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Owen Sound's First Car Dealership 

Owen Sound's First Car Dealership: The first cars to be sold in Owen Sound ranged in price starting at $480 to a top price of $780 for a luxurious town car.

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In the summer of 2001 cars are an important part of our society. We travel by automobile almost everywhere that we can. When it is time to buy a new car there are many car dealers and models to choose from. However, this was not always the case in the Grey and Bruce region! 

In 1911, a Mr. Van Patten opened the first car dealership in Owen Sound. It was a Ford dealership. The next year, 1912, H. H. Bowman purchased the business. Today there are a multitude of makes and models of cars to choose from and the purchase price is in the tens of thousands. But in 1912, the Ford Motor Company offered three models of cars. 

The prospective car owner could choose from a "runabout" for $480.00, a "touring car" for $530.00 or the luxurious "town car” for $780.00! 

The car buyer of that era was wise to buy his new car as quickly as possible. The Ford Motor Company held strict control over the prices charged by their dealers and they often changed the prices of cars without notice. Auditors were sent out to check the dealers' account books to ensure that there had not been any "wheeling and dealing" with the prices. 

Because the automobile was a rather recent invention in 1912, Bowman's job as the owner of Owen Sound's first car dealership, went far beyond simply selling a car. In many cases Bowman found himself performing the task of a driving instructor as there were no driving schools and drivers were not required to have drivers' licenses. 

After the buyer took possession of his new car Mr. Bowman took him to the racetrack on the east hill. Once they arrived at the oval, the new car owner took his place behind the wheel with Bowman sitting beside him. After an explanation of how things worked, they started off around the track. 

Over the course of time, Bowman developed a unique method of instruction. As they travelled around the racetrack and the new driver became more comfortable driving, Bowman would climb into the back seat. As the rookie driver improved and gained confidence, Bowman would quietly slide out of the car over the back without the driver knowing that he was no longer in the car. 

In the early years of the automobile in this area, cars were usually not driven during the winter months. This was due to the fact that most home and business owners shoveled their snow into the streets and even the most proficient drivers were unlikely to be able to negotiate snow drifts that often-reached heights of 10 feet! 

Therefore, during the winter months, car owners usually took their cars back to dealer for storage. The dealer would remove the battery and drain it, and during the cold months, his shop would be busy with mechanics working to tune up the cars to get them ready for the good driving weather ahead. 

Today, it takes about two hours to drive to Toronto. In the years before the First World War it was an arduous 10-hour journey by car! The best route from Owen Sound to Toronto meandered across southern Ontario through Arthur, Grand Valley, Shelburne and Orangeville. When you left on this sojourn it was wise to ensure that you had a full tank of gas because the first service station that you would encounter was not until you arrived in Shelburne! 

A version of "Owen Sound's First Car Dealership" originally appeared in my Local History column in the July 27, 2001 edition of the Owen Sound Sun Times.

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About Owen Sound

12-year-old Walks to Owen Sound in 1851 from the journal of a teenage boy's experience travelling with his brother in the untamed Upper Canadian wilderness.

In the 1920s, Owen Sound got New Elevators. After losing the CPR elevators to fire, the community fought hard to get new elevators for their harbour and improve the community's economy.

The 1930s Were Not All Bad there were some successes in the Owen Sound area and there was one natural phenomenon, that was unusual to the region that occurred.  

The 1944-1945 Grey North By-Election would surprise Prime Minister King and all of Canada as the Grey North electorate refused to be dictated to by Ottawas political elites.

The were 1950s a Decade of Change in the Owen Sound area. A local boy starred in the NHL; there was a significant industrial change; schools were standing to experience the baby boom.

1960s: Owen Sound's Education Expansion: 1960s Owen Sound was a period of growth and one result of this was a need for the expansion of education services for the growing population.

1960s Owen Sound marked a period of change and new growth to the commercial and industrial life that would impact the citizens of Owen Sound and change the patterns of doing business.

The Bible was the Law in the 1840s in this region because the region was unrepresented by the government peace and  justice were community responsibilities.

Blazes! Fires were a problem in the early years in the Owen Sound area, buildings were often made of wood and firefighting equipment water sources were inadequate were.

Brooke: A brief history of an important, yet distinctly different, community that became a key element in Owen Sound's development as a important Georgian Bay port city.

Charles Rankin, I Presume: October 7, 1840 marked the meeting of Land Agent John Telfer and surveyor Charles Rankin on the banks of the Sydenham River and the founding of Owen Sound.

The cost of living in 1900 in Owen Sound may seem great, but when you take into consideration other factors, things were perhaps not all that wonderful.

The CPR Grain Elevator Fire of 1911 spelled the end of Owen Sound's role as the eastern terminus of the CPR Great Lakes Fleet.

Black History: Emancipation Day celebrates the abolition of slavery and it continues to be an annual celebration in many locations that were in some way, or another touched by the impact of slavery.

Black History in Owen Sound: Who was the First Black Citizen in the community is a cause for debate.

Black History: The Underground Railway is an important part not only in terms of black history, but of the history of southwestern Ontario.

Black History of Owen Sound: Version 2: There is some debate about the first black citizen in  the Owen Sound area. Here is more information for your consideration.

A Curvy Route to Toronto provided a rail connection between Owen Sound and Toronto, the curvy part was thrilling, but beautiful for the passengers and strenuous for the crew.

