See the industrial might of the Ford Motor Company in 1934 on full display in this official Ford film from the Chicago World’s Fair.

The official name was A Century of Progress International Exhibition, but the event might be better known as the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair. Staged along the shores of Lake Michigan on a 427-acre site, the Exhibition was originally scheduled to run from May through November of 1933, but it was so successful that it was continued for another full season in 1934. For a nation locked in its worst economic depression in history, the fair was a remarkable demonstration of science and industry. Hundreds of companies provided displays, including the major automakers: Studebaker, Nash, Chrysler, General Motors, and of course the Ford Motor Company.

Ford’s exhibit, constructed for the 1934 season, covered 11 acres and included a globe 20 feet in diameter showing all the Ford facilities around the world. Dozens of live demonstrations with scaled-down assembly lines showed how carburetors, speedometers, and other components were manufactured, and there were test rides in Ford vehicles on simulated roads of the world. The most lasting part of the exhibit, it turns out, was its 10-story central tower, which made such an impression that it was moved to Dearborn and reopened in May of 1936 as the Ford Rotunda. All these wonders and more can be seen in the wonderful old Ford newsreel below. (For example, check out the dash woodgraining demo at 5:50.) Please enjoy the video.