The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1900 in Akron, Ohio, by Harvey S. Firestone. The company was a pioneer in the mass production of tires and became a major original equipment supplier for Henry Ford's Model T. The Firestone brand is now owned by the Japanese manufacturer, the Bridgestone Corporation, which acquired it in 1988.  

Key Historical Milestones 

1900: Founding 
Harvey S. Firestone established The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, then known as the "Rubber City". The company initially produced solid rubber tires for fire apparatus and carriages with just 12 employees. 

Early 1900s: Partnership with Ford and Innovation 
Firestone's close friendship with Henry Ford led to a pivotal business relationship; in 1906, Firestone secured a major contract to supply tires for the Ford Motor Company's first mass-produced automobiles, the Model T. The company introduced the first tires with non-skid tread designs in 1908. 

Motorsports Success 
In 1911, a car running on Firestone tires won the inaugural Indianapolis 500. This was the beginning of a long and successful history in motorsports, with Firestone tires equipping every winning car in the Indy 500 from 1920 to 1966. 

1920s-1930s: "Putting the Farm on Rubber" 
A major innovation came in 1922 with the introduction of the first low-pressure balloon tire, which greatly improved ride comfort and tread life. Harvey Firestone, a fourth-generation farmer, also pioneered the first practical low-pressure pneumatic tractor tire, launching the successful "Put the Farm on Rubber" campaign that modernized agriculture. 

Global Expansion and War Production 
To secure a steady supply of raw rubber and break the British/Dutch monopoly, Firestone established a massive rubber plantation in Liberia in 1926, which became the world's largest natural rubber plantation. During World War II, the company was a key contributor to the war effort, becoming the first to produce synthetic rubber in a government-owned plant. 

1970s: Challenges and Recalls 
The 1970s were a challenging period, marked by the 1973 oil embargo that reduced driving and increased demand for smaller, imported cars. The company also faced significant negative publicity and a massive recall of over 7 million Firestone 500 steel-belted radial tires due to tread separation problems, resulting in a large fine from the U.S. government. 

1988: Acquisition by Bridgestone 
After years of financial and reputational struggles, the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company was acquired by the Bridgestone Corporation of Japan for $2.6 billion in 1988. This acquisition transformed Bridgestone into one of the world's largest tire companies. 

Present Day 
Today, the Firestone brand operates as part of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The brand continues to produce a wide range of consumer and commercial tires and maintains a strong presence in motorsports, serving as the sole tire supplier for the IndyCar Series. The company also operates the large network of Firestone Complete Auto Care service centers