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Americans tinkered with steam vehicles for most of the nineteenth century. As early as 1805, Oliver Evans drove a steam vehicle through the streets of Philadelphia. One of the most popular steamers were manufactured by Rollin H. White of Cleveland in the early 1900s. However, F. E. Stanley and F. O. Stanley are the manufacturer of perhaps the most well known steam automobiles known as the Stanley Steamer. By stretching the meaning of the word, we can call these strange steam machines, automobiles. After all they did move by themselves. Thousands were made and very few survived. Below is a list of known early Steam Automobile Manufacturers.
American Steam Automobile Name / Manufacturers Name
Click on the Blue links below to learn more about these
American Steam Car Manufacturers!
American Steam Car - American Steam Automobile Co. West Newton, MA 1929-1931
Built by Thomas S. Derr using Hudson components.
American Steamer - The American Steam Truck Co. Chicago, IL 1922-1924
A touring car, roadster, coupe and sedan were built capable of 60 MPH.
American Waltham - The American Waltham Mfg. Co. Waltham, MA 1898-1899
This was a typical light steam buggy made in Waltham, MA
Aultman - The Aultman Co. Canton, OH 1901-1902
A 2 passenger light steam buggy with tiller (rudder) steering.
Baker - Baker Steam Motor Car & Mfg Co. Pueblo and Denver, CO 1917-1924
Baker built a roadster and touring models plus Steam powered trucks.
Baldwin - Balwin Automobile Mfg. Co. Connellsville, PA 1899-1902
Two passenger automobile with chain drive 2 cylinder steam engine.
Ball - Miami Cycle and Mfg. Co. Middletown, OH 1902
The Ball was the most expensive steam automobile made in the U.S.A.
Barton - Barton Boiler Co. Chicago, IL 1903
Special steam automobiles built to order.
Binney-Burnham - Binney-Burnham Boston, MA 1901-1902
2 and 4 passenger steam automobiles with the driver at the rear.
Bliss - Bliss Chainless Automobile Co. Attleboro, MA
This was an experimental steam car.
Boss - Boss Knitting Machine Works Reading, PA 1903-1907
Designed by James L. Eck with a 2 cylinder 7/8 HP engine and tiller steering.
Brecht - Brecht Automobile Co. St Louis, MO 1901-1903
The Brecht was available in four body styles and a delivery wagon.
Capitol - Capitol Auto Co. Washington, DC 1902
This steam car used a 6 HP 2 cylinder engine.
Central - Central Automobile Co. Providence, RI 1905-1906
The Central Cyclecar used a rotary steam engine.
Century - Century Motor Vehicle Co. Syracuse, NY 1899-1903
The Century was a steam car and then a gas powered car.
Chicago - Chicago Automobile Mfg. Co. Chicago, IL 1905-1907
Equipped with an unusual V-4 engine and 2 speed transmission.
Cincinnati - Cincinnati Automobile Co. Cincinnati, OH 1905
A steam car with a 2 cylinder engine, chain drive and tiller steering.
Clark - Edward S. Clark Steam Automobile Dorchester, MA 1900-1909
A $5,000 steam car and very few were sold.
Cloughley - Coughley Motor Vehicle Co. Parsons, KS
1902-1903
The Cloughley built a 8 HP 2 cylinder Steam car.
Coats - Coats Steam Motors Sandusky, OH 1922-1923
The 3 cylinder engine was unusual for a Steam car.
Conrad - Conrad Motor Carriage Co. Buffalo, NY 1900-1903
A light Steam car with 2 cylinder engines.
Cotta - Cotta Automobile Co. Lanark & Rockford, IL 1901-1903
Featured 4 wheel drive and steering.
Crompton - Crompton Motor Carriage Co. Worcester, MA 1903-1905
A 2 passenger body with a curved dash.
Crouch - Crouch Automobile Mfg. & Transportation Co. New Brighton, PA 1897-1900
Equipped with a 8 HP V-twin engine.
