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Elmer F. Johnson was a machinist from Detroit where he worked in the artificial limb business before moving to Kalkaska around the end of 1892. He established the Elmer F. Johnson Cycle Works in 1893 presumably out of his house specializing in repairs on guns, sewing machines, and more. By 1896 he began building bicycles and expanding the business and eventually building a new shop around 1901. The local newspaper reported that Johnson was building a steam-powered vehicle in early 1902. Although there are conflicting reports it appears the vehicle was completed in 1904 and was sold to local druggist and friend H.E. Stover. It was said that Stover was not pleased with the vehicle and Johnson would build him another but with a gasoline engine. This vehicle called the “Elmer” was finished in 1905 and is believed to be the example in the museum. Another almost identical vehicle was built and finished in 1907 being sold to Dr. Pearsall who was the town physician. The fourth vehicle Johnson would build would be a “touring” car built for his own family in 1908. Although there is no further proof of car manufacturing, a light truck was fabricated and assembled from a wrecked Ford car in 1914. Bicycles were also built throughout the years including the local model “Kalkaska” as it was named by Johnson. Around 1925 the Johnson family would move to Grand Rapids where Elmer would pass away in 1938 at the age of 72. Years later the “Elmer” would appear in a newspaper ad for sale and would be purchased and driven in parades until 1979 and then put on permanent display in the museum.

Elmer Johnson in front of the Elmer F. Johnson Cycle Works

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The only known example of the "Elmer" automobile is on display at the Kalkaska County Historical Museum.Elmer F. Johnson was born in Pontiac, MI and moved to Detroit where he was a machinist and artificial limb maker. He and his family moved to Kalkaska around the end of 1892 and by 1893 he had established the Elmer F. Johnson Cycle Works. He was not only a bicycle builder but also a gunsmith, repairman, and bladesmith. He started designing and building a steam-powered automobile around 1902 and subsequently built three more cars and a truck over the next several years. Around 1925 he moved his family to Grand Rapids where he resided the rest of his life. The second vehicle he built is the one on display at the Kalkaska County Historical Museum.

The "Elmer" automobile

Northern Michigan Automobile and Truck Companies

Elias S. Flaglor was in the glass business but was also an automotive tinkerer. Around 1912 the cyclecar craze started to take shape and many manufacturers began to produce small economical vehicles that were roughly the size of early motorcycles but twice as wide. Flaglor started to develop a prototype for production just a year earlier and in 1913 informally established the Flagler Cyclecar Company out of his house in Chicago.In short order the company was in a temporary factory which was also located in Chicago and in January of 1914 the first fifty cars were assembled. Flaglor was soon in talks to bring the company to Cheboygan, MI and a great investment would be made by many of the town’s residents. In April of that year the company was formally incorporated and were developing both a passenger car and a light delivery vehicle.The factory was ready in June and the prototype light delivery vehicle was shown around town rendering great reviews. Sidney Flaglor took examples to Detroit to be shown and raced in the International Cyclecar Races in July gaining even more exposure for the company. By August it was said that the company was producing a car a day and the future was looking very promising.

Elias S. Flaglor was by trade a glass worker but was also an automotive tinkerer. Around 1911 he started to develop a prototype of a cyclecar which was the size of an early motorcycle but twice as wide. He started the Flagler Cycle Car Company out of his house in 1913 and quickly moved to a new temporary location. By 1914 he had moved the company to Cheboygan occupying an old pea canning factory. Trouble with design delayed the car but by April the company was incorporated and was slowly producing vehicles. A regular cyclecar and light delivery vehicle would be the beginning models and orders began to pour in. The vehicles received great reviews and were taken to Detroit to be shown and raced to prove their durability. Although the future seemed bright very few vehicles were made and by 1914 the company was in receivership. Flaglor continued to perhaps produce and sell them out of his house in Chicago where he started but by 1917 the company was officially bankrupt. Flaglor continued in the glass business and doesn't seem to have entered the automobile business in the years following. This stop on the tour is pinned at the Historical Cheboygan County Museum where one can learn more about Flaglor and auto manufacturing in this part of the state.

