Klingberg Auto Show

“Hartford does not claim to have made the first automobile but does claim to have started the automotive industry,”  This statement was made by auto designer and engineer,  Henry Cave,  who worked with Daimler Motor Company, Locomobile and with George B. Seldon to design, develop and demonstrate the first Seldon patent car. (that is another story coming soon)

The very first  Hartford company to work in the automobile industry was the National Machine Company in 1891. Located at Capital Ave and Woodbine Street, they made motors for Steinway-Daimler, the engine that established the auto industry in Europe. But five years later in 1895,  the Pope Manufacturing Company established the Motor Carriage Department and experimented with gas powered automobiles. Their conclusion was that these cars were very noisy, vibrating,  greasy and complicated to operate. They also believed that  the wealthiest citizens, the only ones who could afford such a vehicle, would not be interested in such a car.

The Pope Manufacturing Company concentrated their efforts into designing and developing electric engines and in 1897 formally offered to the public the Electric Phaeton for a price of $3,000. Henry Cave reports, “Under the direction of the production experts, these handsome vehicles were the first to be made in this country on anything like a substantial basis.’ The Hartford Times wrote,” Its cost of maintenance and operation should be much less than that of a pair of horses…never found anyone so stupid that they could not run the carriage but there are many who can’t handle a horse…6 or 8 inches of snow “no obvious obstacle”".

The Hartford Courant wrote under the title, ” HORSELESS ERA COMES”, the electric vehicle was managed and turned about with as much comfort and success as you would have in driving the gentlest horse…The idea of sitting in a rolling carriage, nothing in front of  the dashboard but space…is something exhilarating and fascinating.”

The first vehicles made were made under the Columbia name. Pictured here is a Columbia Mark III Standhope, an advertising post card produced by the Pope Manufacturing Company. The vehicle was quite simple with four bicycle wheels and seating for two. It had a gong (forerunner to the horn) and four electric lights to illuminate the way at night. One of the first well known owners was Andrew Carnegie.

The Klingberg Antique Auto Show, October 17, 2009, will be featuring the automobiles made in Connecticut. so far I have located 41 automobiles representing 10 of the 184 Connecticut manufacturers.

1911 Corbin, Photo Thanks to National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library

The history of Connecticut automobile manufacturing is virtually hidden to most of it’s citizens. It has only been through researching many obscure sources, that I have found how prolific the automobile industry really was in our state. Quite a bit of information has been found on the major companies like Pope-Hartford, Locomobile and Corbin where there are still representative automobiles in existence various collections around the world. I found many photographs and advertising brochures which show their beauty and describe their great workmanship. Numerous vintage photographs show these cars in the early 2oth Century Vanderbilt Cup Races, competing against the major European manufactures all to prove the durability of the automobile. In fact, several of the races were won by the CT cars, the most famous  Locomobile,  Number 16.

So, how many other automobiles were manufactured in Connecticut?  My list kept growing as  my research progressed but it was not until I talked with  Tom Tkacz Sr. about the subject that he gave me the most complete list. Amazingly, his list contains 184 Connecticut auto manufactures and including the automobile name, the town and year in which it was built. All made before 1920, most of them before 1910.

Most of the CT automobiles are known only by name  but nine makes still have automobiles in existence. They include the Corbin from New Britain; Pope-Hartford, Columbia and Kelsey-Motorette from Hartford; Locomobile and Trumbull from Bridgeport;  Frisbe and Compound from Middletown and the Cameron from New London and Stamford. I have been following leads on still others but we hope to have at least twenty Connecticut made automobiles on display at the 2009 Klingberg Antique Auto Show. If anyone has information about these cars please contact me, Mark Johnson, at markj@klingberg.org or 860 832-5526

Thanks to Double A Charter Servcies of Rocky Hill,  Old “Bus Number 10” will return to to the City where it spent all of its years of service. . It was scheduled for the 2008 show but it would not start so it has been rescheduled for 2009. This1953 General Motors first arrived in New Britain purchased by the Oak Street Bus Company. It was one of the first diesel buses in Connecticut, the shiny, new maroon and green 36-passenger bus is considered small by today’s standards. The Oak Street Bus Company was purchased by the Agostini Family who changed the name to New Britain Transportation Company (NBT), and the color to green and cream.

For years, Number 10 faithfully transported its riders from Eddy Glover Boulevard to Main Street downtown, stopping at Grants—the current location of Amato’s Toy and Hobby Store. It would also travel up Arch Street to the base of the hill where Klingberg Family Centers is located. To this day, youngsters who grew up at the Klingberg Children’s Home in the 50’s and 60’s recall fondly their trips downtown on Old Number 10.

Number 10 now makes its home in Rocky Hill and is owned by Double A Charter Services.  Recently, it flew by in a chase scene in the latest Indiana Jones movie. We are delighted to have Number 10 back in her hometown for a special appearance at the 2009 Klingberg Antique Auto Show