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Brazilian Court Orders Restoration of Fordlandia Site in Para State
A judge in Para ruled that federal and municipal authorities must prepare and carry out a recovery plan for Fordlandia. The site was founded in 1927 by the Ford Motor Company and later acquired by the Brazilian government.
May 29, 3:08 PM·1m read1 source
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A court in the northern Brazilian state of Para has directed federal and local authorities to restore and preserve Fordlandia, a settlement established in 1927 by the Ford Motor Company. The ruling, issued two weeks ago after proceedings that began in 2015, requires the national architectural heritage agency Iphan and the municipality of Aveiro to develop a recovery plan.
The court found that the site holds historical, cultural, and architectural significance protected under the Brazilian Constitution. Fordlandia was built in the Amazon to supply natural rubber for tires and was planned to include infrastructure such as a hospital, running water, electricity, and a movie theater.
The project was abandoned after disease affected the rubber plantations, and the Brazilian government purchased the property in 1945.
Federal prosecutors in Para filed suit in 2015 against Iphan and Aveiro, alleging insufficient preservation efforts and requesting protected status. Prosecutors described the settlement as a landmark in Brazilian and industrial history. The court order allows for financial penalties if the mandated plan is not implemented.
