July 12 is “Collector Car Appreciation Day.” Believe it or not the day was established by US Senators – John Tester (D-MT) and Richard Burr (R-NC) who sponsored Senate Resolution S. Res 513:
So, the thought occurred that it would be fun to look back at how Cambridge newspapers and directories reflected the advent of motor vehicles—aka motor carriages, automobiles, or cars—back in the day. We’ll let the local newspaper articles and adverts tell the story themselves without much added narrative. In the decade between 1890 and 1899 the word “automobile” appeared in the Cambridge newspapers 31 times.
In the next ten years (1900-1909) the word appeared 2,993 times; and between 1910-1919 a total of 8,028 times. Mentions peaked between 1920-1929 with 10,137.
We begin with a vehicle that was not the first automobile, but surely one with one of the most imaginative names yet:
The Crestmobile was manufactured between 1901 and 1904:
And how about the idea of an EV 125 years ago?!
This idea of course led to the need for charging stations:
The advent of cars led to the growing need for “automobile stables”:
Or “automobile houses”:
Not to mention clothing fashions – “automobile garments”:
Speaking of fashion, “automobile red” was the latest thing in 1901:
The car business is booming in Harvard Square according to The Ferry-Morison Motors Co.:
The Harvard Automobile Company
Car designs over time:
FORD
Shown below is the Cambridge Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant under construction in 1913 at the corner of Brookline St and Memorial Drive. Today some know it as “the Polaroid Building” as it was later owned by this company.
REO
BUICK
PAT
A good sales pitch: “demonstrated at your door”:
THE VELIE
STUDEBAKER
OLDSMOBILE
PACKARD
NASH
PLYMOUTH
PONTIAC
The boom in automobile sales rooms near Porter Square:
MOLL MOTERS
PORTER SQUARE CHEVROLET
Other Sales Rooms in Cambridge:
SEYMOUR CHEVROLET
Used Cars:
Ephemera – Hood Ornaments and More:
A Brief Look at Sales History
“Over the course of the 20th century, the number of operational motor vehicles in the United States grew significantly, from just 8,000 automobiles in the year 1900 to more than 183 million private and commercial vehicles in the late 1980s. Generally, the number of vehicles increased in each year, with the most notable exceptions during the Great Depression and Second World War.” (Source: Statista Research Department)
And think of all the ancillary businesses that automobiles created: repair shops, sales rooms, oil lubricants, tires, parking garages, parts and finishings manufactories, service stations, and more!
Today’s post was written by CHC volunteer Kathleen M. Fox
SOURCES
Brown, Doug. “Cars in Cambridge.” https://historycambridge.org/articles/cars-in-cambridge-by-doug-brown/.
Cambridge City Directories
Cambridge Public Library’s Historic Cambridge Newspaper Collection
“Number of passenger cars and commercial motor vehicles in use in the United States from 1900 to 1988.” Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246890/vehicles-use-united-states-historical/.
“Vintage Automobiles 1900 to 1909.” American Treasure Tour Museum. https://www.americantreasuretour.com/vintage-automobiles-1900-to-1909.