Dawson - Dawson Mfg. Co. Basic City, VA 1900-1902
The Dawson was a typical steam car runabout.
Delling - Delling Steam Motor Co. West Collingwood, NJ & Philadelphia, PA 1923-1927
Very few of these steam cars were produced.
Detroit Steam Car - Detroit Steam Motors Corp. Detroit, MI 1922-1923
Initially appeared as the Task-Detroit.
Doble - (3 different companies) (3 different cities) 1914-1931
This was the finest of all American Steam Automobiles.
Eclipse - Eclipse Automobile Co. Boston, MA 1900-1903
The Eclipse was a typical Steam car runabout.
Elite - D. B. Smith & Co. Utica, NY 1901
A very ornate Steam car with many brass lights.
Empire - Empire Mfg. Co. Inc. Sterling, IL 1901-1902
Also known as the Sterling Steamer.
Empire - William T. Terwilliger & Co. Amsterdam, NY 1904-1905
Equipped with a 15 horsepower engine.
Endurance - Endurance Steam Car Co. Los Angeles, CA 1923-1924
A five passenger touring car.
Essex - Essex Motor Car Co. Boston, MA 1906
Similar in appearance to the French Serpollet.
Federal - Federal Motor Vehicle Co. Brooklyn, NY 1903
Typical light steam buggy with tiller steering.
Foster - Foster Automobile Co. Rochester, NY 1900-1903
Foster - Artzberger Automobile Co. Allegheny, PA 1903-1905
The steamers were offered in 3 models.
Gearless - Gearless Motor Corp. Pittsburg, PA 1921-1923
Equipped with two steam engines, one attached to each rear wheel.
Geneva - Geneva Automobile & Mfg. Co. Geneva, OH 1914-1904
A 2 cycle Steamer with engine connected directly to differential.
Grout - Grout Bros. Orante, MA 1899-1903
Grout - Grout Bros Automobile Co. Orange, MA 1903-1908
Grout - Grout Automobile Co. Orange, MA 1909-1912
Made a light steam buggy.
Hidley - Hidley Automobile Co. Troy, NY 1901
This 2 passenger steamer was rated at 8 horsepower.
Hoffman - Hoffman Automobile & Mfg Co. Cleveland, OH 1903
Produced steam car and gas powered cars.
Hood - Simplex Motor Vehicle Co. Danvers, MA 1900-1901
A Steam Car with electrically operated valves.
Howard - Howard Automobile Co. Trenton, NJ 1900-1901
One of 19 new steam buggies produced starting in 1900.
Hudson - Beau-Chamberlain Mfg. Co. Hudson, MI 1901-1902
The first automobile to bear the name "Hudson".
Jaxon - The Jackson Automobile Co. Jackson, Michigan 1903
The Jackson Automobile Co. produced a Steam Car and a gasoline car.
Johnson - Johnson Service Co. Milwaukee, WI 1905-1912
A maker of steam and gas powered American Automobiles.
Kensington - Kensington Automobile Co. Buffalo, NY 1899-1904
The Kensington Co. made gas, steam and electric cars.
Keystone - Keystone Motor & Mfg Co. Philadelphia, PA 1899-1900
This steamer has a 3 cylinder engine attached to each rear hub.
Kidder - Kidder Motor Vehicle Co. New haven, CT 1900-1901
A 2 passenger steam car with tiller steering.
Lane - Lane Motor Vehicle Co. Poughkeepsie, NY 1899-1910
A Steam Car with a total of 22 models built from 1899 to 1910.
Leach - Leach Motor Vehicle Co. Everett, MA 1899-1901
Advertised as "Intended Only For Good Roads."
Liquid Air - Liquid Air Power & Automobile Co. Boston, MA 1901-1902
Used liquid air to drive a steam engine.
Lutz - Lutz Motor Co. Buffalo, NY 1917
No evidence that cars were made.
