic record of the trip. The pictures so made are not for public exhibition but are for the personal use of Henry Ford and, of course, will prove of great value to Henry Ford II, who is now a little tot of a few years. The crowd of Escanabans that waited to welcome the party was given almost a full reel.

The car driven by the Firestones was equipped with new balloon tires. Enormous things that are made very light and pumped up with only 20 or 30 pounds of air. They were fully seven inches in diameter and it is said they will be the kind used universally in the future.