Flagler Cyclecar Company

The Alpena Motor Car Company started life in Mt. Clemens, MI as the Wolverine Motor Car Company. Wolverine was formed in January of 1910 and was looking for a permanent home in southeastern Michigan but an offer from Alpena Chamber of Commerce prompted the firm to relocate to Alpena, MI.Excitement was high as a northern Michigan city had a chance to be the next Detroit and in June of 1910 the Alpena Motor Car Company was officially formed. Much of the work of prototypes and design work had already been done earlier in the year. Initially the company was to build both passenger cars and light delivery vehicles but settled on the former although at least one light delivery was built for display.While the plans for the factory were finalized, initial vehicles were built in the machine shop of W.C. French who was a local business owner. Once the factory was complete in October, French had the honor of driving the first vehicle out of the factory. Production began and orders poured in for the new “flyer” which was getting great reviews from several publications as well as the New York Auto Show.Production continued and dealerships were opened through the middle of 1912. As the future of the company seemed as bright as ever, a lawsuit would bring the company to a halt. The North American Vehicle Company would claim patent infringement on their suspension system by not only Alpena but also several different companies. The amount of the award would send the Alpena Motor Car Company into bankruptcy and by 1914 would cease to exist having produced less than 500 cars.

The only remaining example of an Alpena "Flyer" produced by the Alpena Motor Car Company is on display at the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan.The Alpena Motor Car Company was founded in July of 1910. The firm was actually a transplant of the Wolverine Motor Car Company that was located in Mt. Clemens, MI in January of 1910 but never got off the ground. A prototype had been built and helped convince the Chamber of Commerce to let the firm relocate in Alpena. Initially cars were assembled in the shop of W.C. French and would later be assembled in a new plant which opened in October of that year. Interest was immediate and orders were pouring in including one for 500 vehicles from a Philadelphia sales branch that was to market to the East Coast. Vehicles were shown at the auto show in New York as well as several other cities and reviews were excellent. The company built approximately 480 vehicles before declaring bankruptcy due to being sued of patent infringement. By July of 1914 the company was for sale. The Alpena Motor Car Company had hoped to be the next Detroit as did neighboring Gaylord as they looked to replace a dying lumber industry however neither succeeded.

Alpena Flyer

The idea for the Gaylord Motor Car Company came from a chance meeting between Detroit machinist Guy Hamilton and local businessman A.B.C. Comstock. Gaylord, MI had been looking for an industry to replace the dying lumber business and both men agreed that the city could become the “new Detroit”.Hamilton had worked in both the coin-operated business and in the automotive business in varying roles including chief engineer for Demotcar in Detroit prior to coming to Gaylord. His vision was to produce a “utility” vehicle which was a passenger car but could become a vehicle to haul things for the local farmer by removing the back seat.In May of 1910 the company was formally incorporated and a site was selected for a factory. By the end of August vehicle production had begun and the future looked bright. The Gaylord was featured at the New York Auto Show on New Year’s Eve along with several other Michigan manufacturers. Reviews were excellent as the functionality of the vehicle made it unlike anything else at the show.Business seemed to be moving along but by 1913 a combination of lower priced vehicles like the Model “T” and other factors drove the company into bankruptcy. In 1915 the company’s assets were sold and in 1919 the company officially dissolved. Guy Hamilton went on to be involved in several other automobile and truck companies including the Alter Motor Company in Plymouth, MI, the Hamilton Motors Company in Grand haven, MI, and Bollstrom Motors in St. Louis, MI.

The only known Gaylord Car to exist is on display at the Gaylord Visitor Center.Additional information about the Gaylord Motor Car Corporation can be found at the Otsego County History Museum which is located across the street from the Visitor Center.The idea for a car company in Gaylord came in the spring months of 1910. At the time Gaylord had been a city for little more than 35 years and was both a center between logging camps and a stop on the Michigan Central Railway. A. B. C. Comstock who was a local businessman and banker knew that the logging boom was coming to and end and there needed to be sustainable new industry going forward. Detroit machinist Guy Hamilton had come to Gaylord on a fishing trip and shortly after he had gotten off the train, he and Comstock met over a cup of coffee in a cafe perhaps by fate. The two men discussed the possibility of bringing a automobile factory to Gaylord that would go on to sell not only automobiles but also a "utility" type vehicle aimed at farming needs and the ability to navigate the rough terrain in Northern Michigan. Hamilton had already been working with automobiles since at least 1903 and was considered a very capable man to design a car. The two men agreed to pursue the idea and assembled other local businessmen to form a committee. The idea was well received and soon after the Gaylord Motor Car Company was born. About 350 total vehicles were built during the existence of the company but they ultimately went out of business in 1913 because of a variety of reasons including the incredibly low price of the Model T.

