Indiana-Built Automobiles- Then and Now

The Automobile in Indiana

Now that steel production was cheap and easy to produce, Henry Ford's invention of the modern factory production line and interchangeable parts would take full advantage of the steel industry. Nothing in our century has changed life so dramatically as the invention of the automobile. For many years Indiana was the center of the automobile industry.

Elwood Haynes built one of the first successful cars. Haynes built his first automobile in 1894 and tested it on the Fourth of July in Kokomo. He started his car and drove it on Pumkinvine Pike in Kokomo for a mile and a half at a top speed of 7 miles per hours. Haynes then brought in some partners, the Apperson brothers, and made some of the first cars sold in America. By 1916 his company had sold more than 7,000 cars. Detroit then closed in and forced the company into bankruptcy in 1924.

[Elwood Haynes]

Automobiles were produced in more than 40 cities within Indiana. The largest of the automobile manufacturers was the Studebaker Company. It produced its first car in 1901. The company continued making automobiles until they closed in 1963, after more than 60 years in the automobile business.

[Studebaker]

Other famous automobile companies in Indiana included:

The Cole Motor Car Company started in Indianapolis in 1909 and closed in 1925. The Cole Company gave the first automobile in the history of the U.S. presidency to William Taft.

[Cole]

The Marmon Motor Car Company began as a flourmill machinery company. They soon concentrated on making a luxury car they called the Marmon. The last Marmon was produced in 1933 when the company went out of business.

[Marmon]

Charles M. Schwab, the Bethlehem Steel tycoon, controlled another Indianapolis-based auto manufacturer, Stutz. He was determined to build an automobile manufacturing empire. The Stutz Bearcat was one of the most popular sport cars of the 20s. The company failed in 1936.

[Stutz Bearcat]

One of the most famous Indianapolis automakers was the maker of the Dusenberg. Dusenberg automobiles were built only for the extremely wealthy. Most people today believe that the Dusenberg (and Auburn/Cord) vehicles were (and are) the finest automobiles ever built. However, by 1937 the Depression and changing tastes in automobiles had rendered the luxury cars obsolete.

[Dusenberg]

George Milburn of Mishawaka, Indiana made a different type of vehicle. His automobiles were run entirely on electricity. Mr. Milburn was a man of extraordinary energy and force of character. His company reported the value of vehicles produced in the Mishawaka plant for the year ending July 1, 1873, at $446,652,000.00. However, during the same year a controversy arose between George Milburn and the town of Mishawaka. George Milburn needed and asked the town officials for railroad tracks to be extended from the factory to the Lake Shore railway main line. However, the mayor and other town council officials felt they were unable to agree to this request. The tension between Mr. Milburn and Mishawaka widened so much that by the end of 1873 the Milburn Wagon Works was closed and moved to Toledo, Ohio. The most famous Milburn automobiles were the 1918 electric coupes that President Woodrow Wilson's secret service men drove.

