The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy (Great Lakes Books) [Hardcover]

Charles K. Hyde (Author)

Book Description

Series: Great Lakes Books | Publication Date: April 2005

The first comprehensive biography of John and Horace Dodge and the history of their company, Dodge Brothers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

At the start of the Ford Motor Company in 1903, the Dodge Brothers supplied nearly every car part needed by the up-and-coming auto giant. After fifteen years of operating a successful automotive supplier company, much to Ford’s advantage, John and Horace Dodge again changed the face of the automotive market in 1914 by introducing their own car. The Dodge Brothers automobile carried on their names even after their untimely deaths in 1920, with the company then remaining in the hands of their widows until its sale in 1925 to New York bankers and subsequent purchase in 1928 by Walter Chrysler. The Dodge nameplate has endured, but despite their achievements and their critical role in the early success of Henry Ford, John and Horace Dodge are usually overlooked in histories of the early automotive industry.

Charles K. Hyde’s book The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy is the first scholarly study of the Dodge brothers and their company, chronicling their lives—from their childhood in Niles, Michigan, to their long years of learning the machinist’s trade in Battle Creek, Port Huron, Detroit, and Windsor, Ontario—and examining their influence on automotive manufacturing and marketing trends in the early part of the twentieth century. Hyde details the brothers’ civic contributions to Detroit, their hiring of minorities and women, and their often anonymous charitable contributions to local organizations. Hyde puts the Dodge brothers’ lives and accomplishments in perspective by indicating their long-term influence, which has continued long after their deaths.

The most complete and accurate resource on John and Horace Dodge available, The Dodge Brothers uses sources that have never before been examined. Its scholarly approach and personal tone make this book appealing for automotive historians as well as car enthusiasts and those interested in Detroit’s early development.

About the Author

Charles K. Hyde is professor of history at Wayne State University. He has authored many books, most recently Riding the Roller Coaster: A History of the Chrysler Corporation (Wayne State University Press, 2003), which was selected as a 2004 Notable Book by the Library of Michigan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 251 pages
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814332463
• ISBN-13: 978-0814332467
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #820,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Although I was born and grew up in Pittsfield, MA, I have spent most of my adult life in the Great Lakes region. I earned my Ph.D. in History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and after a brief time elsewhere, I have taught at Wayne State University in Detroit since 1974. Among other areas, I have published in the fields of Industrial Archeology, Michigan History, Business History, and Automotive History. My study of several abandoned Dteroit automobile factories stimulated my interest in automotive history. My most recent books have been a business history of the Chrysler Corporation, a biography and company history of the Dodge Brothers, and more recently, a combination history of Nash Motors, the Hudson Motor Car Compnay, and the American Motors Corporation. My newest writing project is a history of the American automobile industry's work during the Second World War.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read Automotive History, April 23, 2006

By 

H. Marshall "Herb Marshall" (Berlin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

This book is truly a must-read gem. It is the first academic book about the Dodge Brothers. Though it has many in-depth footnotes the book is absolutely readable and tells a nice story all in around 200 pages. It is perfect for the professor of history or the person just curious about Detroit or automotive history. The book is also full of great photos: images showing the brothers, their families, the cars and the plants where they were built.

I, who know a lot about the Dodge Brothers and the Dodge Families, was surprised at what I did not know and what I learned from this book. Mr. Hyde puts to rest many rumors and brings to light much new information which is important to the history of car manufacturing in Detroit. Most importantly he shows how the Dodge Brothers supplied Ford with engines and all the mechanical parts for his first `Ford' cars. Without the Dodges there would probably have never been a successful Ford. Then the Brothers turned to making their own car. Built with honesty and care the firm's cars became known as a solid and dependable. They were true innovators. When they both died in 1920 the company was on top of the world. A few years later the widow's of the Brothers sold the company for $146 million. And again a few years later it was sold again to Walter Chrysler, and is still today an important part of DaimlerChrysler

The Dodge Brothers were an amazing team and built an amazing company from sheer hard work and honesty, the true American Dream! It is surprising that it took so long for someone to write about them.

Key words: John Dodge, Horace Dodge, Anna Thomson Dodge, Matilda Dodge, Meadow Brook Hall, Rose Terrace, Hamtramck, Chrysler, Detroit, automotive, cars

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, June 6, 2010

By 

Mopar Seven "Prov 29:18" (Grand Rapids, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

Really enjoyed this one. Even went and visited a few places noted in the book.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very good/very pleased, August 6, 2009

By 

Child of the KING - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dodge Brothers: The Men, the Motor Cars, and the Legacy (Great Lakes Books) (Hardcover)

I am very please with the items I have purchased and the timely service I have received the items.