With more and more Americans buying automobiles every year since 1908 when Henry Ford & Ford Motor Company began mass production of the Model T, it is no surprise that more and more roads and highways needed to be built too. This films collection is a window into the history of the construction of Americas amazing roads and highways systems. Covers Americas storied transportation history and is packed full of great footage of early road construction equipment as well as vintage automobiles including some of the worlds first cars. Topics Include:History of Building Americas Roads & Highways, US Highway & Road Construction, Highways & Americas Economy, Urbanization & Urban Sprawl, Early Earth Moving & Paving Equipment, Henry Fords Model T
Included Films:
The American Road
The American Road
Produced: 1953
Length: 37 Minutes
The automobile has been an integral part of the American way of life for over a century. The American Road, documents the birth of the automobile and the growing dependence upon vehicles and roads. Produced by Ford Motor Company this film is an ode to one of the most important inventions in human history and contains excellent information about the revolutionary Ford Model T.
Builders Of The Broad Highway
Builders Of The Broad Highway
Produced: 1960s
Length: 21 Minutes
Builders Of The Broad Highway explores road building from the ground up and inside out. The film documents the steps to road building and highway construction including from surveying to grading to blasting to pouring pavement.
Conquering Roads
Conquering Roads
Produced: 1937
Length: 9 Minutes
Highway and road development has evolved over the last century as Americans have become more and more dependent on automobiles. Conquering Roads, is a wonderful snapshot of roads from the late thirties with a focus on new and emerging civil engineering techniques such as interstate highways, traffic circles, divided highways, tunnel bridges and cloverleafs. Produces by General Motors Company, the film is a great piece of corporate propaganda.
Building A Highway
Building A Highway
Produced: 1937
Length: 10 Minutes
Simplistic and elegant, Building A Highway, documents early highway construction techniques and the heavy equipment necessary to build roads. Bulldozers, road scrappers, pavers, rollers and other early earth moving equipment are on full display. The film also discusses the engineering and construction skills needed to build these extraordinary roads.
Open Road
Open Road
Produced: 1930s
Length: 30 Minutes
Open Road, focuses on how steel is utilized in highway construction. Discussing everything from engineering highway bridges to earth moving equipment to the end users the films gives a comprehensive look at early road construction. The film also shows how heavy machinery allows man to shape the earth to lay new roads instead of building roads around the contours of the land.
