DaytonandElgin
Wore out three sets of tires already!
The 1 millionth Huffman bike left the assembly line on Tuesday, May 13, 1947, at the company's plant, Davis and Gilbert avenues, Dayton, Ohio.
The machine had 14-karat gold plating on the fenders and fender braces, tank, chainguard, the bottom of the torpedo light, and the strap of the brake arm.
The chainstay curved upward at the rear, reminiscent of a late 1930s Huffman Twin-Flex, without the flex. The chainring design would carry over into the 1950s, along with the flat, low-profile rims. The pedals were nothing special.
In the first photo, Huffman president Horace Huffman, Jr. (1914-1996), is far right.
He persuaded Henry Ford II (1917-1987) to house the bike at Ford's Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Mich., now called Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Most recently, the Huffman was on loan at Dayton History/Carillon Historical Park.
Left to right are Jacob Lewis, president of Local 726, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union; Matt Oldiges (1903-1972), general superintendent; Edward Coneby, plant superintendent; Ralph Bell (1905-1983), foreman; and Huffman.
Huffman Manufacturing was an offshoot of Dayton-based Davis Sewing Machine Company, which built its first bike in 1892.
Huffman didn't get going until Dec. 4, 1924, and dabbled in automotive equipment and spill-proof oil cans, as well as bicycles. Even by 1934, Huffman was making only about 10 bikes per day. But the emphasis was on quality builds, like the Huffman Aircrafted Bicycle.
Then in 1936, Huffman put the bike business on the front burner, and introduced the graceful Super-Streamline and Safety-Streamline.
Fast-forward 11 years to May 1947. Huffman gold-plated its 1 millionth bike in memory of Horace Junior's late father, Horace Huffman, Sr. (1885-1945). By this time, the company was producing 1,500 bikes daily, and had 700 employees.
The commemorative Huffman ride has survived, thankfully.
The second photo is a color shot of bike 1 million at the Dayton History museum, from April 2021.
The third picture, also in color, shows what the machine looks like from the non-drive side.
(Dayton Daily News, May 14, 1947, page 6; Daily Journal, May 14, 1947, page 13; Dayton Daily News online color photo, April 30, 2021; second color photo courtesy of the Starnes family of Ohio; Dayton Metro Library history section; and FindaGrave.com.)
The machine had 14-karat gold plating on the fenders and fender braces, tank, chainguard, the bottom of the torpedo light, and the strap of the brake arm.
The chainstay curved upward at the rear, reminiscent of a late 1930s Huffman Twin-Flex, without the flex. The chainring design would carry over into the 1950s, along with the flat, low-profile rims. The pedals were nothing special.
In the first photo, Huffman president Horace Huffman, Jr. (1914-1996), is far right.
He persuaded Henry Ford II (1917-1987) to house the bike at Ford's Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Mich., now called Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Most recently, the Huffman was on loan at Dayton History/Carillon Historical Park.
Left to right are Jacob Lewis, president of Local 726, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union; Matt Oldiges (1903-1972), general superintendent; Edward Coneby, plant superintendent; Ralph Bell (1905-1983), foreman; and Huffman.
Huffman Manufacturing was an offshoot of Dayton-based Davis Sewing Machine Company, which built its first bike in 1892.
Huffman didn't get going until Dec. 4, 1924, and dabbled in automotive equipment and spill-proof oil cans, as well as bicycles. Even by 1934, Huffman was making only about 10 bikes per day. But the emphasis was on quality builds, like the Huffman Aircrafted Bicycle.
Then in 1936, Huffman put the bike business on the front burner, and introduced the graceful Super-Streamline and Safety-Streamline.
Fast-forward 11 years to May 1947. Huffman gold-plated its 1 millionth bike in memory of Horace Junior's late father, Horace Huffman, Sr. (1885-1945). By this time, the company was producing 1,500 bikes daily, and had 700 employees.
The commemorative Huffman ride has survived, thankfully.
The second photo is a color shot of bike 1 million at the Dayton History museum, from April 2021.
The third picture, also in color, shows what the machine looks like from the non-drive side.
(Dayton Daily News, May 14, 1947, page 6; Daily Journal, May 14, 1947, page 13; Dayton Daily News online color photo, April 30, 2021; second color photo courtesy of the Starnes family of Ohio; Dayton Metro Library history section; and FindaGrave.com.)
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