====== Ford Farm ======


Henry Ford was a prominent landowner and occasional visitor in Clare County, establishing an expansive agricultural footprint just west of Harrison, Michigan.

===== History of the Ford Farm =====
  * **Land Acquisition:** Henry Ford purchased his first 640 acres of land in Greenwood Township in 1910, eventually expanding the property to encompass more than 1,200 to 1,600 acres.
  * **Agricultural Scope:** The property was used as an experimental farm to cultivate crops like wheat, hay, and potatoes, and to fatten sheep and cattle for market shipments.
  * **Modern Evolution:** Today, the historic agricultural testing grounds operate as part of the Kitty Kurtis Farm along highway M-61.

===== Fordson Tractor Testing and Prototypes =====
  * **Development Testing:** Ford used the vast Harrison acreage as a real-world testing site for the early experimental tractors he began developing in 1906.
  * **The Prototype Phase:** The property served as a proving ground for early "Automobile Plow" configurations, which eventually evolved into the finalized Henry Ford & Son tractor prototypes in 1916.
  * **The Fordson Model F:** These experimental trials directly shaped the production of the mass-produced Fordson Model F, revolutionized family farming by replacing teams of horses with affordable, lightweight machine power.

===== Henry Ford at the Doherty Hotel =====
  * **Frequent Guest:** Throughout the 1930s, Ford traveled to Clare County to oversee his agricultural holdings and corporate interests, routinely staying at the historic Doherty Hotel in downtown Clare.
  * **Social Activity:** Local historical records note that Ford was highly active during his stays, regularly dancing in the ballroom and socializing with fellow guests. 
  * **Notable Entourage:** Ford often visited the hotel alongside his controversial head of security, Harry Bennett, making the landmark hotel a key hub for Detroit's industrial elite during their mid-Michigan travels.
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