The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) in Hood River, Oregon, has on display more than 130 antique automobiles. The automobile was first developed in Europe in the late nineteenth century. During the first two decades of the twentieth century, the automobile began to take hold in the United States with several hundred automobile manufacturers. Shown below are some of the pre-1910 automobiles which are on display in WAAAM.
1900 Locomobile Steam Runabout
Freelan Oscar Stanley and Francis Edgar Stanley, twin brothers who had created a successful business in manufacturing photographic plates, began to tinker with some possible automobile designs and produced their first steam powered automobile in 1897. In November 1898, they opened an automobile business. Their new vehicle caught the attention of John Brisben Walker, publisher of Cosmopolitan magazine, who inquired about buying the business. The brothers set a ridiculously high price--$250,000—and, much to their surprise, Walker bought the business. Walker’s partner in the new business was Amzi Lorenzo Barber, commonly known as “The Asphalt King” as he had made a fortune in paving U.S. cities.
The name Locomobile came from “locomotive” and “automobile.” The partnership between Walker and Barber did not last long (two weeks according to some sources). Barber took the Locomobile name and moved the production of the new cars to Watertown, Massachusetts. The Stanley twins stayed with the Locomobile Company of America as general managers.
Notice that this early automobile uses a steering tiller rather than a steering wheel.
1907 Everybody’s Motor Car Runabout
The Everybody’s Motor Car Mfg. Co. was established in St. Louis and Alton, Illinois, in 1907 and ceased operations in 1909. The car was powered by a 10 horsepower, air cooled, flat twin engine. The car sold for $400. Very few were produced.
1909 Franklin Model D
In 1893, Herbert H. Franklin founded the H.H. Franklin Manufacturing Company in Syracuse, New York, which became the first machine die-casting enterprise in the world. In 1901, together with engineer John Wilkinson, he developed an air-cooled engine. The following year, the Franklin automobile was introduced. Franklin became president of the new Franklin Automobile Company and Wilkinson was named chief engineer. In the new company, Franklin, the primary shareholder, was to run the business side and Wilkinson was to make all manufacturing and engineering decisions.
As an automotive innovator, Franklin used air-cooled engines which were considered simpler and more reliable than water-cooled engines. They advertised that air cooling did away with radiators, hoses, and water pumps. Air-cooled engines, in the age before antifreeze, had an advantage in cold weather.
Franklin used a wooden frame constructed of three-ply laminated ash and full-elliptic leaf springs. This meant that the vehicle was lighter and was better able to absorb shocks, important in providing a smooth ride over unpaved roads.
Other Franklin innovations included a constant level carburetor which enabled the engine to operate through a great range of speed and throttle. By 1905 Franklin brought out a six-cylinder and an eight-cylinder engine.
More Automobile Photo Tours
Museums 101: Automobiles of the 1910s in America's Car Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles before 1910 in America's Car Museum (Photo Diary)
WAAAM: Automobiles of the 1920s (Photo Diary)
WAAAM: Trucks Before 1920 (Photo Diary)
Truck Museum: Trucks Before 1920 (Photo Diary)
Truck Museum: Trucks of the 1940s and 1950s (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Marmon Automobiles (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: A Collection of Vintage Vehicles (Photo Diary)