Although they didn’t create the first automobile in the world, Charles and Frank Duryea were the first to not only build one in the United States, but they also had the first automobile company in the United States. The Duryea Motor Wagon Company manufactured and sold automobiles. Based on these accomplishments alone, it can be argued that the Duryea brothers are the pioneers of the unofficial reform of transportation in America. The brothers were in the bicycle-making industry when their careers first started. At this point in time, the 1880s, the bicycle was one of the most popular means for getting around, in addition to the railroad of course. The elder brother, Charles Edgar Duryea, was known for being very inventive, and even created what he called a “sylph,” which was a bicycle that had the steering levers on the sides of the seat and a smaller wheel in front.1
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Because of his creativity along with his niche for the bicycle industry, he naturally became interested in bigger and better things, such as the automobile. James Frank Duryea was also a very talented mechanic, so naturally the brothers worked very well together.
In 1886, at an Ohio state fair, Charles came across a gasoline engine. Being the inventor he was, Charles immediately got the idea to use that engine to power a carriage or wagon. It wasn’t until 1891, however, that Charles completed the design.2 Immediately after, Frank began turning that design into a reality. Keep in mind, this design was just that—a design, and most likely a prototype at that. While building the car, Frank found some flaws in the design, but he also came up with solutions to them while Charles was away. By 1893, the brothers had finished building and testing their automobile in Springfield, Massachusetts. The final product was just a buggy with an engine, but that was just the beginning.3 The brothers both claimed that they were the main contributors to the vehicle and some head-butting began.
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By 1895, the brothers completed an improved version of the car. Many believe that Frank was the one who contributed the most for this automobile. On November 28 that same year in Chicago, Illinois, Jackson Park hosted America’s first-recorded automobile race. It was a 54-mile-long race that went from Chicago to Evanston, IL. There was a total of six cars participating in the snowy race. After roughly ten hours, the improved Duryea car came in first place with an average speed of 7.3 mph. In addition to bragging rights, the Duryea brothers also won the prize of $2,000.4
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Some time later, near the end of 1896, the brothers established their own company and sold thirteen copies of the winning car. However, the company did not last very long. Surely the speculation about who contributed more was a factor, but there were also theories about Charles wanting to move the company to Detroit, but the brothers didn’t have the money to do so. However it happened, they split up and both went on to continue contributing to automobiles.
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In 1904, Frank Duryea and Joshua Stevens established the Stevens-Duryea company manufacturing automobiles. Frank helped create the first six-cylinder car, and he also contributed to the limousine, which sold well into the 1920’s. Needless to say, Frank became very successful because of his career with automobiles. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1996. Charles, on the other hand, was not so successful. After numerous failed attempts in the automobile industry after the split with his brother, he ended up settling as an editor for Automobile Trade Journal.5 Even though it seems that they weren’t as successful as Henry Ford or Karl Benz, the brothers are truly the forgotten pioneers for automobiles in America.
- Richard P. Scharchburg, Carriages Without Horses: J. Frank Duryea and the Birth of the American Automobile Industry (Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., 1993) 162. ↵
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013, s.v. “Charles E. Druyea and J. Frank Duryea.” ↵
- Frank Duryea, “America’s First Automobile Race, 1895,” American Eras: Primary Sources (Detroit, Gale 2013), 428. ↵
- Mary Bellis, “The Duryea Brothers of Automobile History,” Historical Car Manufacturers, September 6, 2017, https://www.thoughtco.com/duryea-brothers-automobile-history-1991577 . ↵
- Charles Carey, “Duryea Bros. Build 1st US Motorcar, Despite Themselves,” New England Historical Society, http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/duryea-brothers-build-1st-us-motorcar-despite/ . ↵
33 comments
Sabrina Hsu
I always thought Henry Ford was the first person to build a car and start a company so it was really interesting to learn that it was actually the Duryea brothers. It’s sad that they weren’t as successful as Henry Ford because they ended up splitting but they still deserve the attention of being the first pioneers of automobiles. I’m really glad I read this article and learned about them and what they accomplished.
Dylan Coons
Thank G-d someone wrote about this. People give way to much-undeserved credit to the antisemite Henry Ford. Anyway, it’s very sad that the brothers ended up going their separate ways. I would have been a little interested in learning more about the brothers after they have split up, but other than that, this was a great article and I’m glad I took the time to read it.
Natalie Thamm
This was a really interesting article. Before reading it, I had mistakenly associated the building and design of cars to Henry Ford, not realizing that it was something much larger than I had thought. The story of the Duryea brother’s is definitely a bit sad though, as the brothers had their differences and split up, leaving one to be successful and the other to not. I do wish though that there was a little more insight into their relationship after they split the business.
Alyssa Garza
This article was very interesting since I had forgotten about these brothers, they helped transportation go by smoother thanks to their calibration. Frank truly knew and understood automobiles and continued to pursue his passion after splitting up with his brother. Further our understanding of cars back then leads to the car we have today, and we continue to improve our cars.
Faten Al Shaibi
It is nice to know some information about people who have developed the most important inventions for the age, the car. It is also nice to know how much the car has evolved. I did not believe that the fastest car was 7.3 mph. This makes us think about how cars will be after 20 years… More developed than what is now? I hope that.
Jose Fernandez
This article is great. We see hundreds of cars every single day and we don’t stop to wonder where they came from. I think the Duryea brothers did something amazing, considering the technology they had available. It is a shame that they ended up splitting up. However, their legacy will be alive forever. The article is very well written and the images are very helpful to understand the designs of the Duryea brothers.
Crystal Baeza
It’s always interesting to read about inventors and their success afterwards. The Duryea brothers changed the way people were transported. It’s crazy how much technology has changed throughout the centuries. If it wasn’t for the brothers who knows if we would have been this far evolved with vehicles. This was a nice article!
Esperanza Rojas
This article was really fun to read, mostly because I assumed all the cars were transported from a different country. This is something that should be in United States history classes. It is kind of sad that both of the brothers split up, especially since they both made the automobile together and they made the company together. Especially since one didn’t officially accomplish his dreams.
Eric Ortega Rodriguez
This is article was astonishing. Specifically, because I have never heard of the Duryea brothers or their company. I find it bizarre how they were able to create an automobile that went over seven miles with their limited technology during the time. It is sad to see them split after company disagreements, it would be interesting to think how the automobile industry would have been affected if they have stayed together. Overall, this is a very fascinating article since it teaches readers of something the majority has never heard of before. Good work.
Greyson Addicott
After reading this article, I cannot believe that I have never heard of the “Duryea Motor Wagon Company” and its grand accomplishment. The vehicle that they created must have turned many heads in the early 20th century, and the fact that the race took an astonishing 10 hours would be laughable, if it were not, at the time, an insane speed for a machine. The brothers, it seems, literally created a horseless carriage at the end of the day. Nevertheless, the feat of creating an automobile is no easy task.