One of the most neglected aspects of American automobile history is the fact that motor cars with carriage or wagon-type bodies continued to be made in their original, carriage form even though the automobile, with its motor, mechanics and driving apparatus had reached a much higher stage of development.  There was a need for such vehicles for farmers, mail carriers, country doctors, and traveling salesmen.  In its infancy the American automobile industry was centered in the Midwest, where there were miles of rutted, rocky, muddy, dirt country roads.  The high wheeler was invented for these conditions.   But in addition, Henry K. Holsman also took great pride in his automobile’s successful performance in the Algonquin Hill Climbing Contest in Algonquin, Illinois.

A Chicago architect, Henry K. Holsman, (1866-1963) readily qualifies as the “father of the Highwheeler” – for it was Mr. Holsman who introduced, in 1902, the car that inspired the flood of Highwheeler cars beginning some five years later. They reached their peak from 1904-1909; with the Holsman Automobile Company of Chicago, the industry leader.  Then the Model T Ford, with its smaller wheels for city driving, took over the automobile market.

Henry K. Holsman was born in Dale, Iowa on July 3, 1866.  Following his education at the local schools, he entered and studied architecture at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, graduated and practiced his profession for 65 years.  Among the major buildings he designed were the Science Building at Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin, the Bacterial Laboratory and the Devine Deciples Hall at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; the Sociology Building at the University of Danville, Danville, Illinois.;  All of which are included in some 20 college buildings; 10 churches; 6 banks; and over 1,000 private homes.

Trimming Department

Paint Shop

Motor Assembly

A Highwheeler is, by the simplest definition, an early automobile equipped with high, solid-tired buggy wheels.  The earlier highwheelers were, in fact, merely standard buggies modified and equipped with a simple motor and transmission.  Some later versions became more elaborate, adding the outward trappings and mechanical characteristics of their more high-priced pneumatic autos.  But the buggy wheels and basically simple but sturdy principals of construction were retained.  Henry K. Holsman wanted a usable, sturdy car that was inexpensive to buy and easy to maintain, so that all the people, especially the hardworking men and women of America could afford one.  Henry K. Holsman introduced the Holsman highwheeler to the public at the Chicago Automobile Show in January 1903.  The first cars manufactured and advertised were Design Number 3 which sold at $625, a single seated vehicle, Design Number 4 which sold at $700, a design number 3 with an additional seat attached to the rear of the body and heavier construction; plus an economy version, Design Number 5, which sold for at $525, a stripped model 3, using long distance plain axle bearings rather than the Timken roller bearings, a single chain drive between the crankshaft and the jack shaft rather than mat, fenders or lamps.  These changes to the Number 5 were made to obtain a cost lower than the other two models, thus a lower selling price which, it was hoped, would appeal to a larger group of potential purchasers.  The Design Number 3 body was curved at the front and obviously, rather expensive to manufacture.  So, on the 1^st of August, 1904, Holsman introduced a revised model 3 using the piano body, which is the one most extant to this date.  There was only one complete early model 3 known, that was in the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan until it burnt down.

Holsman’s pattern did not vary greatly over the years; a simple buggy-styled vehicle, light weight, with high, buggy wheels; driven by a two-cylinder four cycle air cooled motor, horizontal opposed; with final “rope” drive that was immediately a source of wonder and amusement to onlookers.  The rope drive was, in fact, an important feature of the Holsman, for it was both cheap, light and effective.  A rope loop connected a small pulley on the jack shaft to a large sheave or hoop fixed to the rear wheel – and only a little smaller in diameter than the wheel itself.  All controls were operated by a single lever, which also controlled reverse – by simply moving the jack shaft position so that small auxiliary pulley wheels engaged the rear wheel tires directly.  Holsman is credited with the remarkable achievement of designing the gear “reverse” and incorporating it in his automobile and his patent.

Although the market for highwheelers was to develop slowly, the Holsman was successful from the outset.  First and second place victories at the Algonquin, Illinois, hill climb gave the company good sales for years.  Low maintenance and low operating costs, and an absence of tire troubles and expense were important features too, as was the Holsman’s ability to go almost anywhere.  This latter attribute was responsible for the firm’s rather lengthy slogan, “High Wheels Travel All Roads Because All Roads Are Made To Be Traveled By High Wheels.”  Physically, the highwheeler owes its existence to two important facts: 1. There were hundreds of firms in the United States at the turn of the Century manufacturing common buggies.  Many of these firms could see the trend of events as the automobile established itself; but few were equipped to manufacture anything but simple buggies.  2. During the decade following the appearance of the pioneer Lambert, Duryeas and Haines automobiles, a number of manufacturers appeared on the scene offering good, reliable stock gasoline motors to the trade.  Thus there were buggy manufacturers actively seeking new ways to sell buggies to an auto-conscious public; and motor manufacturers anxious to sell their wares to anyone in the trade; and the combination spelled “Highwheelers.”

By the time of the highwheelers surge to popularity in 1907, the Holsman was a tried-and-true product.  During the winter of 1904-1906, Holsman and his fishing buddy, D.H. Byran, a medical doctor, had developed a wrapped chain cable for the driving mechanism that was an improvement over the old ropes – which suffered from wet weather.  The Holsman Model 4 Runabout was popular.  It was sold as an “all year round automobile with an 18 inch clearance and sold for $550.00.

Holsman cars did not undergo radical year-to-year change, yet there were improvements from time to time in design.  A closed coupe body was added, and the surrey was redesigned on a longer wheelbase – with doors for the rear passengers.  Surprisingly, prices were trimmed slightly.  Holsman’s thought was for his customers, not for his own profits.

Major mechanical changes were made in 1909.  An entirely new two cylinder opposed motor, case en bloc and produced 12 4/5 hp. from the same 4x4 bore and stroke.  The motor shaft acted as the jack shaft, according direct drive with “no gear troubles.”  A nickel-chrome naked friction chain replaced the wrapped cable.  Cylinder heads screwed into the cylinders for easy removal.  This chassis was now known as the Model K; thus the surrey, for instance, became Model 11-K.  A new chassis was added to the line, Model H, featuring a four-cylinder “all new” 26 hp.  motor that was equipped entirely with ball-and-roller bearings.

The new “H” class chassis was offered chiefly in commercial vehicles, there being a choice of an open express or closed panel for $900 or $1,050.

To Holsman’s disappointment, his auto company failed in 1910, and he returned to his first love: architecture.  His firm, Holsman & Holsman, was located at 140 Dearborn Street in Chicago, Illinois.1

Over his lifetime he designed more than 1,000 homes, 10 churches, six banks and a number of college buildings, including those at Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa.

In Hyde Park, Chicago Henry K. Holsman designed apartment buildings, particularly designated for junior faculty at the University of Chicago.  Among his buildings are:

5712 S. Kenwood

5617-19 S. Dorchester

1149-59 E. 56^th Street

1321 E. 56^th Street

1330-32 E. 56^th Street

7855-61 So. Shore Drive2

The Chapel of the Holy Grail, at the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago, 1156 East 57^th Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA.   Henry K. Holsman, architect and Elizabeth Tuttle Holsman, designer and painter of religious events on the ceiling

"Merry Old Mobiles on Parade" by Hi Sibley. Copyright 1951.  Goodheart Wilcox Co., Inc, Chicago