Louis F. Schoelkopf collection, 1905-1978

Author / Creator

Schoelkopf, Louis F., 1880-1959

Available as

Physical

Summary

Images, primarily relating to Louis F. Schoelkopf's Ford dealership at 210-216 East Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 1905-1924. Included are images of Ford cars, trucks, and other vehicles in...

Images, primarily relating to Louis F. Schoelkopf's Ford dealership at 210-216 East Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 1905-1924. Included are images of Ford cars, trucks, and other vehicles in Madison and the Mazomanie, Wisconsin, location of a branch office as well as general views of Madison and people with their cars. Schoelkopf became an authorized Ford dealer in Madison in 1917 and helped found the Cruiser Motor Car Company. The company was known for their early development of "Cruiser Outfits," a tent which attached to the back of Ford Roadsters that allowed for easy "Camping, hunting, fishing, and cruising." In addition to the Cruiser Company, Schoelkopf created the Schoelkopf Manufacturing Company, a company responsible for the manufacture of Air-Lec automatic door openers intended for commercial and farming use. Air-Lec is still in operation and manufactures three different automatic door operators, sliding inertia operators, swinging operators, and over-center operators. Air-Lec industries also manufactured an underwater weed cutter. Schoelkopf passed away in 1959 at the age of 79. Included in the collection are patent and blueprint designs, installation and user guides, advertisements, sales summaries, land acquisitions, correspondence, as well as photographs of Cruiser cars and Air-Lec doors installed in various factories. Additional materials include patent and blueprint designs, installation and user guides, advertisements, sales summaries, land acquisitions, correspondence, as well as photographs of Cruiser cars and Air-Lec doors installed in various factories.

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