January 2003
Early
Auto Shows and Their Programs
Origins
Automobile shows officially began in
1900, with the New York Automobile Show and the Boston Automobile
Show. Both of these evolved from annual bicycle shows that had
become popular in the latter part of the 19th century. The New
York City cycle show of 1899 was the first to use the word automobile
in its title when it announced its Fourth Annual Cycle and Automobile
Exhibition. This exhibition, held in Madison Square Garden in
late January of 1900, featured seven electric vehicles, two
gasoline-powered vehicles, and a gasoline tricycle.
Chicago and Philadelphia both took notice
of the popularity of these shows, establishing their own exhibitions
in 1901. The Philadelphia show had the distinction of being
the first to specifically forbid the entry of bicycle manufacturers.
Detroit, now considered the home of the
automobile, seems to have presented its first show in 1901,
as part of the Detroit Automobile and Sportsman Show. The Detroit
Auto Dealers Association officially took over the show in 1907,
hosting 17 exhibitors in a local beer garden with a total of
33 vehicles.
Buffalo and Cleveland presented shows
in 1903. Washington, D.C. and Rochester, New York followed suit
in 1904. Los Angeles brought auto shows to the West Coast in
1905, and was probably the first to host an auto show in a tent.
By 1910 The Cycle and Automobile Journal listed over
40 cities across the United States and Canada to offer annual
automobile exhibitions.
Most of the early shows were put on by
local business groups, dealer and trade associations, or the
manufacturers themselves. But by World War I, the manufacturers
felt that the dealers and local businesses reaped the greatest
benefit from these events and the manufacturers stopped sponsoring
them. Most shows ran for about a week, either in the late fall
or early winter. They featured not only the latest automobiles
and trucks but also a diverse array of accessories, since a
vehicle’s driver often doubled as its mechanic!
New shows were added through the 1920’s
and 30’s, and their popularity grew. Shows became larger,
with more sophisticated marketing and more spectacular entertainment.
Origins
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January 2003 Pic of the Month
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