Richard Dudgeon’s two steam carriages frightened both horses and New Yorkers thus forcing him to move to Long Island countryside.
 
Detail of “Dudgeon’s Steam Carriage” by Carl Rakeman, 1866.
[See more of Rakeman’s fine work on the Federal Highway Administration* website.]
 
 

Over 125 companies were manufactured steam automobiles. By the turn of the century, Doble, Stanley and White had become the most successful of the pack. But don't think steamers died out in the 1920s - they are being manufactured today.

There is a bevy of information available online regarding the history of steam automobiles. I've listed a few of those sites here:
 
 

Steam Automobile & Truck Manufacturers

  • American Bicycle Company
    • Toledo (1900-1901)
  • Binney & Burnham Steam (1902-?)
  • Boston (1900-?)
  • Brobek (1970s)
  • Brooks
    • Model 2 5-passenger sedan (1924)
    • Sedan (1925)
  • Bryan Steam Corporation (1918)
  • Capitol Steam
    • Chariot (1902)
  • Cincinnati Steam (1903-?)
  • Clark Steam (1900-?)
  • Davenport (1902-?)
  • Doble Steam Motors Corp. - Emeryville, CA (1914 - 1931)
    • Model E14 (1920)
  • Dutcher Steam Cal. Clean Air Car Sedan (1974)
  • Eclipse Steamer (1900-?)
  • Flint Steam (1902-?)
  • Jaxson Steam (1903-?)
  • Keene Steamobile (1900-?)
  • Lane-Steam (1900-?)
  • Lear Motors (1970s)
  • Locomobile (1899-?)
  • Marlboro (1900-?)
  • Milwaukee (1900-?)
  • Mobile (1899-1903)
    • Dos-Y-Dos 2 cyl. (1901)
  • Morse Steam (1905-?)
  • Overman Steam Car Company (1899-1902)
  • Prescott Automobile Manufacturing Company (1901-1905) - Passaic, NJ
    • Runabout (1903)
  • Pritchard (1970s)
  • SES (1970s)
  • Silsby
    • steam-powered fire pumper (1885)
  • Springfield Steam (1900-?)
  • Stanley Motor Carriage Works (Stanley Steamer) - Newton, MA
    • Runabout (1904)
    • Model K Semi-Racer (1908)
    • 810 Mountain Wagon (1913)
    • Model 735 (1920)
    • Model 740 Sedan (about 1923)
    • 262 5-Passenger Sedan (1926)
  • Steam Power Systems (1970s)
  • Triumph Steam (1900-?)
  • White (1900-1910)
    • Steam O Touring Car (1909)
    • (1910)
  • Williams (1970s)
 
 

Site Coordinator: Lori Niemuth Last updated: December 26, 2007