Everyday life and landscape were changed completely by the onslaught of the automobile. At the turn of the century, there were no sidewalks or paved streets, gasoline stations or highways.  The first local sightings of automobiles and their forerunners were noted with interest and pride. 

Plainfield Innovates

Few imagined that the automobile would have such a dramatic impact on Plainfield and the nation. Their possible universal use was not immediately recognized. In the beginning only the wealthy could afford such rarities.  The Locomobile one of the first motor cars was first sighted in Plainfield in 1899. It sported an expensive steam driven engine, which made it very heavy so that it did not move very fast. As these new machines began to roll into town, life would soon change forever to make way for these luxuries that are now a necessity of daily suburban living.

Soon Plainfield became the home and host of some of the most important experimenters, inventors, designers, racers and makers of these horseless carriages and their parts. These included such people as Clarence Spicer, the Chevrolet brothers, Samuel Rushmore, Robert Bosch, and Walter Stillman.

American Motors and the International Car Company as well as dozens of car dealers opened in Plainfield in the first decade of the 20th century.

American Motors which opened in 1916, manufactured a model called American from 1916-1924 in Plainfield. In 1920 American Motors built a record 1500 cars. The company merged with Bessemer in 1923 to become Amalgamated Motors.

The head of their engineering department and Vice President was Louis Chevrolet whose designs would have a nationwide impact upon the car industry.  He had come from Switzerland to the land of opportunity with little or no education but experience in mechanics.  He was soon recognized nationwide as an accomplished racecar driver.  He founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company with William Durant. He designed a striking six-cylinder touring car called the Chevrolet, which was later bought out by General Motors.

His designs included the middle of the floor gearshift, the roll bar for racing cars, the flexible steering wheel and four-wheel brakes.  Though a talented engineer, Chevrolet was obsessed with making a faster and safer racecar rather than the touring or luxury cars produced by American.  Louis and his brother Gaston started in a 250 mile Chicago automobile race in 1917.  They both drove specially designed racecars made by American Motors.