Mount Vernon has been an American icon for over 200 years. In 1923, recognizing the importance of Mount Vernon's place in history, Ford Motor Company’s founder, Henry Ford, donated the landmark’s first fire engine. Thus began a great partnership between Ford Motor Company and Mount Vernon, a friendship that has spanned more than 80 years.
As Mount Vernon has grown as an educational resource, Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Company Fund have continually built on this relationship through support of a wide range of educational initiatives and exhibitions, including student internship programs, the George Washington Biography Lesson for the state of Michigan, and exhibitions such as Treasures from Mount Vernon and Saving Mount Vernon.
Today, Mount Vernon continues to have a significant role in preserving America's storied history and ensuring that all know about George Washington and his invaluable role in the founding of this nation. To that end, Mount Vernon and Ford Motor Company Fund are creating the Ford Orientation Center to educate visitors about our country's heritage.
The Ford Orientation Center creates a new resource at Mount Vernon that will introduce visitors to this national treasure through a series of multimedia experiences, bringing to life significant moments throughout Mount Vernon's history. The Ford Orientation Center will provide visitors with a greater understanding of the role that George Washington and Mount Vernon played in the evolution of our country, a role that continues today.
Ford Motor Company Fund is committed to educating audiences about America’s remarkable history. The Ford Orientation Center will include a biographical film about George Washington as well as a detailed model of the mansion, together providing a foundation to prepare visitors for everything they will see and experience during their time at Mount Vernon.
At Ford Motor Company, we are proud that Ford Motor Company Fund is supporting a project that is dedicated to educating the community about our collective heritage, and will illuminate history through exciting and innovative new tools that will encourage exploration by all visitors.
William Clay Ford, Jr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ford Motor Company
