Inside Cleveland's Crawford Auto Museum

In 1897, 17-year-old Frank B. Stearns, dropped out of school to pursue a career building that new-fangled contraption -- the automobile. With two friends, he set up a machine shop in his family's garage at Euclid Avenue and Republic (now E. 101st Street). His father was impressed that he fronted his son the money to expand into the family's barn, where Frank created a manufacturing shop. In 1902, he moved the successful firm to Euclid Ave and Lakeview Rd. as the F.B. Stearns Co.

By 1910, the company was producing 100 cars each year and by 1912, they had branches and dealerships in 125 cities. Production grew to 3850 units in 1925, but expansion all but bankrupted the company and it was sold that year to Willys-Overland Company in Toledo. The company never recovered and was dissolved in 1929.

The car pictured above is a five-passenger touring car, which sold for $3375 in 1910. The car is powered by a four-cylinder engine, 30hp engine.

^{(Last updated on 11-09-07)}