The Inter-State was a Brass Era car

Brass Era car

The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It extends from the first commercial automobiles marketed in the 1890s until about World War I...

 built in Muncie, Indiana

Muncie, Indiana

Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...

 by Inter-State Automobile Company from 1909 to 1919.

History

Thomas F. Hart announced in October 1908 the winning name of his new company, chosen via a contest. The Inter-State Automobile Company set up shop at 142 Willard Street. Ads stated "we could get more for this car." Originally, all Inter-States were mid-market, both in size and price, with four-cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...

 engines. In 1913, 6-cylinder engines were added.

Company name

Unfortunately receivership

Receivership

In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...

 followed in the fall of 1913. Thomas Hunt cited "internal dissention and his inability to secure working capital because of disagreement among stockholders." In February 1914, Frank C. Ball

Ball Brothers

The Ball brothers were the founders of the Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Business which eventually became Ball Corporation. They greatly improved the quality of life of Muncie, Indiana through their philanthropy and business. They were instrumental in the creation of Ball State University, and...

 (one of the original Inter-State investors) bought the Inter-State factory and real estate. This resulted in a renaming of the parent company to the Inter-State Motor Company.

General Motors

In 1915, a new Beaver 4-cylinder low-priced car was released. By May 1918, automobile production was suspended in favor of war

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 work. In late February 1919, F.C. Ball announced he would be resuming passenger car production, but by March of the same year, Ball sold the Inter-State factory to General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

 for them to produce their new Sheridan

Sheridan (automobile)

The Sheridan was a brand of American automobile manufactured from 1920-1921. Manufacture of the car was based in Muncie, Indiana.The Sheridan nameplate has the distinction of being the first automotive brand started from scratch by General Motors...

.

Advertisements