Background
George B. Ford was born in 1879 at Clinton, Massachusetts, United States, of parents both in the teaching profession.
George B. Ford was born in 1879 at Clinton, Massachusetts, United States, of parents both in the teaching profession.
Mr. Ford received a formal education at Harvard, and graduated from the University at the age of twenty. In 1900 he entered "Boston Tech" for a course in Mechanical Engineering, and after a subsequent period of training in draftsmanship, completed his architectural studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Pans, France.
Returning to the U. S. in 1907 the young man found employment in the busy office of the late George B. Post and during the decade he served as draftsman, assisted in preparing plans for several important buildings, including the Wisconsin State Capitol and Statler Hotels, erected in vanous cities. During the first World War Mr. Ford lent his aid to the reorganization of its Reconstruction Bureau, and was sent abroad to serve as Consultant to the French Government in rebuilding devastated areas, particularly Rheims and Soissons. It was largely due to his efforts that the first International Town Planning Conference was held in raris.
Upon his return to this country, Mr. Ford abandoned private practice to specialize in City Planning, and in succeeding years became a leading figure m that field of work, frequently called upon to serve on Planning and Zoning Committees in many cities.
In 1923 he was appointed Consultant to the Kussell Foundation in the preparation of City Plan for Cincinnati, the latter generally considered his most successful example of Municipal Planning.