The operation started out importing the ford model t cars and the ford model tt trucks in kit form from the united states for assembly in brazil. Apr 27, 2010 as greg grandin shows in this gripping and mordantly observed history, fords great delusion was not that the amazon could be tamed but that the forces of capitalism, once released, might yet be contained. On henry fords 150th birthday, a look inside his failed utopia. In 1928, northern brazil was captivated by an enticing bit of news. Come tour fordlandia, henry fords failed suburb in brazil.
In 1927, henry ford, the richest man in the world, bought a tract of land twice the size of delaware in the brazilian amazon. A small town meant to resemble the northern michigan of the 1930s, fordlandia is frozen in time deep in the heart of brazils amazon rainforest. In the 1920s the us industrialist wanted to found a city based on the values that made his company a success while, of course, producing cheap rubber. Fordlandia is a 2009 national book award finalist for nonfiction. I found the book surprisingly wellwritten and easy to engage, wanting to read more and more. Companhia ford do brasil, fordlandia estate map, 1936. Ford had the right to run fordlandia as a separate state.
I saw michael palin reading this book on his not so recent series on brazil. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city metropolitan books, promises to make its existence known to a wide audience. Visit beaches, observe local wildlife, enjoy the delicious local cuisine, and learn about the history of the amazon and surrounding areas during this trip. With sales of his modelt booming, the automotive tycoon saw an opportunity to expand his reach further by exploiting a downtrodden brazilian rubber industry. It focuses on the mantamanaus multimodal transport corridor, which is currently being constructed between the pacific coast of ecuador and the atlantic coast of brazil, with the aim of integrating the amazon into global production networks. Thats the thrill that historian greg grandins new book, fordlandia gives a. The 170,000 m 2 site was originally intended to support an annual production. Ford brasil is the subsidiary of american automaker ford motor company, founded on april 24, 1919. This book is about henry fords failed experiment in central brazil to corner and use the rubber available for his eponymous cars in. And greg grandins book on fordlandia is simply magical. Here is the truly epic tale of american adventurers dispatched by henry ford in 1928 to conquer and civilize the amazon by constructing an industrialagricultural. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city.
His intention was to grow rubber, but the project rapidly evolved into a more ambitious bid to export america itself, along with its golf courses, icecream shops, bandstands, indoor plumbing, and model ts rolling down broad streets. Cidade fantasma do ano 3000 o maior segredo da amazonia. Henry ford except that this book totally celebtates the poilitics surrounding fordlandia and completely ignores the people who lived there. Sawmill, firehouse and water tower in fordlandia, brazil, historical images via the henry ford. This remote piece of land was developed in 1928 by the ford motor company as a means for the largest rubber plantation on the planet. Convidem amigos pra curti deixar o like obrigado e grato a todos. Ford rubber plantations in brazil from 19281945, the ford motor company built the fordlandia and belterra plantations in an attempt to establish a permanent rubber plantation presence in brazil. Deep in brazil s amazon, exploring the ruins of fords fantasyland. Argentinian writer eduardo sguiglia wrote a novel entitled fordlandia. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city grandin, greg. The gripping and little known story of the fight for the allegiance of latin america during world war ii.
His intention was to grow rubber, but the project rapidly evolved into a more ambitious bid to export america itself, along with its. During the 1920s henry ford was benefiting from a major boom in the automobile industry. Jan 31, 2009 local travel agency santarem tur offers a twoday riverboat trip to fordlandia and can help arrange accommodation as well as transport br topics. Nelson rockefeller thought the 4,000 miles of the amazon might be cut into canals. Deep in brazils amazon, exploring the ruins of fords fantasyland. Industrial forests and mechanical marvels by teresa cribelli.
Henry ford established fordlandia and belterra in the brazilian rainforest to supply rubber for automobile production. Fordlandia is a district and adjacent area of 14,268 square kilometres 5,509 sq mi in the city of. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. Deep in brazils amazon, exploring the ruins of fords. Em 1876, um botanico ingles erradicado em santarem consegue contrabandear 70. The tango war by mary jo mcconahay fills an important gap in wwii history. His company was selling thousands upon thousands of cars and needed massive amounts of rubber to make tires. It was established by american industrialist henry ford in the amazon. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city by. It didnt quite work for various reasons that this book details, but it is a fascinating journey. Henry fords reaction was a prompt decision to build a complete ford autofactory in germany, and before the end of 1929 a site at cologne niehl made available by the mayor of the city, konrad adenauer was acquired by ford. Any history book that celebrates guns and speeches but ignores the harrows and the rest of daily life is bunk. In march 1929 general motors purchased a controlling 80% holding in opel. Centered in the amazon basin, the boom resulted in a large expansion of european colonization in the area.
