Hoosier Hundred.

AuthorGOULD, TODD

A century of Indiana innovations

On January 1, 1900, Indiana celebrated the birth of a new century and looked forward to a future of seemingly limitless possibilities. The Indianapolis Star, founded in 1903, once quoted a national business journalist who saw the state and its capital city of Indianapolis as a land of great promise, noting that "her wealth and trade increase materially day by day." He proudly stated that the Hoosier state was "the Queen of Central Western States."

Business, science, entertainment... all would see unprecedented growth during the century. Each decade produced a number of Indiana innovations and Indiana innovators whose works transformed American society.

The following is a retrospective of 100 innovations born, inspired or created by Hoosiers in the fields of automotive transportation, manufacturing, science and health, food products, retail and services, and sports and entertainment. Listed in no particular order, The Hoosier Hundred simply celebrates each accomplishment on its own individual merit, giving historical heart to the phrase "Made in Indiana."

ON THE MOVE

Hoosier playwright and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Booth Tarkington made a sweeping prediction about the burgeoning automobile industry in his 1919 novel The Magrnficent Ambersons, "They [automobiles] are here, and almost all outward things are going to be different because of what they bring."

Throughout the century, nearly 250 different makes and models of cars were manufactured in Indiana. During the early years of the 20th century, Indiana was the nation's leading auto manufacturer, producing such renowned brands as Stutz, Duesenberg, Auburn, Cole and Studebaker. Then Henry Ford's mass-production lines made the Model "T" ubiquitous and put Detroit on the map.

Today, Indiana workers produce Toyota pickups (and soon, sport-utility vehicles) in Princeton, Chevrolet and GMC pickups in Fort Wayne, various Subaru and Isuzu models in Lafayette and Hummers in Mishawaka. The landscape is dotted with parts plants operated by General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and their subsidiaries and spinoffs, including Allison Transmission, Visteon, Delphi Delco Electronics, Delco Remy and Guide. Joining them are such big Indiana-based players as Arvin Industries and Cummins Engine, as well as countless foreign and domestic suppliers. Transportation is Indiana's biggest manufacturing sector; and the state is the third-largest producer of motor vehicle parts, but first in such areas as engines, truck bodies and vehicular lighting.

As you enjoy your smooth ride into work tomorrow morning, consider the contributions of these Hoosier automotive pioneers.

Elwood Haynes--He was a high school principal from Kokomo, and he was among the first to conceive the notion of the "horseless carriage" in 1891. On July 4, 1894, Elwood Haynes boarded his own creation, dubbed the "Pioneer," and made automotive history as he chugged at a stately 7 mph down Kokomo's dusty Pumpkinville Pike. Though he technically created the "Pioneer" in the final years of the 19th century, few would question Haynes' influence on 20th century culture.

Carl G. Fisher--If there was any one person who captured the bravado and ballyhoo of the early 20th century, it was Carl Graham Fisher. The Indianapolis entrepreneur was one of the co-founders of the Prest-O-Lite Corp., the first manufacturer of automobile headlights. Prest-O-Lite made Fisher a millionaire. But his wild promotional antics made him famous. Once as an early automobile salesman for Stoddard-Dayton, he attached a car to a giant hot air balloon and floated it over downtown Indianapolis. He purchased thousands of acres of swampland in Florida and developed it into the modern-day resort town of Miami Beach. And he had the original vision to create a grand auto racing event, "the greatest spectacle in racing," the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

Frank and Perry Remy--The two Anderson engineers developed the first automotive ignition system. Today Delco Remy International, a spinoff of General Motors Corp., is the latest successor to Frank and Perry's legacy.

First Carburetor--Elwood Haynes' initial experiments with automobiles sparked the enthusiasm of several other Kokomo car innovators. One was George Kingston, who invented the first automotive carburetor in 1902.

Henry and Clement Studebaker--Their legacy spanned more than a century, from Conestoga wagons to luxury sedans. Brothers Henry and Clement Studebaker owned and operated a blacksmith shop in South Bend in 1852, fashioning the wagons used by pioneers to help settle the West, Five decades later, Studebaker branched out into the production of the "horseless carriage," producing automobiles that soon earned a reputation for fine craftsmanship. By the time the last model rolled off the assembly lines in 1964, the Studebaker Corp. had grown to become Indiana's largest automaker and the nation's fifth largest.

