THEMATIC SURVEY OF EARLY AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY IN LANSING, MICHIGAN FROM 1890 TO 1930 JULY 2003 Prepared for: City of Lansing Department of Planning and Neighborhood Development 316 North Capitol Avenue, Suite D-1 Lansing, Michigan 48933-1236 THEMATIC SURVEY SURVEY THEMATIC The Mannik&Smith GroupInc. Prepared by: The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc. 1800 Indian Wood Circle Civil Engineering, Surveying and Maumee, Ohio 43537 (419) 891-2222 Phone Environmental Consulting (419) 891-1595 Fax www.manniksmithgroup.com Toledo ◊ Dearborn ◊ Detroit ◊ Lansing ◊ Monroe THEMATIC SURVEY OF EARLY AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY IN LANSING, MICHIGAN FROM 1890 TO 1930 PREPARED FOR: CITY OF LANSING DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT 316 NORTH CAPITOL AVENUE, SUITE D-1 LANSING, MI 48933-1236 PREPARED BY; THE MANNIK & SMITH GROUP, INC. 1800 INDIAN WOOD CIRCLE MAUMEE, OH 43537 DISCLAIMER The activity that is the subject of this project has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. 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ES-1 LANA1A.RPT.RJS.ThematicSurvey-Lansing TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION: PAGE NO.: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................ES-1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY..............................................................................3 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW .....................................................................................................................9 EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT...........................................................................................................9 EARLY INDUSTRIAL ERA ......................................................................................................................10 THE INDUSTRIAL YEARS.......................................................................................................................12 MATURATION OF INDUSTRY.................................................................................................................14 WORLD WAR II TO 1950S.....................................................................................................................15 THEMATIC NARRATIVE .....................................................................................................................16 MICHIGAN’S AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY BEGINS IN LANSING ................................................................16 OTHER EARLY AUTOMOBILE MAKERS IN LANSING.............................................................................18 GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY .................................................................................................................19 GASOLINE, ELECTRIC OR STEAM .........................................................................................................21 INDUSTRIAL TRANSITION .....................................................................................................................24 WHY LANSING? ....................................................................................................................................25 FOCUSING ON LANSING’S ACHIEVEMENTS ..........................................................................................26 “FORGING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”...................................................................................................29 WHEEL PRODUCTION............................................................................................................................30 AUTOMOBILE ACCESSORIES.................................................................................................................33 AUTO HAUL-AWAY INDUSTRY ............................................................................................................34 AUTOMOBILE AND COMMERCIAL BODY MANUFACTURERS................................................................35 FIRST MOTORIZED FIRE APPARATUS ...................................................................................................38 ARCHITECTURAL OVERVIEW .........................................................................................................39 ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXT..................................................................................................................39 RESIDENTIAL ........................................................................................................................................40 COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ....................................................................................................................49 AUTO ACCESSORIES AND PART SALES.................................................................................................51 AUTO SERVICE AND REPAIR.................................................................................................................53 MANUFACTURING FACILITIES ..............................................................................................................57 RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................................................................70 BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................................................81 CREDITS...................................................................................................................................................87 THE MANNIK & SMITH GROUP, INC. i LANA1A.RPT.RJS.ThematicSurvey-Lansing TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) SECTION: PAGE NO.: FIGURES FIGURE 1PROJECT BOUNDARIES ........................................................................................................ 4 FIGURE 2HISTORIC RESOURCES - NOVO ENGINE CO. 700 PORTER/ 705 E. OAKLAND .................. 61 FIGURE 3HISTORIC RESOURCES - ATLAS DROP FORGE CO. 209 W. MT. HOPE RD........................ 65 FIGURE 4HISTORIC RESOURCES - MELLING FORGING CO. 1709 THOMPSON ST ............................ 66 FIGURE 5HISTORIC RESOURCES - MOTOR WHEEL CORP. 1508 N. LARCH ST................................ 68 TABLES TABLE 1SUMMARY DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 8 PLATES PLATE 1 E. BEMENT & SONS, 1889 ................................................................................................ 10 PLATE 2LANSING WAGON WORKS, 1889 ...................................................................................... 11 PLATE 3OLDS MOTOR WORKS ADVERTISEMENT, 1900................................................................. 17 PLATE 4LANSING IRON & ENGINE WORKS, 1889.......................................................................... 23 PLATE 5ENGINE ASSEMBLY AT NOVO ENGINE COMPANY, EARLY 1910S .................................... 26 PLATE 6AIR-COOLED MOTOR COMPANY ADVERTISEMENT, 1906................................................ 27 PLATE 7NEW WAY MOTOR COMPANY, 2003 ................................................................................ 28 PLATE 8MELLING FORGING COMPANY, 2003................................................................................ 29 PLATE 9MOTOR WHEEL CORPORATION, CA. 1960S ...................................................................... 32 PLATE 10 LOCALLY PRODUCED AUTO ACCESSORY DESIGNED TO FIT REO MODELS, CA. 1918..... 33 PLATE 11 AUTO-TOURING ACCESSORY FOR RECREATIONAL TRAVELERS, CA. 1924...................... 34 PLATE 12 LANSING COMMERCIAL BODY COMPANY, 1923-25......................................................... 36 PLATE 13 DUPLEX TRUCK COMPANY, FIRST SITE ON S. WASHINGTON, CA. 1970S ........................ 37 PLATE 14 CHARLES BLADES HOUSE AT 230 S. BUTLER................................................................... 40 PLATE 15 JAMES SEAGER HOUSE AT 533 S. GRAND ........................................................................ 41 PLATE 16 BURTON S. GIER HOUSE AT 301 N. SYCAMORE............................................................... 42 PLATE 17 HISTORIC VIEW ELMER DAIL HOUSE AT 1204 N. GENESSEE........................................... 73 PLATE 18 HARRIS