Fordlandia the failure of henry fords utopian city. Feb 20, 2017 deep in brazils amazon, exploring the ruins of fords fantasyland. The voyager golden record experience damn interesting. His company was selling thousands upon thousands of cars. Companhia ford do brasil, fordlandia estate map, 1936 the. Beginning in the thirties, both sides were well aware of the need to control not just the hearts and minds but also the resources of latin america. It is located on the east banks of the tapajos river roughly 300 kilometres 190 mi south of the city of santarem. The goal of setting up the ford motor company of brazil was twofold. Ahora esalta como una disneylandia en mitad del polo norte. Save your favorite travel ideas and see them on a map. The history of america wasnt written in washington, it was written in the grass roots. Henry fords attempt to build the american dream in the jungles of brazil.
Singersongwriter kate campbell has a track entitled fordlandia on her 2008 album save the day. Sara henrichs on fordlandia in brazil travel the guardian. We are the only receptive company in the amazon with international experience speaking english, russian, spanish, french and portuguese. Proving that truth can indeed be stranger than fiction, fordlandia is the story of henry fords illadvised attempt to transform raw brazilian rainforest into homespun slices of americana. Ford of britain officially ford motor company limited note 1 is a british wholly owned subsidiary of ford of europe, itself a subsidiary of ford motor company.
Convergence and divergence the united states and the americas by joseph smith. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city at. In the early 20th century, a cartel of dutch and english rubber barons had a stranglehold on the vast majority of the worlds supply of rubber. Following is an edited version of failures interview with grandin, who visited fordlandia on two occasions during the course of his research. The rise and fall of henry fords forgotten jungle city, and montreal artist. A book about the people and places of brazil country abcs by david seidman. He began shipping machinery and supplies to the amazon in 1928. Fordlandia was his vision of putting the american suburbs in the brazilian jungle. The plan was to harvest the rubber and ship it back to detroit, where it would be turned into tires and other parts for ford cars. The 6th installment of the francobelgian comic series marsupilami by yann and batem, published in 1991, is titled fordlandia and takes place there. The book tells the story of henry ford, the richest man in the. The biography of a city the buenos aires affair the buenos aires broken hearts club.
Henry ford, one of americas wealthiest men, set his sights to build a rubber plantation and provide a better way of life for the brazilian workforce. On henry fords 150th birthday, a look inside his failed. Around the world in 80 books atw in 80 books world. Fordlandia henry fords forgotten jungle city failure. Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this book to your organisations collection. With fordlandia, greg grandin, a professor of history at new york. The eclectic contents of the golden records were curated by a committee chaired by dr. Work on the area began in 1926 by the companhia ford industrial do brasil. In 2009, greg grandin published his nonfiction account fordlandia. We speak with nyu professor greg grandin about his new book, fordlandia.
Magic happens when a gifted historian and master storyteller finds a treasure trove of untapped materials to exploit. Author greg grandin tells the story in his new book, fordlandia. But henry ford wanted this community called fordlandia to be more than just a huge plantation. Selvagem tours leads the tourism industry in alter do chao with reliability, confidentiality and excellent services. Ford paid the indigenous workers good wages and supplied various amenities he also imposed foreign work traditions and behavioral restrictions which the workers resented. But in the jungles of brazil, he would ultimately be defeated. The book of imaginary beings the book of murder x3 the book of sand and shakespeares memory x2 borges and the eternal orangutans branded by gold brava, valentine x2 bride in a gilded cage brodies report x2 buenos aires. Jul 31, 20 come tour fordlandia, henry fords failed suburb in brazil. At that time the sole source of rubber was the south american tree hevea brasiliensis, whose sap is natural latex. Experience the best of the amazon on this one week tour between alter do chao and fordlandia in brazil. The ford brand, however, had already been present in the country since 1904 with both vehicles being sold in brazil.
O futuro politico do brasil a abertura politica no brasil by ronald schneider the girl at goldenhawk by violet winspear globalisation and emerging economies. The stunning, never before told story of the quixotic attempt to recreate smalltown america in the heart of the amazonin 1927, henry ford, the richest man in the world, bought a tract of land twice the size of delaware in the brazilian amazon. Alter do chao beach 2020 all you need to know before you. Alter do chao beach 2020 all you need to know before you go.
Aug 19, 2016 in the 1920s the us industrialist wanted to found a city based on the values that made his company a success while, of course, producing cheap rubber. Abstract this paper explores the entanglement of dreams and reality in the production of economic infrastructures. Its business started in 1909 and has its registered office in brentwood, essex. Viagem pelo brasil vol 3 spix e martius wonderful account of famous scientific expedition through brazil.
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