RURAL TOURS

When the Fords first moved to Las Vegas Jean and her husband often spent their Mondays driving around the state. The family enjoyed camping and exploring, and this experience created in Jean a deep affection for the side of Nevada that many visitors don't see — the state parks, arts and crafts, and more rural culture. Jean Ford Associates and the Jean Ford Company provided short tours of the region.

Later, Nevada Discovery Tours expanded into longer trips, which reinforced Jean's affection for the state's non-urban charms. She provided tours of Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada that included motor coach trips and horseback riding adventures, as well as trips to museums, parks, rodeos, county fairs and other festivals. Natural history tours attracted not only tourists but also residents who were interest in learning more about the region. Several local organizations took these tours and experts on various aspects of history, including Bonnie Bryan, then Nevada's First Lady, provided narrative for the participants. Jean's interest in these rural tours and the history of her adopted state continued throughout her life. She was actively planning a trip for a group through eastern and southern Nevada at the time of her death.