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In 1903 a mechanic and amateur racecar driver named Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company and began
to mass-produce automobiles at his factory in Michigan. In 1908, when Ford introduced his twentieth model,
the Model T, there were still only 200,000 automobiles on U.S. roadways.
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As the factory produced cars in an endless assembly line, consumers lined up for their chance to
own the new machine. In the United States during the 1920s, the average worker earned $1,236 annually.
Not surprisingly, many people bought their cars on installment plans. One woman who was asked why she
owned a car but had no indoor bathroom reportedly answered, "Well, you can't get to town in a bathtub."
By 1927, after producing 15 million Model Ts, Ford bowed to the public's desire for a newer, flashier
model. The sleek new Model A featured shock absorbers, four-wheel brakes, standard transmission, and a
speedometer. Thanks largely to the inexpensive but reliable Ford automobiles, millions of cars soon packed American roads.
In what ways did the automobile change life in the United States during the 1920s?
The United States had 725 miles of paved rural roads in 1909. By 1930, American cars traveled
a network of more than 100,000 miles of roads, tunnels, bridges, and multi-lane highways.
Vacationers could take their own transportation almost anywhere.
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Before gas stations were widespread, car owners bought fuel from local stores and stored
it in tanks in their backyards. By 1929, more than 100,000 gas stations dotted the country.
Many offered a new mixture, called ethyl gas, at 25 cents a gallon, that was said to offer a
smoother, more powerful ride.
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During the 1920s, the thriving automobile industry helped produce a business boom in the
United States. Whole industries sprang up to service and equip cars. Rubber manufacturing,
spurred by the need for rubber car tires, expanded into a billion-dollar business.
Steel production doubled. Oil refinery output increased more than nine times.
Businesses, such as diners, campgrounds, and tourist cabins, sprang up to appeal to
long-distance motorists. Drive-in restaurants also had their beginning in the 1920s.
In Dallas, Texas businessman J.G. Kirby opened what he called the "Pig Stand." Kirby
sold barbecued pork sandwiches to customers who ate in their cars. He commented,
"People with cars are so lazy, they don't want to get out of them to eat."
After the 1920s, walking for recreation went out of style. Among wealthier Americans,
a high school boy who could not drive a girl to a dance would likely find himself without a date.
The popularity of the car introduced new expressions, such as "joyride" and being "taken for a ride."
Credits: Model T © Bettmann/Corbis; Iron Advertisement The Granger Collection,
New York; Henry Ford promoting the Model T © Bettmann/Corbis; Model T © Bettmann/Corbis;
Ford assembly line © Culver Pictures; Gas station © Corbis;
Tire reclamation center © Getty Images.
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