Hoosier Automotive History

Did you know?

There was a time when Indiana was the automotive manufacturing capital of the World.  In the late 19th century and early twentieth century there were over 400 individual manufacturers of automobiles in this state. 

For an excellent review of the major manufacturers see the book “History of the Automobile in Indiana” by Dennis Horvath, available at Amazon and through all good bookstores or buy online here.

There’s an urban myth that Henry Ford even came to Indianapolis to build his factory but the city refused to build a bridge across the river for him so he went to Detroit instead!

Indiana has a long history of auto racing and auto manufacturing. In 1898, Elwood Haynes, inventor of the first spark-ignition automobile, founded the state's first automobile factory in Kokomo. The state has since been immersed in generations of automotive manufacturing excellence, dating back to the days when such classics as Auburns, Cords, Duesenbergs and Studebakers were made in Indiana. Over the years, Indiana was also home to smaller manufacturers, including Elcar, Marmon, Pratt-Elkhart, Cole and Sterling.

To the north, the Door Prairie Auto Museum in LaPorte features three floors of classic automobiles, airplanes, antique toys and historic facades spanning 100 years of Indiana's automotive history. The collection covers 100 years - beginning with an example of the world's first car, an 1886 Benz Motor Wagon. There are also Auburn, Bricklin, Citroen, Daimler, Duesenberg, Duryea, Ford, Mercedes, Mitchell, Rolls Royce, Studebaker, Tucker, Winton and many others.

The S. Ray Miller Antique Auto Museum in Elkhart features a wide array of vintage cars with a special emphasis on prestige autos built prior to World War II. Miller, an innovator in the steel die industry, spent most of his spare time collecting vintage cars and competing in various classic car shows. Among the approximately 40 cars in Miller's private collection are a 1903 Ford Runabout, a 1930 Duesenberg, and a 1935 Auburn Boattail Supercharged Speedster.

In nearby South Bend, the Studebaker National Museum celebrates 114 years of Studebaker history, from the company's early conestoga covered wagons to the last car made in South Bend. Located in an old Studebaker dealership building, the museum features more than 70 unique vehicles, from presidential carriages to a record-setting 1928 Great Race car. The museum also encompasses an archive center, which includes an extensive collection of items from the Studebaker corporate archives and private donors.

To the east, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, located in Auburn, celebrates the timeless art deco design and precision manufacturing of some of the most nostalgic reminders of the Jazz Age. More than 100 intriguing vehicles, from the horseless carriages of the 1890's to the muscular sports cars of today, occupy two floors of the 1930 art deco factory headquarters of the Auburn Automobile Company.

In the central Indiana city of Kokomo, the Elwood Haynes Museum celebrates the life of the famous inventor who created "America's First Car" and also stainless steel and stellite, a metal still used in space exploration. Haynes' former residence now houses a vast collection of his possessions and inventions. A revolving exhibit of Haynes autos are on display in the garage and the industrial history of central Indiana is chronicled in additional exhibits.■

 Some excerpts from www.in.gov 

Who built the first gasoline powered car in America?

...the Duryea Motor Wagon Company.  Running by February, 1893 and ready for road trials by September, 1893 the car built by Charles and Frank Duryea, brothers, was the first gasoline powered car in America. The first run on public roads was made on September 21, 1893 in Springfield, MA. They had purchased a used horse drawn buggy for $70 and installed a 4 HP, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car (buggy) had a friction transmission, spray carburetor and low tension ignition. It must not have run very well because Frank didn't drive it again until November 10 when it was reported by the Springfield Morning Union newspaper. This car was put into storage in 1894 and stayed there until 1920 when it was rescued by Inglis M. Uppercu and presented to the United States National Museum.■

And the first gasoline powered car in the World?

Its Karl Benz’s 1886 “Motor- wagen”.  The vehicle was powered by a water cooled gas engine that was driven by the vapour of ligroin, or benzine. The rear wheels received the power by a pulley and belt that were attached to a transmission shaft whilst the water cooling was by water evaporation in a jacket round the cylinder ■