November 14, 1914: First Dodge Automobile Built
Horace Dodge (left, rear) and John Dodge (right, rear) take delivery of the first Dodge automobile on Nov. 14, 1914.
One hundred and four years ago on this date –November 14, 1914 — the very first Dodge car, “Old Betsy”, rolled off the assembly line. On that day, the Dodge Brothers (Horace and John) were photographed riding in the rear seat of the first car to bear their last name. It cost $785, had a 110-inch wheelbase, and was powered by an L-head 4-cylinder engine that proved so reliable it was continued until 1920 with very little modification. Total production for 1914 was a mere 249 touring cars. The following year. Dodge offered a two-passenger roadster which also sold for $785 and the plant went into full production.
According to “The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy” by Charles K. Hyde, here’s the full story:
The widely accepted history of the initial production of early Dodge Brothers automobiles in November 1914 is at odds with much of the evidence about the earliest Dodge Brothers cars. Automotive historians have thought that the first production car, later named “Old Betsy,” came off the assembly line at the Hamtramck factory on 14 November 1914. Guy Ameel, superintendent of final assembly for Dodge Brothers since the start of automobile production, served as John and Horace’s chauffeur that day. With the brothers in the back seat, Ameel stopped the first Dodge Brothers car in front of John Dodge’s mansion on Boston Boulevard in Detroit and a photographer recorded this important moment.
“Old Betsy” was more likely an experimental prototype car assembled several months before 14 November 1914 and not a production car at all…
The Dodge Brothers
The Dodge Brothers began an aggressive advertising campaign to promote their new automobiles and to attract potential dealers to sell their cars. Few people jumped onto the Dodge Brothers bandwagon earlier than Lewis Reed, and not many have lasted longer.
Lewis Reed received his franchise to sell Dodge Brothers Motor Cars from John and Horace Dodge; less than one year after “Old Betsy” rolled off the assembly line. He was just 27 years old. Since then, the business grew and transformed into the oldest Dodge dealership in Maryland history and one of the oldest in the entire nation.
35 Years Ago Today, Chrysler Invented the Minivan, And Changed History
1984 Dodge Caravan
On November 2nd, 1983, the world’s first minivan rolled off of Chrysler’s assembly line. It was the vehicle that saved Chrysler from financial doom. When Ronald Reagan was president — the economy was far from robust and Chrysler was on death’s doorstep. Chrysler needed a home run, and Lee Iacocca, who was running the company at the time, gambled that the first wave of baby boomers who were starting families would likely want something roomier and far more practical than the traditional family hauler, the station wagon. Iacocca practically bet the company on the fact that a new automotive segment dubbed “the minivan” would catch on with the boomers. It was a $660-million gamble, only made possible by money acquired earlier from Washington’s $1.5-billion bailout of Chrysler.
Sales improved dramatically with the debut of the well-received K-car platform and the introduction of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. Chrysler paid off government loans seven years early. Reed Brothers successfully navigated through numerous Chrysler setbacks during the 1970’s and 80’s, including the first Chrysler Bailout and resurgence under Lee Iacocca.
The 1984 Dodge Caravan was designed specifically with families in mind. The early design looked like station wagons at the time, featuring a wood panel along the sides. The Caravan was essentially a big, roomy box on wheels, utilizing maximum form efficiency — small on the outside, huge on the inside.
1984 Dodge Caravan
The other distinguishing features of the new minivan were its car-like features – notably including power windows, comfortable interiors, a nice dashboard, and front-wheel drive. These also explain the appeal of the vehicle. Not only did it fit in a garage like a car, but it actually drove like a car, while also providing plenty of room for the kids and luggage and giving mom a nice, high view of the road. The sliding door made it easy to for people to quickly enter or exit the vehicle and, with its lack of hinges, the sliding door was seen as a safer option for children.
