{"id":565,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:48:36","latitude":41.3659329999999982874214765615761280059814453125,"longitude":-85.0571939999999955261955619789659976959228515625,"title":"Kiblinger and McIntyre Company","subtitle":"","fullsize":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/aa40a135f3ce966c49c041df543cf3b0.jpg","address":"201 S Jackson St, Auburn, IN 46706","all_locations":[],"zoom":14,"creator":["Eckhart Public Library"],"description":"W. H. Kiblinger founded the Kiblinger Company in 1887 to manufacture buggies. He was a Civil War veteran, farmer, and businessman who ran the company until his death in 1894. Upon his death, the company was purchased by W. H. McIntyre and S. C. Snyder who expanded into automobile manufacturing with commercial availability in 1907.  McIntyre eventually bought out Snyder in 1901 and seven years later would rename it, the W. H. McIntyre Company. The McIntyre company had five different buildings or plants around the city of Auburn. They also built its own ½ mile racetrack south of Auburn, Indiana to test and race cars since doing so on normal streets in town created a hazard.  <br />\r\n<br />\r\nMcIntyre was known for helping to launch the cycle car craze in 1912 with a vehicle called the IMP.  A narrow, low to the ground, two seat vehicle with the passenger sitting directly behind the driver, it was considered one of the first economy cars built cheap enough for the average person to be able to afford. As automobiles were a large expense, a lot of people couldn’t afford a more standard looking automobile. This type of automobile was built with affordability in mind. It was also quite light, with advertisements showing 2 people being able to carry the car around easily.  The craze lasted until 1915 with the McIntyre company building around 50 per month in one of the plants.  <br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe owner of the company, William H. McIntyre, was known to be actively involved in the city of Auburn, gave generously to the city, and was very popular.  He was president of the National Carriage Builders Association in 1911.  <br />\r\n<br />\r\nThe company was forced into bankruptcy in August 1915 by the Northern National Bank of Toledo, Ohio and the Hamilton National Bank of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The reason for this is no longer known.  Much of the bankrupt company was purchased by the DeKalb Manufacturing Company.  One of the buildings in Auburn went on to house the Rieke Corporation which still exists today.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":[],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/aa40a135f3ce966c49c041df543cf3b0.jpg":{"id":2785,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Kiblinger Automobile","description":"A 3-seat automobile manufactured by the Kiblinger Company.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | c. 1910-1915","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/aa40a135f3ce966c49c041df543cf3b0.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/9cc947a04421bdbd48b147ef9825ed3b.jpg":{"id":2786,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Letter of Credit","description":"A letter of credit transfer from the Kiblinger Company from 1887.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/9cc947a04421bdbd48b147ef9825ed3b.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/d053dbf4035d2c13af3698b9a051e594.jpg":{"id":2787,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Ad for McIntyre Autombiles","description":"A newspaper clipping about the Kiblinger Company, with W.H. McIntyre as president.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1902","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/d053dbf4035d2c13af3698b9a051e594.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/089bd9af384dc9a304b5433a28a5b758.jpg":{"id":2788,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"W.H. McIntyre Home","description":"A photo of W.H. McIntyre&#039;s home in Auburn, Indiana, circa 1902.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1902","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/089bd9af384dc9a304b5433a28a5b758.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/63bdc72b116ef990d521403dbb14d343.jpg":{"id":2789,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"1911 Advertisement","description":"A full-page advertisement for the McIntyre model D12, produced by the McIntyre Company.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1911","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/63bdc72b116ef990d521403dbb14d343.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/cf380268e9b09aa6c8028c02f26e4c00.jpg":{"id":2790,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Imp Car","description":"An imp car produced by the McIntyre Company, sitting in a driveway (front car).  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1913","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/cf380268e9b09aa6c8028c02f26e4c00.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/905b1d54172e3fc00039fdc8671ea93f.jpg":{"id":2791,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Imp Car in Showroom","description":"An imp cycle car in a showroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1912","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/905b1d54172e3fc00039fdc8671ea93f.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/76aeef2afbd46178ab33e419572ba9ba.jpg":{"id":2792,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Imp Car California","description":"An imp car in San Francisco, California, in 1912.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1912","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/76aeef2afbd46178ab33e419572ba9ba.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/b74d35880eb02e9dd5d64a1f2209467f.jpg":{"id":2793,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"McIntyres Automobiles","description":"A newspaper advertisement for the McIntyre Company, advertising motor buggies for 50 dollars.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1911","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/b74d35880eb02e9dd5d64a1f2209467f.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/234434ef0d641dd74dd61e81ead1aec9.jpg":{"id":2794,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"McIntyre Models","description":"A newspaper advertisement of two different models of McIntyre automobiles, Model HH and Model GG-9.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1911","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/234434ef0d641dd74dd61e81ead1aec9.jpg"},"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/fullsize/0fd21b92ce44b261d2c4e5e0ecbb2fd4.jpg":{"id":2795,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"McIntyre Factory","description":"The McIntyre Company factory in Auburn, Indiana, circa 1911.  | Image courtesy of the Willennar Genealogy Center, a service of Eckhart Public Library | 1911","thumbnail":"https://discoverindianahistory.org/files/square_thumbnails/0fd21b92ce44b261d2c4e5e0ecbb2fd4.jpg"}}}