The Studebaker National Museum – South Bend, Indiana
This 55,000 square foot museum opened in 2055 for the public to learn about the Studebaker and see these unique cars. There are three levels and features fully climate-controlled galleries and storage facilities to maintain the quality of the collections.
In 1852 Henry and Clement Studebaker began the H & C Studebaker blacksmith shop in South Bend. This later became the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company when three other brothers, Peter, John Mohler and Jacob joined the firm. It became the world’s largest manufacturer of wagons and buggies.
They entered the automobile market with an electric car in 1902. Thomas Edison purchased the second electric car they made. Gasoline powered models arrived in 1904 as Studebaker offered a full line of horse drawn and self-propelled vehicles until 1920. The gasoline cars were produced in Detroit, while the South Bend plant remained devoted to horse drawn vehicles. The name changed to The Studebaker Corporation in 1911.
In 1920 the horse drawn production ended and Studebaker began shifting automobile production from Detroit back to South Bend. In 1933, due to the depression, the company went into receivership. Company Vice Presidents Paul Hoffman and Harold Vance were appointed receivers and led Studebaker back to solvency by 1935.
In 1936, Studebaker retained Raymond Loewy Associates to oversee its design department. Loewy and his team created many Studebaker icons – the 1939 Champion, the 1947 Starlight Coupe, the 1950 “Bullet Nose”, the 1953 Starliner Hardtop and the 1963 Avanti.
The onset of World War II saw Studebaker produce military vehicles and equipment, just as it had for every conflict since the Civil War. While previous wars relied on horse drawn vehicles, Studebaker’s World War II defense contracts called for B-17 Flying Fortress engines, US6 6×6 military trucks and the M29 and M29C “Weasel”.
After the war ended Studebaker brought out the 1947 model and became an industry leader in design. In 1950 they introduced the famous “bullet nose” and in 1951 they introduced the V8 engine.
During the 50′s there were falling sales and the company merged with Packard Motor Car Company in 1954 but that wasn’t to be successful either. The Packard brand was terminated in 1958.
Studebaker had a comeback in 1959 with the compact Lark but 1960 saw other companies come out with their own compacts and Studebaker once again was losing money. Even with attempts to revive the company through 1962 the financial problems were just too great and in December of 1963 Studebaker closed its South Bend Plant. Production continued at Studebaker’s Hamilton, Ontario factory until the last Studebaker was completed on March 17, 1966.
The Studebaker National Museum traces its roots to the late 19th century when Clement Studebaker purchased the Lincoln and Lafayette carriages. By the 1960s, the collection numbered 37 vehicles and included four presidential carriages, the first and last automobiles built in South Bend, and the last Studebaker ever built.
Following a number of different locations throughout South Bend, the Studebaker National Museum opened is new home in October of 2005. The Studebaker National Museum Archives contain the surviving corporate archives of the Studebaker Corporation, the Packard Motor Car Company and other local industries. The Archives holds manuscripts, still and moving images, engineering and production records, financial records, advertising materials and corporate publications. The Archives opened its new home across the street from The Studebaker National Museum in October of 2007.
The Museum will accept donations of items that fit with the Museum’s mission and collecting plan. You will need to contact the Museum Archivist to see if what you want to donate is something that will work for them.
The Studebaker National Museum
201 S. Chapin Street
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 235-9714
(888) 391-5600
Mon – Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
Tickets are not sold after 4:30 p.m
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