20 Who Count: Bob Ford
By Cameron Montemayor
In an age of podcasts, streaming and cell phones, Bob Ford is always seeking new ways to adapt and spark a passion for St. Joseph’s history and the lessons it can provide.
Each week is a new adventure and opportunity to educate for the St. Joseph native and author, who spends his time traveling, researching and creating historical content for platforms like YouTube, Spotify and the St. Joseph News-Press.
From the city’s impact on Western expansion and the Civil War to mass transportation and its array of museums, Ford shines a light on a wide spectrum of topics involving local, U.S. and world history.
“It’s kind of a calling, so OK, I’m answering the call,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is put history in a form that can reach the next generation.”
His family’s roots run deep in St. Joseph’s history, from the creation of the first national bank in 1866 to Bartlett Park and the famed Candy Cane Lane.
Ford, Sarah Elder and Joe Houts helped re-discover the location of Fort Smith in St. Joseph, an 1860s Union Army Fort that once overlooked the Missouri River and Downtown.
“I’ve traveled across the U.S. … we have incredible history here,” he said.
He also emcees the annual Voices of the Past event at Mount Mora Cemetery, guiding residents through the history of famous people buried there.
With a fleeting number of local historians, Ford sees an opportunity to make an impact in the way he knows best.
“Put it in a form and just light the fire, all I’m doing is I want someone to be curious after they’ve either read something or heard something I’ve done,” he said.
