Atlas Obscura
John Ford Statue in Portland, Maine
If you asked John Ford what he did with his life, he'd tell you he made westerns. If you asked anyone else, they'd tell you he transformed the art of cinema. John Ford is a name as much as an idea. Gristly cowboys, sultry temptresses, and thrilling horse, railroad, and stagecoach adventures established him as one of Hollywood's first auteurs. His films introduced the world to John Wayne, the ar…