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46America%u2019s First Automobile?egend has it that Elwood Haynes came up with the concept for a horseless carriage back in 1889. After a few years of doing research, and considering various options, he hired two Kokomo brothers, Elmer and Edgar Apperson, to build him an automobile.Working after hours in a local machine shop, the brothers Apperson earned 40%u00a2 an hour for their efforts, which culminated in the unveiling of the Pioneer on July 4th 1894. Although a curious crowd gathered for a look-see, it took the Kokomo Daily Tribune eleven days before it published an article about the unusual public event%u2014in which it described the new mechanical contrivance as a %u201cqueer-looking vehicle.%u201d Does this mean Haynes was the creator of America%u2019s first automobile? Some experts say yes, although others argue the point. They bestow that venerable honor on the Duryea brothers, or men with less familiar names such as Selden, McClure, Lambert, Schloemer and Toepfer, or Nadig (but certainly not Henry Ford). It%u2019s a dispute that will probably never be resolved%u2014but Haynes%u2019 autos did have hood ornaments imprinted with the words %u201cAmerica%u2019s First Car.%u201dIn any case, the one-horsepower Pioneer was definitely a hit. So, in 1896, a business partnership was formed between the idea man and the men who could turn those ideas into reality. Slowly, the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company became successful.Then, in 1901, Elwood and the Appersons decided, on friendly terms, to go their separate ways. The next year, Elmer and Edgar formed the Apperson Brothers Automobile Company. For a while (until 1904) Elwood kept the firm%u2019s original name. Thereafter, it was known simply as the Haynes Automobile Company.The enterprises grew into multi-million-dollar operations, then each failed in the %u201820s. Eventually, in 1937, the Chrysler Corporation took over one of the old Haynes factories on Kokomo%u2019s south side, where it operated until 1965.When I photographed the old factory in 2008, it was still occupied%u2014somewhat ironically%u2014by an automobile salvage company, Warren%u2019s Auto Parts. Inside, I found racks of used engines, wheels, and various other components, all from scrapped vehicles%u2014warehoused in an aging car factory that had witnessed the exuberant ups, and dramatic downs, of a pioneering Indiana automobile industry.LHaynes Automobile Co.%u2014Kokomo, Howard Co. (789.04)Haynes Automobile Co.%u2014Kokomo, Howard Co. (865.15)