[Milburn]
Indiana Manufacturers
Name
Albany
Allied
American
American
American Junior
American Simplex
American Underslung
Amplex
Anderson
Anderson Steam
Ansted
Apperson
Auburn
Auburn
Auburn Motor Chassis
Auto Red Bug
Avanti
Avanti II
Bendix
Black
Black Crow
Blackhawk
Bour-Davis
Brook Spacke
Bryan Steamer
Butler High Wheel
Casady
Champion
Chevrolet Truck
Clark
Cole
Cole Solid Tire
Comet
Comet Racer
Continental
Cord
Cord
Crosley
Crosley
Crow
Crow-Elkhart
Cyclop
Davis
De Soto
De Tamble
Dearborn
Decatur
DeWitt
Dixie
Duesenberg
Duplex
Durant
El-Fay
Elcar
Electrobile
Elgin
Empire
Empire
Erie
Erskine
Evansville
Excellent Six
Ford
Gary Six
Graham-Paige
Great Western
H.C.S.
H.C.S. Cab
Handy Wagon
Harper
Haynes
Haynes-Apperson
Henderson
Hercules
Herff-Brooks
Honda Passport
Hoosier Scout
Howard
Huffman
Hummer
Huntingburg
Ideal
Ideal-Commercial
Imp
Indiana
Interstate
Isuzu Trooper
Jack Rabbit
James
Jonz
Kenworthy
Kiblinger
Komet
Lafayette
Lambert
Laurel
Laurel
Lawter
Leader
Leader
Lexington
Lindsay
Lorraine
Lyons-Knight
Madison
Mais
Marathon
Marion
Marmon
Martel
Martindale & Millikan
Maxwell
McFarlan
McGill
McIntyre
McIntyre Special
Metz
Mier
Mills Electric
Model
Model
Mohawk
Monroe
Morriss-London
Muntz Jet
National
National Electric
New Parry
New York Six
Niagara Four
Nyberg
Ohio Falls
Overland
Overland
Overland
Packard
Packard Darrin
Pak-Age-Car
Pak-Age-Car
Parry
Pathfinder
Pilgrim
Pilot
Plymouth
Pope-Waverley
Postal
Pratt
Pratt-Elkhart
Premier
Premier Taxicab
Prosperity
R.A.C.
Red Ball-Taxi
Reeves
ReVere
Richmond
Ricketts
Rider-Lewis
Rider-Lewis
Rockne
Rodefeld
Roosevelt
Royal
Royal Martel
Scout
Seidel
Senator
Sheridan
Shoemaker
Simplicity
Single-Center
South Bend
Spacke
Standard Six
Star
Star
Sterling
Studebaker
Studebaker Electric
Stutz
Subaru Legacy
Sun
Super Allied
Tincher
Traveler
Tricolet
Union
Union
Union
Union City Six
United
Van Auken Electric
W.A.C.
Waverley
Waverley Electric
Westcott
Woodburn 		Manufacturer
Albany Automobile Co.
Allied Cab Mfg. Co.
American Motors Co.
American Automobile Mfg. Co.
American Motor Vehicle Co.
Simplex Motor Car Co.
American Motors Co.
Simplex Motor Car Co.
Anderson Carriage Mfg. Co.
Anderson Steam Carriage Co.
Lexington Motor Car Co.
Apperson Bros. Automobile Co.
Auburn Automobile Co.
Auburn Automobile Co.
Auburn Motor Chassis Co.
American Motor Vehicle Co.
Studebaker Corp.
Avanti Motor Corp.
Bendix Co.
C.H. Black Mfg. Co.
Crow Motor Car Co.
Stutz Motor Car Co.
Shadburne Bros. Co.
Machine & Tool Co.
Bryan Boiler Co.
Butler Co.
W.S. Casady Mfg. Co.
Champion Auto Equipment Co.
General Motors Truck & Bus Grp.
Clark Motor Car Co.
Cole Motor Car Co.
Cole Carriage Co.
Comet Cyclecar Co.
Marion Motor Car Co.
Indian Motor & Mfg. Co.
Cord Corp.
Cord Corp.
Crosley Motors Inc.
Crosley Motors Inc.
Crow Motor Car Co.
Crow Motor Car Co.
L. Porter Smith & Bros.
George W. Davis Motor Car Co.
Zimmerman Mfg. Co.
De Tamble Motor Co.
J & M Motor Car Co.
Decatur Motor Car Co.
DeWitt Motor Vehicle Co.
Dixie Mfg. Co.
Duesenberg Motors Corp.
Bendix Co.
Durant Motors, Inc.
Elkhart Motor Co.
Elkhart Motor Co.
National Vehicle Co.
Elgin Motors Inc.
Empire Motor Car Co.
Empire Motor Car Co.
Erie Cycle & Motor Carriage Co.
Studebaker Corp.
Evansville Automobile Co.
Rider-Lewis Motor Car Co.
Ford Motor Co.
Gary Automobile Mfg. Co.
Graham-Paige
Great Western Automobile Co.
H.C.S. Motor Co.
H.C.S. Cab Mfg. Co.
Auburn Motor Chassis Co.
Harper Buggy Co.
Haynes Automobile Co.
Haynes-Apperson Automobile Co.
Henderson Motor Car Co.
Hercules Motor Car Co.
Herff-Brooks Corp.
Subaru Isuzu Automotive, Inc.
Warren Electric & Machine Co.
Lexington-Howard Co.
Huffman Bros. Motor Co.
AM General
Huntingburg Wagon Works
Ideal Motor Co.
Ideal Auto Co.
W. H. McIntyre Co.
Indiana Motor & Vehicle Co.
Interstate Motor Co.
Subaru Isuzu Automotive, Inc.
Apperson Bros. Automobile Co.
J & M Motor Car Co.
American Automobile Mfg. Co.
Kenworthy Motors Corp.
W. H. Kiblinger Co.
Elkhart Motor Car Co.
Lafayette Motors Co.
Buckeye Mfg. Co.
Laurel Motors Corp.
Laurel Motor Car Co.
Safety Shredder Co.
Leader Mfg. Co.
Leader Mfg. Co.