Gaylord Car

The Napoleon Motor Car Company started life in Napoleon, Ohio. A group of men who all had previous experience in the automotive industry throughout Ohio and Indiana combined their expertise and formed the Napoleon Auto Manufacturing Company in March of 1916. The company would move into the old Morningstar Threshing Machine Company building to produce both a five-passenger and a seven-passenger touring car. Almost immediately the companywas outgrowing the facility and would look for a new city to call home. Traverse City, MI coincidently was not only seeking an automotive manufacturer to come to town, but also was losing The Oval Wood Dish Company which would relocate to New York during the middle of the following year. In June of 1917 the announcement was made Traverse City was indeed chosen as the new home of the auto concern and the former W.E. Williams Flooring Company building would become its new home. The agreement included $75k in working capital and free rent for three years. The company would be reorganized into the Traverse City Motor Car Company in August. Automobile production would begin in the new facility in short order but truck production would remain in Ohio under the name of Reya Motor Company. This would only continue into the next year and ultimately Reya would be discontinued, bringing truck production back to Traverse City. 1918 brought more changes including a new name. In August, it was decided to change the company name to the Napoleon Motors Company. Orders were pouring in for automobiles and trucks alike prompting a new stock campaign for more capital heading into 1919. The new year saw increased orders and production as well as sales expansion into other states and countries. Trucks were selling well but automobile sales were lacking and thus the decision was made to focus exclusively on truck production for 1920. Innovations were the focus of the new model year with a lighter truck put on the market as well as a “mobile sales office” which contributed to capital increase, record sales, and expansion. It seemed as if Napoleon would go on to compete with some of the bigger manufacturers of the day but it was not to be. By the middle of 1921 a recession had hit and several factors including a vast amount of trucks left over from the war that were still in existence ultimately caused the company to fail. In September of 1922 the Napoleon Motors Company went into receivership and the factory was sold.

There is one Napoleon truck known to exist and it is owned and occasionally displayed at the Hagerty Insurance Company headquarters.The Napoleon Motor Car Company was founded in 1916 in Napoleon, Ohio by a group of men who had already been involved in the young automobile industry. The company found itself in need of a bigger factory and was offered the chance to come to Traverse City, MI where they could keep up with the demand. The Napoleon car business would move and become the Traverse City Motor Car Company but the truck business would stay behind and became Reya but only survived for a few years. The company would change its name to the Napoleon Motors Company in 1918 and by the end of 1919 would end its car production and build trucks only. Production thrived through 1920 but by mid-1921 orders were slow due the numerous trucks on the market manufactured for the war effort and because of the post-war recession in general. Unable to sustain itself, the company went into receivership in September of 1922 joining the ranks of other failed automobile and truck companies in Michigan and throughout the U.S.

Napoleon Motor Car Company

Walter A. Kysor came to Cadillac, MI in 1901 and along with his father and uncle purchased the W.M. McAdie &amp; Company machine shop. In 1905 the name was changed to the Cadillac Machine Company and as the business grew, many different items were manufactured over the next ten years including sawmill machinery and power transmission appliances.In 1915 Kysor pitched the idea of a truck company to the Cadillac Board of Trade. Just a few years earlier, Frank Ruggles had started the Republic Truck Company in nearby Alma, MI and was having much success. If the city of Cadillac could also partake in the automotive and trucking industry, jobs and opportunities would follow. In September of that year, the Cadillac Auto Truck Company was formed. A few years later the name would need to be changed due to a conflict with the Cadillac Motor Car Company in Detroit and would become the Acme Motor Truck Company.The company would introduce several truck models through the years ranging from a ¾ ton all the way to a 5-ton. In 1923 the idea of producing buses started to take shape and Acme would not only produce them but would also become innovators of trucks and buses alike introducing several convenience and safety features. Also In 1923, Kysor would leave the company to start his own venture and take one of those ideas with him. The Kysor Heater Company would sell a forced-air heater which was revolutionary at the time and would market it to the entire automobile industry. The company was formed in Allegan, MI and would later relocate to Cadillac.Acme continued to be successful through the years but could not withstand the Great Depression along with the larger truck manufacturers. In September of 1929, the company went into receivership and wouldn’t reopen until January of 1931. One year later the doors were closed for good. The once-mighty Acme Motor Truck Company itself did not survive but the building was occupied by B.F. Goodrich in 1937 continued to produce automotive rubber products. Kysor’s heater company also stayed in business for several years indeed making Cadillac a great contributor to the automotive and truck industries

