 1920 Monroe Model S Touring Car | |
| Company type | Automobile manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1914; 111 years ago (1914) |
| Founder | R. H. Moore |
| Defunct | 1923; 102 years ago (1923) |
| Fate | Bankrupt |
| Successor | Premier Motor Manufacturing Company |
| Headquarters | Flint, Michigan,Pontiac, Michigan,Indianapolis, Indiana, |
Key people | R.F. Moore, Billy Durant, William Small, Louis Chevrolet |
| Products | Automobiles |
Production output | 14,344 (1915-1923) |
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TheMonroe was aBrass Era andvintage car built inFlint, Michigan (1914–1916),Pontiac, Michigan (1916–1918), andIndianapolis, Indiana (1918–1923).
In the mid-teens, R. F. Monroe was head of the Monroe Body Company in Pontiac, whileWilliam C. Durant headedChevrolet in Flint. These two worked together to formMonroe Motor Company in Flint in August 1914. Monroe was president, while Durant was vice-president. There was a cross-stockholding arrangement between the Monroe and Chevrolet companies. Construction of theMonroe cars occurred in a plant formerly used by Chevrolet in Flint, and the Chevrolet company undertook to distribute the new Monroeautomobile. In April 1916, Durant resigned his vice-presidency, and the Monroe company moved into the formerWelch factory in Pontiac.[1]
The company was now reorganized as theMonroe Motor Car Company, with acapitalization increase to $1,000,000.[1] This company wentbankrupt in 1918. In the fall of the same year, theWilliam Small Company of Indianapolis bought the assets of the Monroe company. The Small company had previously distributed Monroes in Indianapolis. The Pontiac factory was now leased toGeneral Motors for production of theSamson truck. Monroe production was then carried out in Indianapolis only. The showroom was located at 602 N. Capitol Street in Indianapolis and the building still stands today.
The Monroe had started as a light, small car, with only open cars on offer. By 1918 they came equipped with an engine of the company's own design, and asedan was included in the price lists by 1918.[2] At this time,Louis Chevrolet was brought in by William Small as aconsultingengineer to "work out design problems for the Monroe car."[1] Chevrolet had little impact on the production Monroe car, but he did assemble seven race cars with Cornelius Van Ranst. Three of these were raced asFrontenacs, while the other four used the Monroe name.[1] Louis Chevrolet's brother,Gaston, won the 1920Indianapolis 500 in a Monroe. This was the first time an American carwon at theSpeedway since 1912. The Monroe team was the first to use radio communication to the driver in 1922. A car driven byWilbur D'Alene with mechanic Worth Schloeman was fitted with the radio equipment.[3]
Later the same summer, the William Small Company went intoreceivership. After variousrefinancings, theAmerican Fletcher National Bank of Indianapolis purchased the Monroe assets in January 1922. In March of the next year,Strattan Motors Corporation bought the Monroe company. Frank E Strattan, the owner of Strattan Motors, was rumored to be also considering purchasing thePremier factory, also in Indianapolis.[1] Strattan declared that the Monroe would continue to be built, but be joined by a lower-priced car called the Strattan. Just a few months later, in order to concentrate on his Strattan car, Frank Strattan sold the Monroe company to Frederick Barrows of Premier. After this latest purchase, the company was organized asMonroe Motors, Inc., but soon it was absorbed by the Premier company. The last Monroes transformed into the Premier Model B.[2]