After The 1984 Dodge Caravan was released, it became an immediate success. The minivan helped bring the company back from the brink of bankruptcy, and it reinvigorated the automotive market. Many buyers had to wait weeks to have their orders filled because there was so much demand. Dodge created an entirely new market with the minivan, and other models soon followed suit.
Lee Iacocca, the mastermind of the minivan era, presented this 12,000-mile Voyager at the assembly line in Windsor, Canada on November 2, 1983. A truly game-changing vehicle…
Chrysler Buys Dodge
1928 Chrysler logo
May 28, 1928 marks an important milestone in the history of Chrysler. It was on this day in 1928 that Dodge Brothers, Horace and John Dodge, became a part of Chrysler. It was on this same date that Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers Dodge in Rockville, Maryland also became an original member of the Chrysler family.
During 1920, the Dodge Brothers company lost its founding fathers. John Dodge died in January, and his younger brother Horace succumbed the following December. A New York investment banking firm paid the brothers’ widows, in a single cash payment, $146 million for the Dodge Brothers firm. Within three years, the bankers initiated negotiations, and on May 28, 1928, Walter P. Chrysler purchased Dodge Brothers, Inc. for $170 million, making it, at the time, the largest business transaction in history. When the transaction was complete, the Chrysler Corporation had grown five-fold overnight to become the third of Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers.
The first Plymouth was built in 1928 and Plymouths were sold at Reed Brothers until 1969, when the Plymouth brand was given to the Chrysler dealers.
6 Years, 214 Posts & Thank You
Today marks the 6-year anniversary of this blog. It’s been an honor to share the history of Reed Brothers Dodge – whether you’ve read our blog, followed us on Twitter, or “liked” us on Facebook. I would like to thank those mentioned below, and many others, for their kind words and the visibility they have provided.
To help review the past year I thought I’d search around on the Internet and see what others have been saying about us.
Included among the posts on our Facebook page:
“So neat to be part of Reed Brothers History!“
“ What great memories. Thanks so much for sharing.“
“What a great piece of history.”
“The photos are amazing!”
“What a wonderful thing you are doing with these photos.”
“Thank you ever so much for all these RBD History posts. I certainly am enjoying them.”
” Thank you for your many fine and historic posts to this site.”
Online and in print:
- Curator of the Dodge Brothers exhibit at Meadow Brook Hall:
Thank you so much for your support of Meadow Brook and out Dodge initiatives this year. I’ve admired your wonderful blog and the history you share. As we continue to build a Dodge museum, I truly hope to be able to collaborate with you to have an exhibit about your family.
- Meadow Brook Magazine, Fall 2017: To show support to preserving the Dodge legacy, the author of this blog has “adopted” a Dodge car — a 1925 Dodge Brothers Depot Hackney — one of the historic vehicles in the Meadow Brook Hall Dodge Brothers automobile collection.
Meadow Brook Magazine, Fall 2017
Reed Brothers Dodge Featured in Montgomery Magazine: Reed Brothers was very proud and honored to be featured in the month of April/May 2017 Montgomery Magazine, historic landmarks “Then & Now” section. The black and white photograph is Reed Brothers Dodge located at its original location in Old Rockville at the triangle at Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike – close to 100 years ago – with “That Good Gulf” gasoline drive-through filling station and Dodge Brothers Motor Car and Graham Brothers Truck signage.
Reed Brothers Dodge located at its original location in Old Rockville at the triangle at Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike. The photo was taken by Lewis Reed in the late 1920s.
This is the dealership’s location today, now known as Veterans Park.
On National Television!
- Lewis Reed Photo in PBS Documentary: The Archival Producer for television’s most-watched history series, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE on PBS, found a photograph of the interior of a 1920’s trolley car taken by Lewis Reed and asked permission to use it in the documentary, “The Great War,” a six-hour, three-night event, that premiered Monday, April 10, through Wednesday, April 12, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into WWI.
