Henry Ford built a Midwestern-style town in the Amazon
by Futility Closet from on (#52F3J)
In 1927, Henry Ford decided to build a plantation in the Amazon to supply rubber for his auto company. The result was Fordlandia, an incongruous Midwestern-style town in the tropical rainforest. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the checkered history of Ford's curious project -- and what it revealed about his vision of society.
We'll also consider some lifesaving seagulls and puzzle over a false alarm.