Washington — Ford Motor Co. is throwing a Capitol Hill party for the United States' 250th birthday, and everybody is invited.The guests of honor include the 15-millionth and final Model T ever made, a 1934 Flathead pickup on loan from comedian Jay Leno, a champagne bottle from Dale Jarrett's 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series win, a miniature of the iconic Jurassic Park Ford Explorer and many, many more historic artifacts and vehicles.The Blue Oval automaker — which touts its status as the 'most American' company out there — wanted to make a splash for the nation's landmark anniversary and will do so starting Wednesday with a free, two-week exhibition celebrating how deeply intertwined its own hundred-plus-year history is with American mobility, manufacturing, military might and the rise of the middle class.AdvertisementAdvertisement"You wouldn't see America the way America is today without Ford Motor Company," archivist and heritage brand manager Ted Ryan told The Detroit News ahead of the exhibition's opening. "We could boil the ocean, we have so much material to pull from."Ford's pop-up is taking place in Union Station's main hall — a grand room with marble floors, vaulted ceilings and gold adornments inside one of America's most storied train depots — a short walk from the U.S. Capitol building and about two miles from the White House. The station averages about 100,000 visitors per day and could see an uptick beyond that during the period of 250th festivities.The exhibition is separate from the politically fraught and federally backed activities taking place elsewhere in Washington. It is not affiliated with Freedom 250, a task force set up by President Donald Trump last year for semiquincentennial celebrations, or America250, a nonpartisan commission established by Congress in 2016.Other vehicles on display at the July 1 to July 14 event will include, among others: a rare 1941 GP military vehicle from Ford's Dearborn collection, a 1954 F100 on loan from a Virginia bakery, and a 1966 Bronco modified by Hall of Fame racing engineer Bill Stroppe to become the first Ford to win at the legendary Baja off-road race.AdvertisementAdvertisement"This has been a labor of love for a couple of months now," Ford senior archivist Ciera Casteel said. "And I'm just so excited for it to actually be public, and for people to get to see everything that we've been doing."Douglas Brinkley, a Rice University historian who wrote a book on Ford's contributions to the world, said the Union Station installation was yet another example in the company's long record of weaving itself into American culture and history."I think it's great that Ford has embraced the America 250 in Washington by showcasing classic cars at Union Station," Brinkley said. "It tells you how much Ford is continuing to promote itself as essential Americana — like Walt Disney and the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.""Traditionally, on the Fourth of July, vintage Ford cars circa 1910 to 1930 are staples of Main Street parades in towns across America. It's like the high school marching band, and then here comes an old Ford car," he added. "The Ford family is deeply into its role in American history."Ford's place in American historyThe exhibition, officially titled "Driving America Forward: A Ford Experience at Union Station," will center on seven themes about how Ford has been a positive force in American life. Those themes are:AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Birth of the American Dream, covering company innovations on the assembly line and in the labor force.The Backbone of Work, on how Ford has impacted and facilitated work in other areas of the U.S. economy.Answering the Call, about the automaker's role during crucial national moments, like World War II and the so-called Arsenal of Democracy effort, the space race and the coronavirus pandemic.Shaping Pop Culture, covering Ford's place in the fabric of American life — from everyday people to the silver screen.125 Years of Racing, highlighting iconic moments from the world of motor sports.American Innovation, about the important technologies Ford has invented and continues to invent.Building a Better World, on the company's philanthropic work."Think about the impact Ford Motor Company has made," said archivist Ted Ryan, noting some of Ford's biggest achievements. "The tractor democratized food production. The assembly line cut costs ... so that more people could buy (cars). The $5-a-day wage changed labor and wage and industry, and then the five-day work week.""Ford has been there, propelling America forward from an industrial base for almost 124 years," he added.He and Casteel also pointed to some of the less-discussed moments in Ford's history, like the founding of the Henry Ford Trade School in 1916, the invention and free public release of aviation tech like the navigational radio beam, and the building and installation of computers used at NASA's Houston Mission Control Center during the 1960s.AdvertisementAdvertisementArtifacts celebrating all three will be on display.Casteel, speaking about her favorite of the more than 200 artifacts at the exhibition, laughed and noted a fashion collaboration between Ford and the luxury Italian fashion brand Versace."It is so silly and absurd," she said, describing a 2019-vintage button-down shirt decorated with dozens of repeating Ford blue oval logos. "It's not my personal taste, but it is so funny that we knew we had to bring it out to talk about Ford's