In 1926, the then Firestone Tire & Rubber Company leased 1,600 square miles of jungle in Liberia, West Africa, with the goal of producing its own rubber. By the 1920's the operation grew to employ thousands Liberians. Currently, Firestone Liberia operates on a much smaller area of land with close to 8 million rubber trees planted on 200 square miles at its Harbel location. It is named after Firestone founder Harvey Firestone and his wife Idabelle.
Source:
Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC. (2010). "Firestone and Liberia – Company History". Retrieved from http://www.firestonenaturalrubber.com/company_history.htm.
