Gar Wood was an inventor, a racer, and a boat builder. He started his business ventures in Detroit eventually building boats in Algonac and Marysville.
what can i see today?
The original factory in Algonac is no longer standing. The property is adjacent to the old Chris-Craft plant where the Algonac Harbor Club now sits as seen here in the background.
Several artifacts and photos of Gar Wood exist at both Algonac musuems. Algonac Clay Historical Musuem Address: 1240 St. Clair River Drive, Algonac, MI 48001 Phone: (810) 794-9015 Website: www.achistory.com/ach1/
Algonac Maritime Musuem Address: 1117 St. Clair River Drive, Algonac, MI 48001 Phone: (810) 512-8014 (810) 794-9015 Website: www.achistory.com/ach1/
the story
Garfield(Gar) Wood was born in 1880 in Iowa the oldest of 13 children. He never had the goal of building boats but rather wanted to set speed records and be known as the "speedboat king". In order to pursue those goals and with some coaxing from friends and colleagues he ventured into the boat building business. In 1911 he built his first speed boat called the "Little Leading Lady" which had a top speed of 30 m.p.h....
In 1912 he filed a patent for the hydraulic lift which is still used on dump trucks today. It was the fortune he made from this invention that allowed him to pursue his love of boats and speed...
In 1916 Wood purchased "Miss Detroit" from Chris Smith and in that same year purchased controlling interest in the Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company which would become Chris-Craft...
For the next six years Chris Smith built boats under the direction of Wood and together they won five straight Gold Cups from 1917-1921 and also won the Harmsworth Trophy in 1920 and 1921. A replica of the trophy along with Wood's lucky bears reside in the musuem...
By 1923 Wood and Smith had separated as Smith would go into business to build pleasure boats for the masses but still did some work for Wood including building the hulls for his "Baby Gar" boats. Wood took over the old Smith buildings in Algonac...
Wood continued to break speed records and win numerous races including the Harmsworth Trophy and five Gold Cups in a row. Miss America X is on display at the Packard Proving Grounds in Utica, MI...
More race wins and world records meant more "free advertising" as well as increased sales due to all the press that Wood was receiving...
In 1930 he built a new plant in Marysville, MI and continued to build boats as well as dealerships across the country...
In 1940 Wood retired to Florida but still produced boats until 1947...
This is one of Gar Wood's toolboxes on display at the musuem...
Wood's accomplishments were numerous including holding more patents at one point than any living person. His company in Detroit produced hubcaps for the Shelby Ford Mustang in 1968 among other automotive related items. He was even in the bus business at one point with a design very similar to that of the Stout Scarab...
Gar Wood's influence on several different industries is still felt today. He was indeed a true pioneer...
