MTFCA Forum

I am trying to identify the car in this photo. It was taken in 1899 in Shelby, NE being driven by the town doctor (the boy in the photo was my grandfather at age 9). I've looked all over and cannot come up with what this car was. Help!

From that left hand tiller, and the front cowl, no radiator grill, appears to be an early electric auto. A Baker or perhaps this Columbia electric, as the mudguard flares seem the same, the wheels are heavy for the battery weight on board. Think the earlier like 1900 or '01 used the hard rubber tread.

Your great-grandfather driving has added a large acetylene head lamp for perhaps he lived outside the town proper, and needed that for returns after sunset. Likely well off and farm was on the grid, or had kerosene generator station to re-charge the batteries on the electric!

1901-'02-'03 Columbia

Maybe konx