MacDonald - MacDonald Steam Automotive Corp. Garfield, OH 1923-1924
Produced a steam roadster called the MacDonald Bobcat.
Malden - Malden Automobile Co. Malden, MA 1898
A light Steam Car with a vertical 2 cylinder engine.
Marlboro - Marlboro Motor & Carriage Co. Marlboro, MA 1899-1902
A typical New England Steam Car
Marion-Handley - Mutual Motors Co. Jackson, MI 1916-1919
This was a typical New England Steam Car.
Marsh - Marsh Motor Carriage Co. Brockton, MA 1899
The Marsh was produced in small numbers.
Maryland - Maryland Automobile Mfg. Co. Luke, MD 1900-1901
Body styles include a runabout, surrey and phaeton.
Mason - William B. Mason Milton, MA 1898-1899
A Steam Car built similar to The Stanley.
McKay - Stanley Mfg Co. Lawrence, MA 1900-1902
Another Steam Car built like a Stanley.
Meteor - Meteor Engineering Co. Reading, PA 1902-1903
A 4 passenger tonneau with a 10HP 4 cylinder engine.
Milwaukee - Milwaukee Automobile Co. Milwaukee, WI 1900-1902
One body style featured steering from rear seat.
Mobile - Mobile Company of America, Tarrytown, NY 1899-1903
Produced as many as 20 different models in 1902.
Moncrieff - The J. A. Moncrieff Co. Pawtucket, RI 1901-1902
Called a Steam Wagon but was a 2 passenger car.
Morris & Salom - Morris & Salom Philadelphia, PA 1895-1897
Known as the Electrobat.
Morse - Morse Motor Vehicle Co. Springfield, MA 1904-1909
Made Steam and Gas powered cars.
New England - New England Motor Carriage Co. Waltham, MA 1898-1900
A typical light Steam car with a 2 cylinder engine.
Ofeldt - F. W. Ofeldt & Sons Nyack-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. 1899-1902
Built by a company well known for its Steam Launches.
Ophir - 1901
Another typical light Steam Runabouts.
Ormond - United Motor & Vehicle Co. Boston, MA 1904-1905
Priced at $3,000.00 in 1904 and 1905.
Ovenden - W. C. Ovenden West Boylston, MA 1899
One one of these Steam cars were produced.
Overman - Overman Wheel Co. Chicopee Falls, MA 1899-1900
Overman - Overman Automobile Co. Chicopee, MA 1901-1904
A typical New England Steam car of the period.
Pawtucket - Pawtucket Steam Boat Co. Providence, RI 1900-1901
A one passenger Steam Car with a 7 HP engine.
Porter - Porter Automobile Co. Boston, MS 1900-1901
Used a 2 cylinder engine and tiller steering.
Prescott - Prescott Automobile Mfg. Co. New York, NY 1901-1905
A 2 cylinder Mason engine powered this Steamer.
Rand & Harvey - Rand & Harvey, Lewiston, ME 1899-1900
A light Steam Car.
Reading - Steam Vehicle Co. of America, Reading, PA 1900-1902
Reading - Meteor Engineering Co. Reading, PA 1902-1903
A typical light Steam Car with a 4 cylinder engine.
Richmond - Richmond Automobile & Cycle Co. Richmond, IN 1902-1903
A Steam Car with a 6 horsepower engine and chain drive.
Rochester - Rochester Cycle Mfg. Co. Rochester, NY 1901-1902
The Steam Car had a very unusual frame.
Ross - Louis S. Ross Newtonville, MA 1905-1909
The Ross Steamer used a single acting 2 cylinder engine.
Safety - Safety Steam Automobile Co. Boston, MA 1901
This was a simple 2 passenger Steam Car.
Shatswell - H. K. Shatswell & Co. Dedham, MA 1901-c.1903
This light Steam Car was sold as a kit.
Skene - J. W. Skene Cycle & Automobile Co. Lewiston, ME 1900-1901
A single passenger Steam Car.