Rare peak of the inside of a 1920’s trolley car and passengers featured in PBS documentary “The Great War”. Photo taken by Lewis Reed
Screen shot of credits from The American Experience series, “The Great War” on PBS
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank YOU for stopping by. I appreciate your patronage, whether it be via our blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or other social media.
Stories From The Past By Friends & Employees
A while ago, I put out a call for stories and memories from employees and friends of Reed Brothers. It has taken a while for me to compile them all, but I am delighted to share them with you now in this special post. Here is what they said.
John Hall – Mechanic
The mechanics at Reed brothers Dodge worked on the Flat Rate System of pay. That meant if there was no work, there was no pay. This was very difficult on a family man. There were times in the winter that we were lacking customers. Brownie, who was an excellent mechanic would bang a Torsion Bar on a metal trash can to get Phil Vetter’s, or one of the service advisers attention (a torsion bar is a steel bar that was used on Chrysler products in place of front springs.) The bar could be twisted to raise or lower the height of the vehicle. There was also no sick leave, or holiday pay offered through the dealership. I decided to write up a proposal to the president of the dealership, Lee Gartner via Phil Vetter. All of the mechanics signed the petition. After a period of negotiation back, and forth, Lee Gartner came back with an offer of 6 sick days a year at $20.00 a day, and the six major holidays at $40.00 a day. This does not seem like a lot of money now, but in the early seventies it was much appreciated. Reed Brothers was now one of very few dealerships at that time to offer sick, and holiday pay to flat rate mechanics.
When the state widened the roads in 1970, Reed Brothers relocated from its original facility at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike to new Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep service complex on Route 355 at 15955 Frederick Road. Many longtime customers followed them to the new location. One of them that I remember well is John Logan Seitz from his 1957 Dodge that he owned, and the spinner hubcaps were always getting stolen from the front of his house in Kensington, Md, before he moved to Potomac in 1971. He was still coming to Reed Brothers when I came back to work in 1999, and for many years after I left. He said all the Gartner’s were very nice, and the employees treated him well.
In the winter time when the doors were all shut in the shop, and the engines on more then one car was running, the fumes were so bad that we had to open the side employee entrance door and walk outside for some air. One morning Lee Gartner walked by, and said; What are you boys doing? Why aren’t you in the shop working? We said we needed some fresh air because of the fumes. After we complained about the fumes for awhile, OSHA came out, and measured the carbon monoxide level in the shop, and it was high. Shortly after that Lee Gartner installed a whole new exhaust vent system in the shop.
One time John Trammel drove a customers car through the front garage door because the brakes failed, and when he beeped the horn for someone to open the door, no one did. It was winter time. The Gartner kids were as young as me at the time, and I worked on all of their Demos. Lee used to water his plants, and read his newspaper usually standing up in the corner of the showroom, and then walk through the shop picking up trash. I think he controlled the heat in the shop for us. The shop was smaller then 30 bays in 1972. The building ended right behind the heavy truck lift. There was a radiator repair shop in the back of the Body Shop, and Nathan Howard used to repair many radiators there. He also kept a small garden in the field behind the shop. The body shop was much smaller then. Lee took us to Mealy’s restaurant in New Market for a Christmas dinner once in a Snowstorm. We were all dressed up. He said, “I didn’t know you boys could look so good.” There was a man named Robert who was the car painter. In those days painters had to breathe a lot of fumes. His beard was usually painted along with the car he was painting.
The shop was broken into in the 70’s and Ben McGowan’s tools were stolen, along with some other mechanics tools. Lee Gartner had us all inventory our tools, and in a few days replaced all the stolen tools.
Roger Camp – Mechanic
He said the shop was again broken into years later, and the thieves stole a box truck off the lot with a lift gate, and loaded all the tool boxes up in the shop into the truck. They also took a large sledge hammer out of the body shop, and tried to break open the office safe. They were never caught. Roger said Lee Gartner installed an alarm system shortly after, due to the insurance companies regulations.
