11 - Detroit Electric Traditional Cache

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Hidden : 3/22/2015
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:



Detroit Electric Detroit Michigan 1907-1940

The Anderson Carriage Company had been making carriages in Port Huron, MI since 1884 and moved to Detroit in 1895. Around 1900, they began to make automobile bodies for several small companies around the area. They started thinking about building their own automobile. Their first car, an electric model, was produced in June of 1907, and rather calling it by the Anderson factory name, they chose to call it the Detroit Electric. 125 cars were made by the end of the first year. The next year the coupe was made featuring an inside drive. Each proceeding year saw a doubling of sales over the previous year.

Copied from the 1909 edition of the Automotive Industries Magazine
"Anderson Carriage Company is pushing electrics in a surprising way and the big new plant is busy almost to overcrowding. This company, it will be remembered, are the builders of the well known "Detroit Electric." This company turned out but 78 cars two years ago, while the output for the past season has increased to 525. For the ensuing year, plans now under way will result in a production which totals 1,000 electrics. The company is now working 465 men and rapidly increasing this force."

In 1909 Anderson bought the Elwell-Parker Company of Cleveland that had built motors for the Baker automobile, and now could build all of its components for their cars except the tires and wheels.

In 1910, Thomas Edison sponsored an endurance run known as the "Ideal Tour" from New York City to Bretton Woods, NH, a distance of 1,000 miles to test his battery. Two electric cars were involved, the 1910 Bailey Electric and the 1910 Detroit Electric. They both left together, traveled through Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and over the White Mountains onto Bretton Woods, N.H. They were traveling together. Neither one had any difficulty. The Detroit Electric left Breton Woods to return home. The Bailey Electric climbed Mt. Washington before it returned home.

All of Edison batteries were to be sold to the Detroit Electric except what the Bailey Electric needed.

The company was renamed the Anderson Electric Car Company in 1911 and business was booming. It was built for urban use, especially for women drivers. Henry Ford's wife owned one. It was advertised that it would take you any where you wanted to go in a day. Almost 5,000 cars were built in 1914, but sales dropped to 3,000 the following year. In 1916, Anderson bought out the Chicago Electric that had been in business since 1899. William Anderson retired in 1918 and in 1919, the name was changed to Detroit Electric Car Company, but the body building remained under the Anderson name. While other electric car makers were slowly closing down, Detroit Electrics still remained popular. However, in the 1920's, they focused more on commercial vehicles. The Detroit Electric did not escape the ravages of the Great Depression. They did not close down completely, but automobiles were made only on individual order basis and limped along until sometime before 1940, when it shut down.

Photo and info:
http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com

To enter Belle Isle State Park you will need either a Michigan State Park Passport or a day pass. Residents are $11.00 per year, non residence is $31.00 per year and the daily pass is $9.00 per day.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has given the Belle Isle Cachers exclusive permission to place all geocaches on Belle Isle State Park. Please be respectful to the park, its management and all other visitors during your time here.

This park is very busy year round, please use extreme stealth at all times as every area is being used by others. Rock hides give great views around the island, we have marked the cache location to help with your finds so please replace just as you found them.

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