Billy Bishop: Owen Sound Hero earned national and international fame as a World War One Fighter pilot and used his high profile to aid in the World War Two effort.

John Harrison - A Tough Owen Sound Pioneer whose grit and determination created a prosperous life for himself and his family in a new community.

William Harrison, The Source of John Harrison's Grit: details the influence of John's father, William Harrison, on John and his siblings.

John Muir, the legendary naturalist, who promoted the idea of protected nature spaces, spent time in Ontario and I went to help find evidence of his stay in the Owen Sound area.

Black Clawson Kennedy: An Iconic Owen Sound Industry provided income for area residents and economic development for the community for almost 150 years.

Amalgamation In and Around Owen Sound is not an unusual happening. Some form of boundary changes have occurred at many different times over the years.

Canada' First Pharmacy Chain Store: The Owen Sound-based drug store chain of Parker and Cattle is credited with being the first pharmacy chain store enterprise in Canada.

DC Taylor: Owen Sound Entrepreneur was not only progressive businessman, he was also an important contributor to the social and cultural fabric of his community.

Jimmy Grant was a high wire walker who was a fearless athlete who faced all challenges without a worry of the possible fatal consequences of his daredevil actions.

Newspapers hold a special place in the history of any community, and the Owen Sound Sun Times, and its predecessors, beginning with the Comet, are no exception.

Owen Sound Businesses: 1920s were owned and operated by families whose deep roots in the community and their efforts had created the backbone of the community and brought success to the port city.

Owen Sound's centennial celebrations in 1957 brought the community together for events such big name entertainers, sports competitions, street dances and much more in honour of the community's past and projecting the city's bright future.

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The harbour history of Owen Sound is rich with detail of businesses which were located at various wharves.

Owen Sound's lacrosse tradition is steeped with great teams and players who deserve more attention than history has given it. 

The Owen Sound Library has been the focal point of life in the Owen Sound region for many decades, as a treasure trove of entertaining and  educational  materials.

Owen Sound's Police Force - The Big Four were legendary in their maintaining the peace efforts in a rowdy Great Lakes port in the early 1900s.

Hillcrest School Memories a look back at my public school days when Owen Sound's Hillcrest Public School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1998.

News of War: The 1940s was supposed to provide the world with a respite after the hardship of the 1930s depression. However World War Two brought more adversity.

Owen Sound 1840 Onward! From a clearing in the Georgian Bay wilderness to a booming port city the 1800s were a time of growth and prosperity.

Owen Sound's First Newspaper: The Comet came into existence a mere 10 years after the first settlers braved the wilderness that would become the Grey and Bruce region.

Owen Sound's First Town Council was created to develop the necessary infrastructure for a pioneer community to grow and prosper.

Owen Sound Tavern Bylaw (1857) tried to tackle the issue of monitoring taverns in the Upper Canadian pioneer wilderness.

Owen Sound's 1857 Bylaw: Dog Control illustrated how a pioneer town controlled dogs in the community, sometimes even using harsh measures.

Owen Sound CPR Strike in 1908 immobilized harbour activities in that important Georgian Bay port, the CPR's eastern Great Lakes terminus.

Owen Sound CPR Link began with a bang, suffered a setback, and ended with a whimper.

Owen Sound Entrepreneurs: S.J. Parker & Richard Notter used their wealth and their friendships to built many community-oriented businesses in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Owen Sound 1920 Stories provide an interesting look at the community as it was about to become a city.

Owen Sound 1920s: Optimism abounded in the port city as a new decade began, The town was becoming a city and the economic outlook seemed bright.

Owen Sound Hospital History is one of a community coming together to take care of the medical needs of the entire community.

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Owen Sound Stories: On the Attack! Throughout the history of the community, citizens were not afraid to go on the attack to promote the needs of their town.

Owen Sound Street Names honour the individuals who made a contribution to Owen Sound's development. Today the streets are numbered to help visitors find their way.

O.S.C.V.I.: the History of an Owen Sound High School details from the very beginning the establishment of a high school in the community.

Pioneer Story of a Child in 1846 Owen Sound details life in the last wilderness in Upper Canada in the 1840s.

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Sunday Work Laws in the 19th Century in Owen Sound and Grey County region were very strict, with no exceptions allowed.

The 1940's: An Eventful Decade in Owen Sound and Grey County: A war; a surprising political event; sports celebrations and much more.

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Political Corruption in 1852 Owen Sound? Does it seem possible that this could happen in a pioneer community on the Georgian Bay shores? Read on, and decide.

Emily Pankhurst Visits Owen Sound. The well-known suffragette visited Owen Sound and spoke not only about suffrage, but the bolshevik threat. 

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Fenians: A Threat: The threat of an attack by Fenians was very real in Upper Canada in the 1860s and this was especially true in port communities like Owen Sound.

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Pioneer industry: William Kennedy William Kennedy's efforts to build an important foundry and machine shop on the banks of Owen Sound's harbour.

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Owen Sound Ontario: A Unique Perspective: Book provides a unique and humorous perspective about this Georgian Bay port and hockey hotbed.

Water Quality in Owen Sound has been an issue since the 1840s, two Owen Sound entrepreneurs in the 1870s attempted to rectify the situation.

Owen Sound, located on beautiful Georgian Bay offers a wide variety of entertainment and shopping delights for visitors of all ages. The city and its surrounding area has a rich history, parks and other natural areas for bird watchers, hikers, cross country skiers, etc.