One day in October of 1908, Dr. L. Anton Smith was discussing matters automotive with his friends at the Denver Auto Club in Denver, Colorado. They were debating whether an ascent of Pike’s Peak was possible at that time of the year in such snowy conditions. Though the “road” was barely passable for horse drawn vehicles, Smith surprisingly suggested a Great Smith touring car could make the ascent. As president of the Smith Automobile Company of Topeka, Kansas, Smith knew his vehicles were not just luxurious, they were reliable. But the quality workmanship that allowed the car to conquer Pike’s Peak ultimately became its weakness. Unable to compete with the cheap vehicles produced by Ford, the Smith Auto Co. closed its doors in 1911. A series of rare Smith Auto Co. catalogs are now available on Kansas Memory.
These thirteen illustrated catalogs published in Topeka, Kansas, between 1904-1911 are available in full color. They provide detailed descriptions of different models of vehicles and their component parts, as well as many automobile supplies and accessories.
For more information on the 1908 Pike’s Peak expedition, see Pike’s Peak or Bust.
For photographs and other materials on the Smith Automobile Co., select the categroy Business and Industry - Automotive - Production - Smith