Auburn
Brief History
Frank and Morris Eckhart were two brothers from Auburn, Indiana. They established the Auburn Automobile Company in 1900, but the first car was produced in 1903. Long before that they were building cars on an experimental basis. Their interest in automobiles was like legacy from their father—Charles Eckhart who was the founder of Eckhart Carriage Company. The company was producing automobiles with modest success during the WW I when shortages of materials forced the plant to close.
Auburn Automobile Company was bought by group of Chicago investors including chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. The new owners of the company were unable to make it profitable so they approached Errett Loban Cord with an offer to run the company. As a president of the company E. L. Cord purchased Duesenberg Automobile and Motors Company in 1926 the company was well known for its racing and passenger cars. The Auburn designs became more refined and the engines bolder and the sales soared. An ambitious export program was initiated and a second plant was opened in Connersville, Indiana.
The good times continued until 1937 by then the economic climate of US changed and the Auburn sales diminished dramatically. The cars were too expensive for the depression era and Cord's stock manipulations would force him to give up control of his car companies. E. L. Cord sold his shares in his automobile holding company. That’s how the ends history of three of America’s greatest automobile makes—Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg. The year was 1973.
E.L. Cord moved to real estate, radio, TV business and political life in Nevada where he died in 1974.
