A Sightseer's Guide to EngineeringNational Society of Professional EngineersNational Engineer's Week
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In 1900, Frank Eckhart decided to build a "horseless" carriage. He used off-the-shelf industrial machinery for his prototype, and, by 1903, was ready to introduce his new Auburn to the national market. It featured a 78" wheel base and 56"-wide tread, which gave it a smoother ride. Why? Because it matched the buggy and wagon ruts in the dirt roads.


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INDIANA Printable version
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum
1600 South Wayne Street
Auburn, IN 46706-3509
219/925-1444
Web Site
Tour the museum, located in Auburn's 1930 Art Deco factory showroom. Admission: $7; students $4.50. 
Hours of Operation: Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving, Dec. 25, and Jan. 1. Need a map?
Founded in 1874, the Eckhart Carriage Company was a successful manufacturer of horse-drawn carriages. Frank Eckhart had not only the foresight but also the engineering ability to steer the buggy company into the "Age of the Automobile." His Auburn Automobile Company prospered, particularly after E.L. Cord was brought in to run the business. Cord was both inventive and astute, and in 1929 created his own company, which, among other things, bought out the Duesenberg Automobile Co. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg museum features the classic cars produced by these companies and their competitors during the 1920s and '30s.
 
Who Made It: Frank Eckhart, E.L. Cord, and others.
 
Photo Credit: Courtesy: Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum