October 21, 1897 – Autocar, the oldest surviving American vehicle company, is founded
Louis Semple Clarke completed his first vehicle in mid-1897. He named the three wheeled, one-cylinder gas engine powered buggy Autocar No. 1. It immediately became apparent to the inventor how important the automobile would become. LS, as most knew him, recruited his brothers John and James, his father Charles and friend William Morgan to found the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company on this day in 1897. The team built a second vehicle the next year, this time with four wheels. They called it the Pitssburgher. Knowing they were on to something great, the team sought a larger production facility. In 1899 the business moved from Pittsburgh to Ardmore, Pennsylvania and renamed Autocar Company. Today it exists as the oldest surviving vehicle company in the United States.
Above: 1987 Auto...