Standard - Standard Engineering Co. St Louis, MO 1920-1921
Equipped with a Scott-Newcomb 2 cylinder engine.
Stanley - Stanley Dry Plate Co. Newton, MA 1897-1899
Stanley - Stanley Mfg Co. Lawrence, MA 1899-1901
Stanley - Stanley Motor Carriage Co. Newton, MA 1901-1924
Stanley - Steam Vehicle Corp. of America Newton, MA 1924-1927
Stanley - Stanley Automobile Mfg. Co. Mooreland, IN 1907
First Stanley made by twins F. E. & F. O. Stanley.
Steamobile - Keene Automobile Co. Keene, NH 1900-1902
Steamobile - Steamobile Co. of America Keene, NH 1902
Typical tiller steered Steam Cars.
Storck - Frank C. Storck Red Bank, NJ 1901-1903
A light Steam Car that sold for $750.00.
Stringer - Stringer Automobile Co. Marion, OH 1901
Planned but never went into production.
Sunset - Sunset Automobile Co. San Francisco, CA 1901-1904
The Sunset Steamer was made on the West Coast.
Thompson - Thompson Automobile Co. Providence, RI 1906
A very heavy six passenger Steam Car.
Toledo - American Bicycle Co. Toledo, OH 1900-1902
Toledo - International Motor Car Co. Toledo, OH 1902-1903
The Toledo was a Steam Car turned Gasoline car in 1903.
Tractobile - Pennsylvanian Steam Vehicle Co. Inc. Carlisle, PA 1900-1902
A Steam Car that was planed but never produced.
Trask-Detroit - (see Detroit Steam Car)
Twombly - Twombly Motor Carriage Co. New York, NY 1903
Advertising claimed that this Steam Car achieved 50 MPH.
Victor - The Overman Automobile Co. Chicopee Falls, MA 1899-1904
Produced by A. H. Overman of Chicopee Falls, MA
Waltham - Waltham Automobile Co. Waltham, MA 1898-1900
Designed by John Piper and George Tinker.
Waverley; Pope-Waverley - Waverley Co. Indianapolis, IN 1896-1901
Waverley; Pope-Waverley - International Motor Car Co. Indianapolis, IN 1901-1903
Waverley; Pope-Waverley - Waverley Dept. Pope Motor Car Co. Indianapolis, IN 1903-1907
Waverley; Pope-Waverley - Waverley Co. Indianapolis, IN 1909-1916
Very early Steam Cars made in Indianapolis, IN
Webb Jay - Webb Jay Motor Co. Chicago, IL 1908
The Webb Jay was a $4,000.00 Steam Car.
West & Burgett - William S. West C. E. Burgett, Middleburg, NY 1899
Seems that only a prototype was made.
Westfield - The C. G. Moore Mfg. Co. Westfield, MA 1902-1903
A maker of Steam Cars and Gasoline Cars.
White - White Sewing Machine Co. Cleveland, OH 1900-1906
White - The White Co. Cleveland, OH 1906-1918
Rollin H. White also made the White sewing machine and Steam Car.
Whitney - G. E. Whitney Motor Wagon Co. Boston, MA 1895-1897
Whitney - Whitney Motor Wagon Co. Kittery, ME 1897-1898
Whitney was a very early Manufacturer of Steam Cars.
Whitney - Whitney Machine Co. Brunswick, ME 1899-1905
R. S. Whitney was the maker of this Steam Car.
Williams - Williams Engine Co. Inc. Ambler, PA 1957-1968
A 1950s and 1960s Steam Car.
Windsor Steam Car - (see Detroit Steam Car)
Wood - Wood Vapor Vehicle Co. Brooklyn, NY 1902-1903
At $450.00 this was one of the cheapest Steamer in early 1900s.
Wood-Loco - Wood-Loco Vehicle Co. Cohoes, NY 1901-1902
Produced as a passenger car, delivery car and 10 passenger bus.
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