Inter-State Automobiles
By: Susan Smith
The early 1900’s saw a national surge of independent automobile manufacturers as the industry developed. Muncie was no exception and one of the local companies was Inter-State. In September 1908 it was announced that a new automobile factory would be built in Muncie on West Willard Street, and by December the company had started production. In 1909, the business was incorporated as the Inter-State Automobile Company. Several local businessmen were stockholders, to include all five Ball Brothers.
Stock certificate, Minnetrista Heritage Collection
The cars were shown at both New York and Chicago and were a “hit” at the 1909 Chicago show. That same year, they found popularity as racecars and three endurance races were won by drivers of Inter-State’s.
The company struggled for several years then went into receivership in 1913 but remained locally owned and was renamed Inter-State Motor Company. In a 1915 marketing event, the company hosted the second ever (known, in the U.S.), “drive away day”. Fifty-six dealers from around Indiana, and one from Ohio, came to see the cars and thirty-one were driven away with orders for more. The event included factory tours, dinner at the Delaware Hotel, a parade, and filming of the “drive away.”
Inter-State factory interior, Minnetrista Heritage Collection
During WWI, the company acquired a government contract to build tractors (tanks). In 1918, after the war, the plant did not retool to produce cars again, so all the spare parts and machinery were moved and stored at Ball Brothers in one of the factory warehouses on 12th Street. It would be interesting to know what happened to all those parts, if they were eventually recycled, sold off, junked, or scrapped for metal during WWII.
At least two Ball family members owned Inter-State cars. George A. Ball owned a 1917 T Model roadster. A 1952 Ball Line article mentioned that Guy Dickason, manager of the Ball Brothers Company garage, was having the car serviced so that it could be in a parade celebrating the centennial of the Delaware County Fair. They were having trouble finding the right size tires and tubes, 33 x 4 in., and if they could not be located, the car would only be on display. They were able to find tires and the car was driven in the parade. Dick Greene mentioned George’s car in a May 1950 Star Press article and a 1959 article indicated that the car was sold in 1955 after George’s death but also noted that George may have actually owned two Inter-State cars.
Edmund F. Ball recounted that the first time he drove to the family’s vacation home in Leland, Michigan (as opposed to taking the train or riding with someone else), it was in an Inter-State car. The trip took two and a half days!
Postcard depicting the “Bull Dog” Model, in front of the E. B. Ball home, Minnetrista Heritage Collection
Ed also later owned an Inter-State automobile which he purchased from Larry Hart in Dallas, Texas. Larry was a relative of Thomas F. Hart who was the President and General Manager of Inter-State when it was incorporated in 1909. At the time Ed purchased the vehicle it was believed to be the only Inter-State in existence with all of the original parts and no restoration work. The car is a five-passenger touring Series T model, meaning it has a four-cylinder T-head Beaver engine, made by the Beaver Manufacturing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There are two dates for this car: news articles date it as a 1915 but it is listed in Ed’s will as a 1916 model.
Ed drove the one he purchased from Larry Hart - it was not a concourse car - and is pictured here in a 1976 ceremonial drive from the old Ball Brothers main office on Macedonia to the new headquarters building in downtown Muncie. In 1977 he loaned the car to the Muncie Children’s Museum but bequeathed it to Minnetrista Cultural Center (now Minnetrista Museum and Gardens) with the understanding that when the Children’s Museum did not want to display it anymore, it would go to Minnetrista. When the new Courtyard hotel was connected to the convention center on the Children’s Museum side of the building, the car was movedto Minnetrista where it was on display in the Orchard Shop building for a short time before being moved to storage.
Edmund F. Ball in front of old headquarters building, 1976, Minnetrista Heritage Collection
Although the company was not in business for an extended period of time, they did produce a couple of company newspapers, The Inter-State Steering Wheel, started in 1912, and the Inter-State Bulletin, printed circa 1914. There was even a company basketball team!
Basketball team, Minnetrista Heritage Collection
The Inter-State factory building became part of the Delco Remy Battery plant. During the company’s approximately ten-year existence about 10,000 cars were built and sold. Quite a few survived and it is still possible to find an Inter-State through car auction and sale listings.