Janice Beall Taylor
Both of my parents worked at Reed Brothers in the early 1930’s. My mother (Mary Anna Slater) was the book keeper, and my father (Leonard Beall) worked in the paint shop. At the beginning of WWII my dad was working in the Paint Shop at Reed’s, matching paint on cars that had been damaged. When the draft took place, Selective Service disqualified him because they said he was “colorblind”.
Daddy always told this story: In 1942, they only had one new car left to sell. It was up to him to back it into the showroom. He was in the driver’s seat, with the door open looking backwards to see where he was going, and he got too close to a support pole (and was probably going too fast!), and ripped the door right off the car! The last one! Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that Daddy left Reed’s and took a War job at National Airport until he opened his own business in 1944. I also remember my mom telling stories about riding to work with Mr. Raleigh Chinn after they moved into their new house on Anderson Ave. in 1938.
When the Goodyear Blimp came to visit Reed Brother’s in 1938 to promote tires I went up for a ride!! My mother worked as a bookkeeper at Reed’s when the Blimp came, and she was 8 1/2 months pregnant with me! She called her doctor (Dr. Hartley) and asked if it would be okay for her to go on the Blimp, and he said, “…only if I can go, too”. So she and Dr. Hartley and I rode along. Of course, I wasn’t born until 2 weeks later, but my mother and Dr. Hartley went up! My kids always thought it was neat that I’d been up in a blimp!!!
Robert Higdon (Assistant Service Manager)
I came to Reed Brothers Dodge a little over a year after spending three years in the Army serving in Vietnam 67-68. Reed Brothers Dodge was a part of my early life, but we all move on and change with the times. I was very sorry to see you lose your franchise. It wasn’t fair that it happened and now the building is gone too. Longevity should have played a part in you keeping the business. You all have played a big part in my life during those years and from time to time I think and remember some of the best times in my life were being your friend and co-worker.
Other Stories on Social Media
Tim B. Used to go into the service bay after school at St. Marys and get a Dr. Pepper and some Lance peanuts. Poured the peanuts into the Dr. Pepper and guzzled it down while watching mechanics work on cars. And it was a cool place for boys to hang out and watch cars get fixed. Very cool to a 4th grader.
Mark T. On the left side of Reed Bros. Dodge there was a concrete ramp going up to the second level. I used to play on it while my mom (Marie Thompson) crossed school kids from St. Mary’s to Richard Montgomery. She crossed Veirs Mill and the Pike for 30 years. The only time she missed is when she was pregnant with me in 1956.
John M. The first car I bought was a Dodge Dart Sport from Reed Brother’s. My dad went along with me to pick it out. I remember him asking me if I was sure I could afford it. I had just gotten my first teaching job. Never had another new car for the next 40 years. I loved that car. When I worked at United Auto Parts, I mixed the paint that the body shop painter used to paint Riggs Schultz’s sweet Plymouth — Go Mopar.
Michael B. I remember when the new car models would be snuck into Rockville at night and covered up every fall until the “release date” … I think back then it was October 1 …
John W. B. My parents bought their strangest car at Reed Brothers. A 1962 dart with a watermelon shaped steering wheel and push-button shifting.
Sally M. My first new car, a 1980 Dodge Colt came from Reed Brothers. My ’69 Chevy Laguna blew up at Lake Forest Mall the day my car arrived and Reed Brothers still honored the trade in.
Izetta W. T. Jeanne T. Gartner, my dad is George Waters. I remember him talking about you! Reed Brothers was like a big family. He enjoyed working there and the relationship with everyone. He was well respected there, as he would tell me of one of the Brothers personally asking him to help on a difficult job because he knew my dad had the skills to do it. Great memories.
Minnie W. S. Wow, thanks for this story. I remember we were Reed Brothers’ emergency number, which is why we could never tie up the phone. He loved working at Reed Brothers, was like a second family for him.
Thanks to everyone who responded with memories of the good years. I would love to see more if anyone else has any.
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Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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