1911-Roadster, Demi-Tonneau, Utility, Roadster with High Clearance Possibly Called a "Special"(It is unclear if this was built)
1912-Roadster, Five Passenger & Seven Passenger Touring Cars, Utility("30" designated horsepower), Custom Built
Approximate Number of Cars Built:
350(Combined Models)
Factory Address:
Permanent: 1075 S. Wisconsin Ave. Gaylord, MI
Slogans:
"Pioneer Manufacturers of Utility Cars"
"All Roads Are Easy To The Gaylord"
Officers, Investors, and Workers of the Company:
A.B.C. Comstock: President
Guy Hamilton: Chief Designer and General Plant Manager
F.A. Kramer: Vice President
John L. Pelton: Secretary
Seth M. French: Secretary(replacing Pelton in March of 1911)
J. Lee Morford: Treasurer
O.W. Farrar: Trustee
Mark M. Demerest: Trustee
T.H. Birchhill: Superintendent
William McCoy: Trustee
Frank J. Shipp: Trustee
Albert K. Peters: Sales Manager
Arthur Wendt: Purchasing Agent
What can i see today?
There is one 1911 Gaylord 30 known to exist and it is located at the Chamber of Commerce in downtown Gaylord. The car, which is the 94th built, was found and restored by Ivan Polus. Address: 319 W Main St, Gaylord, MI 49735 Phone: (989) 732-6333 Website: https://www.gaylordchamber.com/
Find out more about the Gaylord Motor Car Company at the Otsego County Historical Society in downtown Gaylord. Address: 320 W. Main St. Gaylord, MI 49735 Phone: (989) 732-4568 Website: http://www.otsego.org/ochs/
The factory is still standing but is not open to the public. Address: 1075 S. Wisconsin Ave. Gaylord, MI
summary
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.
The story
1910
The first mention of the new venture appears in the Otsego County Herald and Times on May 13th...
May 19th marked the signing of the Articles of Agreement...
By late may the stock had already been sold...
The city of Gaylord was excited that a new industry could help the town thrive...
The officers are elected...
The board was comprised of local businessmen as well as Guy Hamilton who was known in Detroit having worked as a machinist, inventor, and experienced automotive engineer...
Guy Hamilton had been involved in the automobile industry for some years prior to coming to Gaylord. This article from his days at Bollstrom in St. Louis, MI talks of his involvement with John G. Heal who invented an automobile air pump and Walter Marr who was the head engineer for Buick, helped develop the "Valve-In-Head" engine, and contributed many other ideas to early "motorcycles"(automobiles)...
Hamilton would obtain various patents while working for Callie Brothers Manufacturing in Detroit. In 1904 they were Detroit's largest employer specializing in slot machines, trade stimulators, and other coin-operated machines. Once the automobile boom began, many of the employees would move on to the industry...
He would go on to work in the automotive field and was the chief engineer for the Demotcar in Detroit in 1909. Hamilton would move from Detroit to take on the new venture...
June 10th saw the site of the new plant selected...
On June 23rd the first sod was turned for the new factory and a celebration took place to commemorate the event...
The work begins on the new plant...
In early July the partially assembled car made its debut on the streets of Detroit...
Late July saw work progressing rapidly on the new factory...
On July 30th the completed Gaylord vehicle started on its journey from Detroit to Gaylord. The trip was one of pure marketing, showing off the new design to several cities and the reliability of the vehicle...
The new Gaylord "30" pulled into town on Aug 6th having travelled some 625 miles on the journey stopping in cities and towns all over Michigan including Bay City, Saginaw, and Traverse City. Although it is not known where it was built exactly, it is mentioned it was to be built in a machine shop. Since Hamilton had worked for the Callie Brothers, it is certainly a possibility...
The testing of the vehicles continued totaling over 2250 miles on the roads and terrain of the state. The Gaylord was built for pleasure, hauling, and farming...
This postcard shows the first Gaylord...it is unclear if this is the prototype of the first manufactured automobile...
