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Hendee Mfg Co. / Indian Motocycle Co. Bicycles Information Thread

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Gary Mc

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Starting to dig into the history of George M. Hendee starting with Hendee & Nelson Mfg. Co. and moving through to Hendee Mfg. Co. and the Indian Motocycle Co. This thread will run with data from the 1890's through the 1950's but as most of the research will be pre-1933, I felt it best to post it here. I will also add "Notes & Reference" placeholders in separate posts up front for each era. Obviously with bicycles & motorcycles were so closely linked in the early 1900's, there will also be references to their very early motorcycles I find that may be appropriate here as well.

I encourage anyone with additional information on these great bicycles to post it here as well. There is a lot of mystery & intrigue to this company and always the questions of who actually manufactured Indian motobikes. Post your bikes, ads, catalogs, articles whatever you feel appropriate here to the subject matter at hand and maybe in the end we'll all have the answers we seek on these great marques of bicycling history.

NOTE: This will be a long term project for me so I'll post what I can when I can get to it. Work & Family Life crazy right now but plan to work on this little project as time allows.

IMG_2369_zps19eb0bd6-1.jpg


George M. Hendee (1866 – 1943)
  • Photos: 1883, Post 52; Posts 15, 53
  • Articles:Posts 13, 15, 55

Oscar Hedstrom (1871-1960)
  • Photos: Posts 15, 59
  • Articles: Posts 15, 28, 55
 
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1890's

1890's Reference & Notes Post

1896
  • The Hendee & Nelson Manufacturing Company at 478 Main Street in Springfield Massachusetts were building safety bicycles under the names of Silver King for men and Silver Queen for women.
  • Photos: Silver King bicycle in Post # 10
  • Ads: Post # 38

1897


1898
  • Hendee & Nelson Manufacturing Company went bankrupt and Hendee purchased the entire inventory at auction and set up shop on Worthington Street in Springfield Massachusetts.

1899
  • Bicycles only manufacturing & sales
 
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1900-1909

1900-1909 Reference & Notes Post

1900
  • Bicycles only manufacturing & sales
1901
  • Bicycle manufacturing & sales; Motor Bicycles launched
  • April 25, 1901 - Hedstrom nearing completion of gasoline powered chain driven motor for the Hendee Mfg. Co., Post 28
  • May 23, 1901 - Dealer story on 3 years of selling Indian bicycles. Post 29
  • June 6, 1901 - The Launch of the Hendee Motor Bicycle, Post 30
  • Bicycle Ads: Posts 27

1902
  • Bicycle & Motor Bicycles manufacturing & sales
1903
  • Bicycle & Motor Bicycles manufacturing & sales - Post 50
1904
  • Bicycle & Motor Bicycles manufacturing & sales - Posts 46, 51
  • Motor Bicycle Ads & Photos: Posts 59
1905


1906


1907


1908
  • Motorcycle Ads & Photos: Posts 41, 42

1909
  • Motorcycle Ads & Photos: Posts 42
 
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1910-1919 Reference & Notes Post

1910-1919 Reference & Notes Post

1910
  • Motorcycle Ads & Photos: Posts 41
1911

1912

1913

1914

1915 - Return of Indian Bicycles announced for 1916 model year
  • Westfield to build new line-up of Hendee Mfg. Co. Indian Bicycles to add to their Motorcycle business: September 25, 1915, United States Investor periodical reports that Hendee Manufacturing Company has entered into arrangement with the Pope Plant in Westfield, Mass. to build bicycles to add to their motorcycle line-up and calls the addition of bicycles, "the new business is an experiment however, until it proves it's worth". Posts # 25 & 26
1916 - Return of Indian Bicycles
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales (Bicycles outsourced to Westfield as manufacturer)
  • Bicycle Brochures & Catalogs: Post 49
1917
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Bicycle Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1918
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Bicycle Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1919
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Bicycle Brochures & Catalogs: Post
 
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1920-1929 Reference & Notes Post

1920-1929 Reference & Notes Post

1920
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1921
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1922
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1923
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • On October 26, 1923, the corporate name of Hendee Manufacturing Company was changed to Indian Motocycle Company. (Post # 25)
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1924
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1924-1926
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Indian Motorcycle Company - Merkel Motor Wheel brochure, Post 19
1925
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
1926
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post 37
1927
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Post
  • Photos: Dealership Photo, Post 24
1928
  • Bicycles & Motorcycles manufacturing & sales
  • Brochures & Catalogs: Posts 20-23
1929
 
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1950's Reference & Notes Post

1950's Reference & Notes Post

  • Brochures & Catalogs: Posts 61
 
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The start is with Hendee & Nelson Mfg.

The start is with Hendee & Nelson Mfg. and their safety bicycles under the names of Silver King for men and Silver Queen for women.

From Digplanet:

"In 1892 Hendee retired from bicycle racing and began making Silver King bicycles at 41-43 Taylor Street in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1895. In 1896 the Hendee & Nelson Manufacturing Company at 478 Main Street in Springfield Massachusetts were building safety bicycles under the names of Silver King for men and Silver Queen for women. The company went bankrupt and Hendee purchased the entire inventory at auction and set up shop on Worthington Street in 1898."​
 
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