involvement in pop culture and fashion."Ciera Casteel, senior collections archivist at Ford Motor Company, shows a shirt from a Versace collaboration Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The item is part of the company’s archive that was selected to be shown at an upcoming exhibit at Washington Union Station in Washington, DC, that will run from July 1 to July 14.The exhibit will not, Ryan acknowledged, cover the more ignominious or controversial moments of Ford's history.AdvertisementAdvertisementHe said labor disputes with the United Auto Workers union, like the famed Battle of the Overpass, or outcries around vehicle safety, like the saga surrounding the Ford Pinto, were important moments but not appropriate for the celebratory environment of the Union Station exhibition."When you run an archives, the easiest thing to do is tell the truth," Ryan said. "I didn't shine a spotlight on anything negative, because it didn't feel like the right atmosphere."UAW officer Richard Frankensteen is attacked by Ford Motor Company security officers in the "Battle of the Overpass" at the Ford Rouge plant May 26, 1937. This photo by James "Scotty" Kilpatrick captured national attention and led the Pulitzer committee to create a new category for photography.Classic cars from far... but not so wideA total of ten (mostly) classic Ford vehicles sourced and carefully transported from across the country will be on display inside Union Station, with one exception from 2026."Originally, we were going to celebrate our own heritage fleet, because we have 180 vehicles," Ryan said of Ford's internal company collection. But he recalled Ford Chief Communications Officer Mark Truby looking at him and saying, "These are all great, but these aren't the best that are out there."AdvertisementAdvertisement"So, I went to people who had amazing cars," Ryan continued. "And I said, 'Would you consider loaning to us?' And no one turned us down. Everybody said yes."A 1966 Stroppe Baja Racer, which is a modified Ford Bronco, is loaded onto a truck in Johnston, Colorado for transportation to Ford's USA 250 exhibition in Washington, D.C.Some modern vehicles — like the 2026 F-150 Raptor — will be on display outside the 120-year-old depot, which has a 72-inch-wide doorway that cannot accommodate the behemoth trucks Americans like to drive nowadays. The display inside the station will include:1927 Ford Model T from the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn1928 Model A Roadster from collector Bob Martino in Paoli, Pennsylvania1934 Flathead Ford V-8 from comedian Jay Leno's collection1941 Ford GP, a military vehicle commonly called a 'jeep' and a progenitor of later Jeep models, from the Henry Ford Museum1951 Ford 8N tractor, from Ford's company collection1954 Ford F-100, on loan from Red Truck Bakery in Fauquier County, Virginia1956 Ford Thunderbird from Sam Pack's Five Star Ford collection in Dallas, Texas1965 World's Fair Mustang from Sam Pack's1966 Stroppe Baja Racer, which is a modified Ford Bronco, from collectors Wayne and Robin Schmeeckle in Denver, Colorado2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Formula 1 car, from Ford Racing in DearbornRyan, asked to pick out his favorite from the collection, landed on the Stroppe Baja racer.AdvertisementAdvertisement"I actually got goosebumps," he said of the moment the owners decided to lend it for the exhibition. "It's like, holy cow."He also called out the classic 1965 Mustang used at that year's New York World's Fair as "the centerpiece of the display," the 1951 8N model that he said "revolutionized" the tractor industry, and the 1956 Thunderbird as an emblem of the generation-defining cruising culture of the 1960s in America.A 1966 Stroppe Bronco Baja Racer is parked next to a 1941 Ford GP at Washington Union Station ahead of a public exhibit Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The exhibit, which runs from July 1 to July 14, features a selection of culturally significant vehicles and artifacts from the company’s history."That was the car that George Lucas chose in 'American Graffiti.' The car in American Graffiti is a character," he said, referring to the eventual Star Wars creator's 1973 breakthrough. The movie features actress Suzanne Somers as part of an ensemble cast and officially credits her role as simply "Blonde in the T-Bird.""It's just amazing," Ryan said of the vehicles chosen for the exhibition. "Each one of them has a story."AdvertisementAdvertisementLeno said that his Flathead — which he has never previously lent out for exhibition — is an especially important piece of his personal collection of about 180 cars."My first car was a 1934 Ford Flathead V-8, which I bought at age 14 and restored to running condition by the time I turned 16," the former late-night host said in a statement. "That model has always been my favorite, and I am thrilled to loan my 1934 Ford Pickup to Ford Motor Company to celebrate America 250 in Washington, D.C., alongside nine other incredible vehicles."Standalone celebration for 'most American' brandTruby, Ford's communications head and one of the leading voices behind the installation, estimated that its production cost was in the high six- to low seven-figure range."There's certainly a cost associated with it, but it's more just the time and care it takes to create the exhibits and tell the story right," he said in an interview.AdvertisementAdvertisement"What felt right about it is, as America turns 250, a lot of people will be traveling to Washington for different