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California Auto Industry

California Auto Industry

“In the long run, standardization and interchangeability of parts will have the effect of giving us a higher grade of motor car at a lower price.”- Scientific American, 1909
  • Impact on Culture
    • Auto Vacation
    • Autopia – California’s Drive-in Culture
    • The Automobile As An Iconic Symbol
    • The Automobile As A Hobby
    • Freedom of Migration
    • Freedom of Movement
    • Freedom from Social Constraints
    • Popular Media And The Car
  • Impact on Industries
    • California Automobile Associations
    • The Automobile Maintenance Industry
    • Auto Insurance and Vehicle Safety
    • California Petroleum Industry And The Auto
    • Demise of Public Transit in California
    • California Auto Industry
  • Impact on Government
    • Early Role of Government
    • Good Roads
    • State and Federal Highways
    • The Lincoln Highway
    • Auto Trails to Superhighways
    • How The Automobile Shaped the Urban Environment
  • Exhibits
    • Introduction
    • Shaping the Culture
    • History and Impact
    • State Departments

While California was not the center of the auto manufacturing industry, the Golden State was still home to some smaller car producers. Among them were Doble Steam Car Motors of Oakland and Sacramento custom car and bus body designer Sidney Albright between 1909 and 1934.

With the motoring public, electric and steam powered autos were quickly replaced by the cheaper internal combustion engine. By 1905, the automobile market had shifted to the middle-class consumer. With over 15 million Model Ts built between 1908 and 1927, “Ford” and the automobile became nearly synonymous. Detroit quickly came to dominate the automobile market in California, making it impossible for smaller, more specialized carmakers to survive.

California State Capitol Museum – The Road Ahead Exhibit

This is a website specifically for the “The Road Ahead: The Automobile’s Impact on California” Exhibit. Dates: May 23, 2018 – April 29, 2019 at the California State Capitol Museum.

For Museum-related information such as contacts, hours and location: Visit capitolmuseum.ca.gov.

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