In 1915 Walter A. Kysor, J.P. Wilcox, and C.J. Helm founded the Cadillac Auto Truck Company which operated in Cadillac, Michigan. The first truck was produced later that same year and the company began to take off. A conflict with the Cadillac Motor Car Company of Detroit prompted a change in name to the Acme Motor Truck Company in 1917. Throughout its' history, Acme built trucks ranging in size and weight as well as buses. Along the way, they were not only producers of vehicles but also innovators and contributed to many improvements in the industry. Kysor would leave the company in 1923 to start his own automotive heater company and would go on to be very successful. Truck production continued for Acme into 1929 as the Great Depression and other factors took their toll on the industry. The company would flounder until 1932 and in January of that year, Acme would cease to exist, but one can learn more about the Acme Truck Company here at the Wexford County Historical Society.

Acme Motor Truck Company

Charles Elmendorf had spent his life in the furniture business before coming to Manistee, MI to accept a position at the Manistee Manufacturing Company in 1898. He would start as the factory manager but would be in charge of the company by 1903. George Burr was his secretary and treasurer and also a prominent banker in the community. The two men would try their hand at the automobile manufacturing business in 1912.The Anderson Electric &amp; Manufacturing Company in Chicago had developed three low priced automobiles that they had planned to bring to market. Elmendorf and Burr bought the prototypes, equipment, blueprints, and semi-completed vehicles and shipped them to Manistee. The two men hoped that the new automobile business would bring much needed jobs and other commerce to the city of Manistee.The vehicles’ design was that of the cyclecar craze of that day. Smaller, more efficient vehicles were beginning to trend touting efficiency and low maintenance. Two of the models were passenger vehicles and one was a chassis for a light delivery vehicle known as the “Wolverine”. The price range would be between $200-$400 and production would take place in the old Manistee Iron Works building.The Manistee Motor Car Company was incorporated in March of 1912 and machinery was moved into the building the next month. Just like many automobiles and trucks of that day, many parts were ordered from different manufacturers and assembled at the factory. The very first model is said to have been ordered by Dr. L.S. Ramsdell.Details are unclear but it appears that at least three total vehicles were sold over the course of the next several months and by March of 1913 the company was out of business perhaps saving an even bigger loss as the cyclecar craze had ended by 1917. Elmendorf and Burr would take the failure in stride and continue on with the Manistee Manufacturing Company for several more years.

The Manistee Motor Car Company was part of the cyclecar craze from 1912 to 1917. The company was originally an idea of the Anderson Electric &amp; Manufacturing Company in Chicago but was sold to two local businessmen with the hopes of bringing industry and jobs to Northern Michigan. The company was founded in March of 1912 and was to produce three models including a light delivery vehicle. Ultimately the company never really got off the ground producing very few cars and went out of business almost exactly a year later.

Manistee Motor Car Company

The Brugman family moved to the United States from Germany around 1875 settling in Reed City, MI. Henry Brugman Sr. was a watch repairman by trade and most certainly passed his skills on to his sons Otto and Henry Jr. as they would open a bicycle and general repair shop in Manistee, MI in the late 1890’s.In 1899 the Brugman brothers would begin to develop an automobile of their own design. The industry was quite young but they felt they could produce a model worthy of the other inventors of that day. The car would be completed by 1902 and as word traveled other people in the city would ask them to build additional models in the years to follow.Otto and Henry were listed in the 1907-1909 city directories as auto manufacturers and it is assumed this is when the bulk of their automobiles were built. The bicycle shop did not afford the proper space to manufacture automobiles so much of the work was done at a local auto garage.Around 1910 the company was expanding into repair and automobile sales and was now known as “Brugman Brothers &amp; Company” moving temporarily to the old Manistee Iron Works building. By late 1911 the company would be taken over by the “Auto Garage Company” which was still run by Henry and Otto but allowed them to expand even further. They would change locations a couple of times in the coming years and would continue to add new manufacturers as clients and continue their repair business. It is also assumed the brothers continued to manufacture automobiles as the need arose.The company served the community of Manistee under Henry and Otto until their passing but continued on as a Dodge and Plymouth dealer until 1949.

Otto and Henry Brugman started a bicycle shop in Manistee, MI in the late 1890s working on and repairing bicycles, guns, jewelry, and much more. In 1899 they began constructing a one-cylinder automobile, completing it in 1902 and building additional vehicles from 1907-to 1909 similar to the early prototype. Eventually the company became agents for various manufacturers and would serve the community of Manistee until around 1949.

