Henry Ford Heritage Association Members of the board Pioneers of American Industry Dinner Astor Hotel oct 24 1928 Harvey Firestone Thomas Edison Henry Ford Walter P Chrysler

Dick Folsom - board member

Richard (Dick) Folsom was raised in Livonia, Michigan. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University in 1978. While in college he worked at the Edison Institute as a Greenfield Village guide. There he met fellow guide, John Berger. This meeting and their interest in Henry Ford led both to become guides at the Henry Ford Estate. 

In addition to giving tours, Dick conducted interviews with over a dozen relatives and acquaintances of Henry and Clara Ford for the Estate. These conversations, which were audio and videotaped and transcribed for inclusion in the Edison Institute Archives, have added significant details to our knowledge of the life of Mr. and Mrs. Ford. 


The next generation of Fordophile, Dick's son Patrick during a trip through 
Henry Ford's Bagley Avenue Shop.

Additionally, Dick has been friends with many more people who knew Henry Ford. He was President of the Henry Ford Heritage Association for eight years, leading the association from a small group with less than 100 members, mainly in the Detroit area, to a worldwide organization with over 1100 members. He owns a extensive collection of Ford memorabilia and books. This collection contains many one of a kind items.

Dick and his wife, Sheila, have two children, Rebecca and Patrick. Dick is an HFHA Director. Note: On December 31 , 1999, Dick took the children to visit Mr. Ford's grave "so that they would be the last people to visit Mr. Ford in the 20th century." What a Fordophile!