Early Autos in Franklin County

photos and information courtesy Don Dunaway

(click on thumbnails to view larger images)

Photographs by Ben Winans

Shipment of Buicks at the Brookville Depot, c. 1908. The automobiles were shipped to Brookville in the railcar in the background. The Buick agency was owned by Kirschbaum Bros. at that time. #1057	Dr. Edward Glaser in two passenger Buick roadster in front of Ben Winans' print shop, c. 1918. Dr. Glaser's home and office was near Winans' shop. #1813	The "Ohio Mud Hen" with its owner, his wife and driver and a Brookville official welcoming them to Brookville in December 1911. The "Mud Hen" was on a cross county trip from New York to San Francisco. The building in the background in the county jail which was a new building at that time. #253
Brookville Filling Station, 1926. The auto in the foreground is a Ford, but was often called a "tin lizzie." This is thought to have been the first filling station in Brookville. The early automobile dealers may have had a gasoline pump, but, this was the first business which was devoted to the sale of products such as tires and batteries as well as gasoline for automobiles. It was owned and operated by the late Walter Smith. The station was built on the site of an earlier Winans' print shop. Today a law office is on the site (Sixth and Main). #1773	Clark's Towing and Wrecking Service with a wreck in tow. Clark's business was where the former McEntee Pontiac and Oldsmobile service was located before it was razed in 1985 for the addition to the County Jail. #2150	Whitewater Township school bus in front of Brookville Buggy Co. (and Chevrolet dealer), c. 1920's. The bus appears to be new and loaded not with school children, but the men who worked at the Buggy Co. The building appears to be one that is still standing on the east side of Main between Fifth and Sixth Streets, i.e., north of Peoples' Trust. #1795

Photographs by Ellsworth Howell

Ellsworth Howell  was from the Bath area; he took photographs in the same time period as Winans, (early 1900's.)

The Buick appears to be a new one with a proud young lady behind the wheel, which incidentally is on the side opposite of today's automobiles. The auto is c. 1908 or 1909. Notice also the split rail fence in the background. This scene was probably at the Howell home on Viney Road near Bath. #52

REO and driver, c. 1909. Drivers in those days often wore a coat called a "duster" to keep the dust off of their clothing. The roads were not paved so in summer dust was a problem. In winter and rainy spells, mud made driving difficult and sometimes impossible without the help of a mule to pull them out when they got stuck in the mud. #54

Andrew Hennings family in Essex, c. 1909. The family lived on the farm immediately west of the Springfield Methodist Church where the Morris Drake's live now. Ralph,the little boy in the photo later became a minister and missionary to India. He died in 1996 at the age of 93 years. #55

 Later Automobile Agencies

Brookville Auto Company, Chevrolet Dealer, 1942. Standard Auto Parts is now in this location

Same as previous, later location which was at the south end of town at the foot of Oregon Hill . The agency was owned by "Tubby" Horn, then Alan Renaker and finally Dick and Tom Drewes who later moved the agency to a new building east of town on SR 101.

Brookville Sales & Service, Studebaker automobiles, c. 1946 or 1947. The agency which was operated by Gene Hillman, Cecil Otto and Frank Otto was on Seventh Street. Zimmer Tractor Inc. is in that location now.

Note: If anyone can add any information regarding the year of manufacture of the automobiles or about the automobile agencies, please contact Don Dunaway at dunaway@si-net.com