Over the next twenty years the automobile went from a luxury or curiosity to an essential part of the American society.  The first cars were convertibles similar to horse drawn carriages.  Drivers wore goggles, driving gloves, scarves and often driving jackets. 

And Then Came The Car....

Plainfield was transformed.  It’s streets changed dramatically with this sudden burst of growth. The town began to experience daily hustle and bustle as each new mode of transportation vied for space on downtown streets. Horses, bicycles, wagons, streetcars, and carriages dodged streetcars and an occasional motor car.  On one intersection it was not unusual to see a horse drawn carriage carrying ice, two trolleys passing, delivery wagons, hacks, automobiles, and pedestrians converging.   There were continual problems without an organized support system of roads, repairs, signage, traffic regulations, driving lessons and licenses. 

Ladies Drive Too
Driving was by no means a men’s-only arena. Ladies also began to get behind the wheel. As many women got the vote, they also learned to drive. Women’s skirt hemlines inched up and as fashion trends often dictate the market, their preference for closed body cars was satisfied.

The Automobile Changes Everything
Cars became status symbols. Every parade began with a new fleet of parading politicians in automobiles.

A great demand for affordable transport was met by manufacturers such as the Ford Motor Company. As mass production became a possibility Plainfield became not only the location of car manufacturers, but also a center for design and parts manufacturing. Rushmore of Plainfield designed a steam engine car by adjusting a Ford Coupe.

Watch Out For Accidents!
The addition of motor vehicles to Plainfield thoroughfares in the beginning made for all sorts of problems. Horses, trains, trolleys, motorcars and pedestrians all had to coexist in the same space. Accidents were commonplace especially because road codes were not fully developed to handle the new traffic issues.