Pneumatic tire--Another automotive pioneer from Kokomo, D.C. Spraker invented the first pneumatic rubber tire for commercial sale.

Vincent Bendix--In 1923, South Bend business and marketing wizard Vincent Bendix teamed with French inventor Henri Perrot to create the first car braking device that safely applied all four wheel brakes simultaneously.

Richard Hood Arvin--In the early 1920s, Richard Hood Arvin, a salesman with the Indianapolis Air Pump Co., invented the first successful auto heater. Today his legacy lives on at Arvin Industries of Columbus.

James Allison--James Allison was a founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was run in 1911. Allison's race team became the foundation for what would become Indianapolis-based General Motors divisions Allison Gas Turbine (now Rolls Royce Allison) and Allison Transmission.

Joseph Cole--An Indianapolis carriage manufacturer, Cole engineered his new automobile to make steering much easier. Cole cars were often hyped as "The Man's Car That Any Woman Can Drive."

Arthur Newby and Charles Test--The two former bicycle manufacturers and founders of National Auto & Electric and Waverly Electric of Indianapolis pioneered the notion of electric cars and car components in 1909.

Fred Zollner--fresh out of school in 1931, young Fred Zollner convinced his father to move their eight-man metal manufacturing plant from Duluth, Minnesota, to Fort Wayne, where the younger Zollner began to make automotive pistons. An upstart bus company took "the Kid" up on his offer, signing an exclusive agreement. That company, the Greyhound Corp., took off, making Zollner a millionaire and growing the plant to 1,800 workers.

David Parry--By 1909, the Parry Auto Co. was producing 5,000 cars annually, second only to Henry Ford. Parry was also the president of the Indiana Manufacturers Association and the pioneer of the "open-shop" movement to promote higher-paying jobs without joining labor unions.

Simplicity Auto Co.--In 1906, this Evansville-based corporation was the first to develop the "honeycomb" radiator design, allowing for greater airflow to the car engine. This design is still in use today by most of the world's leading automotive manufacturers.

Delphi Delco Electronics--In 1947, General Motors' Delco Radio Division had introduced the first successful signal-seeking car radio. Ten years later, the company developed the first transistor car radio. Now a division of Delphi Delco Corp., the Kokomo company is one of the world's leading automotive electronics firms, helping rank Indiana first in the nation in car electronics equipment.

Clessie Lyle Cummins--In an effort to promote his new diesel-powered engine design, Clessie Lyle Cummins made the first interstate trip (from Indianapolis to New York) in a diesel automobile in May 1930. Cummins then applied his diesel technology to farm implements. The first tractor to be powered by an American-made engine was an Allis-Chalmers, with power provided by Cummins Engine Co. of Columbus.

Charles Teetor--In 1907, this Hagerstown entrepreneur's company began production of piston rings for the new automotive industry in Indiana. First known as Indiana Piston Ring, Teetor soon changed the name to Perfect Circle, now part of the Dana Corp. Teetor's company was also instrumental in the engineering that helped create the electronic cruise control on today's automobiles.

The Hummer--In 1903 the Standard Wheel Co. of Terre Haute began, to manufacture and market the world's first "rough terrain" vehicles. By the 1940s the company developed large military contracts to create the first Jeeps during World War II. The company, now known as AM General, embarked on a new military contract in 1982, building the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle--or Hummvee. By 1992 commercial "Hummers" became available, just as the company produced its 100,000th military machine.

SCIENCE AND MEDICINE

American science experienced a grand awakening during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Edison Pasteur, Bell... all succeeded in a remarkable race to patent their latest inventions. Several noted Hoosiers and Indiana companies earned their place in science and medical history with innovations that revolutionized American society.

Philo T. Farnsworth--One day while plowing his family's potato field, 15-year-old Philo Farnsworth came up with the notion of scanning visual images electronically with the same "back-and-forth" motion he was creating in the potato field. In 1927, he applied his vision to create the world's first electronic television. Sales of Farnsworth Corp. TV sets were just starting to take off when America entered World War II. By the time the war ended, his patents had run out and RCA took command of the market. But TV was not the only innovation from this brilliant scientist, inventor and Fort Wayne businessman. Farnsworth also developed the baby incubator, the gastroscope, infrared "night vision" goggles, aviation radar technology, and an...

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