reasons. We thought that it was an opportunity to use the gateway of the city, as Union Station is, to talk about Ford's contribution to America."The executive recalled the experience he and so many Americans have had of taking field trips to Washington, D.C., as schoolchildren to learn about U.S. history and later visiting again with their own kids to see the grand federal buildings and monuments to the people and moments that shaped a nation.He added that the company's experience restoring and reopening historic Michigan Central Station influenced the planning of this latest spectacle. "We've spent so much time with Michigan Central that we knew (Union Station) would be sort of a breathtaking, immersive environment to do it in," Truby said.Look back: 'It's stunning': Awestruck visitors get first look at restored Michigan Central Station (2024)Brinkley, the Rice University historian, said the Union Station exhibition is a classic play from the Dearborn automaker. "Ford is iconic, and they've done probably more history promotion than any major company in the U.S.," he said."I once wrote that at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, there were 100 car companies showing their wares, and 99 of those companies are defunct. Only Ford survived. And it survived because of Henry Ford's ability to constantly — through dealerships, through media, through books and articles — make sure that Ford Motor is seen as part and parcel with Americana and this nation."Truby, asked why Ford chose to go it alone, separate from official events, declined to wade into the politics of the moment.Many of Freedom 250-affiliated events have been mired in controversy, including the UFC mixed martial arts competition on the White House lawn and the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. The kickoff of that event featured a speech from Trump, a crude remark from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about liberals, and FBI Director Kash Patel's girlfriend singing the national anthem after other planned musical guests backed out.Truby instead highlighted Ford's strong reputation across the political spectrum as the "most American" brand and took digs at crosstown rivals over different approaches to marking USA 250."You can do an ad campaign like every other company is doing," he said. "It was more important for us to have something that people would enjoy, that would be educational, fun for kids and adults to go through, that would just connect the Ford story to the American story in ways that would make people think, 'Oh jeez I had no idea,'" he said."Or say, 'Oh, that's right, you did the five-day work week, or the $5 work day, or that you were a big part of the great migration, or I never realized that Ford used to make airplanes.'"Truby pointed out that Ford, according to surveys earlier this year by Time Magazine and Morning Consult, was rated as the 'most iconic' American brand and the 'most American' brand, respectively. "So we don't really have to convince anybody that we are a proud and quintessentially American company," the executive said."I think it's sort of understood, if you're a company that has changed names a few times or perhaps has a corporate owner that's based in Europe, you might want to remind people of your American roots through a big ad campaign," he said in an apparent reference to Stellantis NV, the corporate parent company of Chrysler.Stellantis is the exclusive automotive partner of the nonpartisan, Congressionally-established America250 commission and will have different mixes of displays and experiential offerings at celebrations across the country, including in New York City, Los Angeles, Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line and the Great American State Fair event in Washington.General Motors Co., meanwhile, is marking the moment with a revival of Chevrolet's Heartbeat of America ad campaign from the 1980s and '90s, a new America250 exhibit at the company's global headquarters in Detroit and social media posts by company leaders like CEO Mary Barra.In her post, Barra described GM's role in her own life and told the story of getting her first car, a Chevrolet Chevette."We were the first in our family to attend college, so that car came to represent something much bigger for all of us: the American Dream," she wrote. "It's not a stretch to say that little hatchback changed the course of my life and my family's life, too."Volkswagen AG, even though it is headquartered in Germany, will have a small Washington footprint for America 250 celebrations. The company has decades-long cultural and business ties to the United States.The automaker's prize-winning "Stanley" vehicle, a modified 2004 Touareg model that won recognition from the Pentagon for advancing self-driving tech, will be on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.The vehicle had long been displayed at the museum, but it has been specially recognized in an exhibit celebrating the 250th. VW has also been a presenting sponsor of U.S. Soccer since 2019, including during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Other foreign automakers with a presence in the United States have opted for more localized celebrations outside the Washington area. Honda Motor Co., for example, said it was sponsoring events around its U.S. local plants in states like Ohio and Indiana.gschwab@detroitnews.com@GrantSchwabThis article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Ford looks to wow with USA 250 exhibition at historic Union Station