December 14th, 2010

A woman in a White Steamer

We uncovered this article from May 15, 1910 which originally appeared in the “Hospitality” social column of the Fort Smith Times Record.

While women are referred to as “maids and matrons” it is actually quite a positive article. The article says that women driving “seems quite the natural thing, but as a matter of fact this city counts an exceptionally large number of women who are devotees of the throttle and the spark.”

The cars mentioned were equally as exciting as the ladies driving them. Several women drove the White Steamer. Also mentioned was the Velie (the company was owned by the grandson of John Deere) and the Franklin (the founder Herbert Franklin invented die-casting).