Near the end of August the company had gotten the necessary parts and now occupied the building. Approximately 50 cars were built that first year with several going to New Jersey...
The new factory was finished and assembly of vehicles was under way...
The Gaylord was among the cars being displayed at the New York Auto Show on New Year's Eve 1910. A couple of local competitors including cars from Alpena and Flint were also among those being shown. Note the motor on display behind the car...
This view shows how easily the seats could be added or removed to enable hauling...
1911
The reviews after the auto show were excellent. The exhibit was one of the top eight in the show according to feedback. The "Utility" itself was something that was completely different than anything at the show. Hamilton used a phonograph to give a 3 minute presentation on the vehicle and its short manufacturing history. It certainly was an audio presentation ahead of its time since such a device had never been used in that manner...
The display had drawn the attention Hamilton and Peters had hoped for. The "general purpose" aspect, the fact that customers could order special bodies, and the unique powerful motor made the Gaylord name buzz during and after the show. Another selling point among business owners was a vehicle that could be used for both work and pleasure...
Vehicle models and specifications for the new model year included a special roadster with high clearance to travel the terrain in Michigan. It is unclear if this model was built...
Some of the 1911 advertising...
Albert K. Peters was the Sales Manager for the company traveling to the auto shows and helping to get the Gaylord in showrooms around the country...
In March of 1911, Pelton had resigned and was replaced by Seth French...
This ad was previewing the 1912 model year...
1912
This booklet is from the 1912 New York Auto Show. The "Utility" seemed to be the main focus of the model year...
Testing continued in the harsh Michigan winter...
This article and photo shows the "Utility" being used as it was intended on farms and rugged terrain...
Gaylords were used in the first automobile funeral in the city...
1913
Though the Gaylord Motor-Car Company had brought the hopes of another Detroit and the next industrial boom in Michigan, the company was only in business until 1913. A combination of lower priced vehicles on the market like the Model T and other factors aided in the company's demise. By the end of 1915 Ford had sold one million vehicles...
Although the official last day of business is not known, a story appeared pertaining to filling the building with a new business on July 31st. The Saginaw Wood Products Company would be the next occupant as well as the Gaylord Manufacturing Company later some years later...
1914=-1923 and beyond
Guy Hamilton would go on to help start several other automobile and truck companies including the Alter Motor Company in Plymouth 1914, the Hamilton Motors Company in Grand Haven 1917, Bollstrom Motors in St. Louis, MI 1920, and M-B Automotive Corp. 1923...
1915
In April it was announced that the remaining inventory of the Gaylord Motor Car Company had been sold...
1919
Some six years later, the company was officially dissolved on January 26th...
1963-present
The one surviving Gaylord 30 was found by Ivan Polus in 1963 during a trip hunting for a Port Huron Steam Engine. He spent the next several years restoring the car and eventually sold it to Gaylord. It is driven in the annual parade each year...
references
Otsego County Historical Society
Gaylord Chamber of Commerce
Ivan Polus-Restorer of the Gaylord Automobile
New York Public Library
Standard Catalog of Automobiles-Clark/Kimes
Alpena Evening News-1910
The Automotive Manufacturer-Volume 65
Library of Congress-Sanborn Map-1916
Cheboygan Democrat-1910
Industry Week-Volume 53-1913
Detroit Free Press-May-Oct-1910
Detroit News-May-Oct-1910
Motor Age-Vol. 16/19-1909/1911
Standard Catalog of American Cars-Kimes/Clark
The Horseless Age-Volume 10-1912/1911
Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office
Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal-Volume 15-1910
The Iron Trade Review-Volume 53-1913
County Crawford Avalanche-April-1915
Freight: The Shippers' Forum-January-1911
Automobile Trade Journal-1917
Belding Banner-December-1915
Michigan Roads & Construction-Volumes 14/15-1917
Detroit City Directory-1911
Michigan Manufacturer and Financial Record-July-1913
