This column features classic, vintage and antique automobiles in their historical settings. We invite Museums and individuals to contribute to this column. Please send us a photograph or digitized copy.
One of many Ford Model T's in Wisconsin during the 1920's. This classic car was valued for its high axles that could easily maneuver in the quagmire dirt roads prevalent at that time. This Ford Model T was traded in for a more expensive and luxurious Chevrolet and then resold by the Chevrolet dealership in Wisconsin around 1929.
Henry Art's and Charles Diederich's Chevrolet Automobile Dealership located in Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wisconsin. The two partners operated this Chevrolet car dealership from the summer of 1924 until the depression when the business could no longer support the two partner's families. It was dissolved in 1930.
1923
1924 Chevrolet
Charlie Diederich was born in 1895. He did not want to be a farmer like his father. He loved cars and made a career of buying and selling them. His sister Theresia was county supervisor of schools and wanted a car to travel between the schools. She went to the bank to arrange a $200 loan for a car, but the bank refused it. The bankers told her they would loan the money if she wanted to buy a cow, but they didn't believe in automobiles!
1926 Sedanette (now called a two-door).
1926 auto with Dewey Hunt and Charlie.
Charlie died in 1993 so is not here to identify these autos, but they were probably manufactured the year the picture was taken. Charlie would travel to Detroit and drive the cars to Wisconsin for sale at his dealership there.
1928. A touring car, taken from Wisconsin to the capital of Iowa.
Charlie said shovels and rope were necessary equipment when traveling in the early days. The roads were not paved yet so if it rained you might need to dig out or get pulled out of the mud. Early road maps gave directions, such as "turn right at the old oak tree in front of farmer Yasker's place."
1920s, taken from Arts Diederich garage.
Pure Oil Company is across the street.
They took Charlie's licence away when he was in his nineties after he sideswiped a few cars with his 1950s Buick. He still had three Buicks when he died at 98 years old - one that ran and two more for parts.
Bill Diederich bought this 1927 Buick touring sedan after WWII for $40.00. He and two friends, Lewis Tusken and Frank Elliott, spent the summer touring Northern Wisconsin. Bill sold the Buick that fall for $140.00.
Drag racer circa 1960s.
Santa Maria, California racetrack,
Jack Mendenhall at the wheel.
Photo courtesy of PeaSoup.