Lexington Motor Co.
T.J. Lindsay Automobile Parts Co.
Lorraine Car Co.
Lyons-Atlas Co.
Madison Motors Corp.
Mais Motor Truck Co.
Herff-Brooks Corp.
Marion Motor Car Co.
Nordyke & Marmon Co.
Elkhart Motor Co.
Indian Motor & Mfg. Co.
Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co.
McFarlan Motor Car Co.
McGee Mfg. Co.
W. H. McIntyre Co.
W. H. McIntyre Co.
Metz Cyclecar Co.
Mier Carriage & Buggy Co.
Mills Electric Co.
Model Gas Engine Works
Model Automobile Co.
Mohawk Cycle & Automobile Co.
William Small Co.
Century Motors Co.
Muntz Car Co.
National Motor Vehicle Co.
National Automobile & Electric Co.
Parry Auto Co.
Automotive Corp. of America
Crow Motor Car Co.
Nyberg Automobile Works
Ohio Falls Motor Car Co.
Standard Wheel Works
Overland Auto Co.
Standard Wheel Works
Studebaker-Packard Corp.
Packard Motor Car Co.
Auburn Automobile Co.
Stutz Motor Co.
Parry Auto Co.
Motor Car Mfg. Co.
Ohio Falls Motor Car Co.
Pilot Motor Car Co.
Chrysler Corp.
Pope Motor Car Co.
Postal Auto. & Engineering Co.
Pratt Motor Car Co.
Elkhart Carriage/Harness Mfg. Co.
Premier Motor Mfg. Co.
Premier Motor Car Co.
Allied Cab Mfg. Co.
Ricketts Automobile Co.
Red Ball Transit Co.
Reeves Pulley Co.
ReVere Motor Car Corp.
Wayne Works
Ricketts Automobile Co.
Rider-Lewis Motor Car Co.
Rider-Lewis Motor Car Co.
Studebaker Corp.
Rodefeld Co.
Marmon Motor Car Co.
Royal Motor Co.
Elkhart Motor Co.
International Harvester Co.
Seidel Buggy Co.
Victor Automobile Co.
Sheridan Motor Car Co.
Shoemaker Automobile Co.
Evansville Automobile Co.
Single-Center Buggy Co.
South Bend Motor Car Works
Spacke Machine & Tool Co.
Standard Auto. Co. of America
Durant Motors, Inc.
Model Automobile Co.
Elkhart Motor Car Co.
Studebaker Corp.
Studebaker Bros. Mfg. Co.
Stutz Motor Car Co.
Subaru Isuzu Automotive, Inc.
Sun Motor Car Co.
Allied Cab Mfg. Co.
Tincher Motor Car Co.
Traveler Automobile Co.
Pokorney/Richards Auto. & Gas.
Union Automobile Co.
Buckeye Mfg. Co.
Union Automobile Co.
Union City Carriage Mfg. Co.
United Engineering Co.
Connersville Buggy Co.
Woodburn Auto Co.
Waverley Co.
Indiana Bicycle Co.
Westcott Motor Car Co.
Woodburn Auto Co. 		City
Albany
Elkhart
Indianapolis
New Albany
Lafayette
Mishawaka
Indianapolis
Mishawaka
Anderson
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Connersville
Kokomo
Auburn
Connersville
Auburn
Lafayette
South Bend
South Bend
Logansport
Indianapolis
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Indianapolis
Frankfort
Indianapolis
Peru
Butler
South Bend
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Fort Wayne
Shelbyville
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Franklin
Auburn
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Marion
Richmond
Elkhart
Elkhart
Indianapolis
Richmond
Auburn
Anderson
Lawrenceburg
Decatur
North Manchester
Vincennes
Indianapolis
Logansport
Muncie
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Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Connersville
Anderson
South Bend
Evansville
Anderson
Indianapolis
Gary
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Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Auburn
Columbia City
Kokomo
Kokomo
Indianapolis
New Albany
Indianapolis
Lafayette
Indianapolis
Connersville
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Huntingburg
Indianapolis
Fort Wayne
Auburn
Indianapolis
Muncie
Lafayette
Kokomo
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Indianapolis
Anderson
Anderson
Richmond
New Castle
Knightstown
McCordsville
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Indianapolis
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Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Elkhart
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Indianapolis
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Indianapolis
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Indianapolis
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South Bend
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Woodburn
Indianapolis
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