The city's rubber plantation was planned by Americans with little knowledge of the local ecology. Sown too close together, the rubber trees were decimated by diseases and pests.

As well as wanting to control every aspect of the manufacturing process, Henry reportedly sought to control other aspects of his workers' lives. Established in 1915, the Ford Sociological Department kept tabs on employees' hygiene, moral behavior, finances, and more. This culture of surveillance reached fever pitch in Fordlandia. Henry imposed a long list of rules, including bans on alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and even football, according to Greg Grandin's book Fordlandia. Residents of the company town were subject to Henry's odd dietary preferences too and pressured to eat American foods they weren't accustomed to like wholemeal bread, oatmeal, and canned peaches.

Henry Ford's incredible homes: from Michigan farmhouse to multiple mansions