The Brugman Brothers Automobile

Robert W. Elston was born in England in 1839 and moved to North America around the age of 16 finding work in the wagon industry. It is thought that his interest in designing a self-propelled wagon started to take shape during this time.The first recognized automobile in the world was built by Carl Benz and patented in 1886 but the first vehicle in Michigan was invented between 1884 and 1885 in the town of Memphis. Thomas Clegg would drive his one-cylinder “Thing” on local roads and eventually dismantle the vehicle a few years later. Henry Ford saw Clegg’s invention as so significant that he offered to buy the workshop and move it to Greenfield Village but it had already been torn down. These inventors and many others would prompt Elston to produce his own machine.In 1893 Elston started working on the “Elston Electric Road Wagon” in the upper part of his residence in Charlevoix, MI and by 1895 it was nearing completion. An announcement came that same year of the first recognized race in the United States which would take place in Chicago. Originally the race was to be held on July 4th but only one vehicle was ready to participate causing the start date to be pushed back to Labor Day. This gave Elston time to refine his vehicle as problems arose from the electric power plant. He promptly traveled to Wisconsin to secure a gasoline engine but continued to have reliability issues. Again the race was delayed until November and now consisted of around 100 entries including others from Michigan.As November approached, Elston continued to have problems with his vehicle and never could get them resolved to drive any further than around the block. The race was to be held on November 2nd but weather once again played a factor and it was pushed back to Thanksgiving Day. To appease the already gathered crowd and entrants, an unofficial race was held and won by Oscar Mueller. The Mueller family would make several contributions to the automotive industry including an early example of the spark plug and numerous vehicle improvements. They also have a Michigan connection opening a brass factory in Port Huron helping manufacture munitions for World War I which is still in business today. The main race on Thanksgiving Day would be won by Charles E. and J. Frank Duryea. Duryea is credited with being the first organized American company to manufacture gasoline automobiles and the first to attempt to build and sell automobiles for a profit.Although he did not make the contest, Elston decided to display his vehicle at J.S. Baker &amp; Company’s store in Charlevoix at the end of November. His contributions to the automotive industry include patents for a self-propelled vehicle and a driving gear. In 1898 he and his wife opened the Hotel Elston and operated the business until his passing in 1917. Louise Elston continued to operate a separate hotel in Charlevoix until around 1939.

Robert W. Elston was an inventor who was born in England and worked in the wagon industry at a young age. He was one of the early builders of a "horseless carriage" completing it in 1895 and had plans to enter the vehicle in the first recognized automobile race in the United States which took place in Chicago in November of that year. He first tried electric power and later a gasoline engine but could never get the vehicle to travel further than a block or two. Although he did not make the race deadline, he did exhibit the vehicle in town at a local Blacksmith and implement shop. Elston also had a patent for a self-propelling vehicle but seemed to have given up the automobile business for the hotel business which he was involved in both before and after his stint with automobiles. The fate of Elston's vehicle is unknown, but one can learn about Elston and the history of this community at the Charlevoix Historical Society.

The Elston

Sidney S. Bump started in the hardware business in 1892 and formed a partnership with George McCabe establishing Bump &amp; McCabe Hardware in Petoskey, MI in 1905. Around the same time William R. McDermott established a new Blacksmith business taking over for Bill Schofield who had been in that location for several years. The three men would combine their efforts to make a mark in the transportation industry just a few years later. In 1915 Bump, McCabe, and McDermott teamed up to produce an “auto truck”. McDermott would fabricate a frame in his shop and the workers of Bump &amp; McCabe would manufacture a body. An engine and running gear from a Ford car would power the truck. It is assumed the vehicle was produced for deliveries and local hauling but the evidence is unclear. William McDermott went on to help invent and patent a one-man tractor grader around 1919. Commerce Truck, a Detroit based truck manufacturer, almost became part of the Petoskey automotive story when they contemplated building a factory in the city but eventually chose not to.

A story appeared in 1915 of an "auto truck" that was made in Petoskey from the collaboration of two local companies. The vehicle was produced with efforts from Bump &amp; McCabe Hardware who made the body and the McDermott Blacksmith &amp; Wagon Shop who made the frame. The truck was assembled between the two businesses and an old Ford engine and running gear of unknown origin was used to power the vehicle. It is not known if the men planned on producing additional vehicles as was the case in several cities in Northern Michigan around the turn of the century.

Northern Michigan Automotive Heritage Trail

The "Elmer" automobile

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Backstory and Context

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