Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published May 19, 2004

The story of the Oldsmobile

In 1905 the Oldsmobile was immortalized by the song "Come away with me, Lucille, in my merry Oldsmobile." That song will have little meaning for coming generations because on April 29, 2004, the last Oldsmobile to be built, an Alero, rolled off the line at the Lansing (MI) Car Assembly.

In August of 1897 the local newspaper in Lansing reported on the formation of the new company known as the Olds Motor Vehicle Co. The story said, "Just how important an enterprise the organization will develop time alone can tell." They went on to say about the motor car, "It is so easy of operation that it can be managed by a lady and in fact has been run without trouble by Mrs. Olds, wife of the inventor, and others."

Ransom E. Olds developed that gas-powered motor car in his father's shop in Lansing's downtown area. But even earlier, in 1887, he first developed a steam-powered car and in 1893 that car was the first American car sold abroad. The ship carrying it to India sank in the ocean and the car was lost forever.

In 1896, Olds built his gas-powered car and he was often seen motoring around town.

The following year the company was formed and four cars were built. This was the first company organized with the specific purpose of producing cars in quantities. Two years later, in 1899, a second company was organized by Olds as Olds Motor Works and was moved to Detroit. The cars were named Oldsmobiles in 1900 but the stay in Detroit was short because a fire destroyed the plant in 1901 and Olds returned to Lansing to stay. In 1908, Oldsmobile joined the newly organized General Motors Co.

In 1935, the one millionth Olds was built. During WWII-days, car production was suspended but the workers made 48 million rounds of ammunition, 140,000 aircraft machine guns and tank cannons. In 1958, Olds was named the nation's fourth largest automaker giving new life to "In My Merry Oldsmobile."

By 1965, over 15,000 workers were employed by Olds in Lansing. We lived in that city before our move to the Plateau and we saw how working at Olds had become very much a family tradition. When a new Cutlass plant was dedicated, Oldsmobile's Lansing operations became North America's largest passenger car assembly complex and the employment figure hit 23,000 in 1979.

The year before Olds celebrated its 100th year in 1997 GM announced in '96 that Olds was being moved to Detroit. However, the Lansing factories started building Aleros. The final blow came in 2000 when GM decided to phase out its Oldsmobile division.

On April 29, 2004 the last Oldsmobile to be built, an Alero, rolled off the Lansing Car Assembly and all the plant workers signed their names inside the hood. That car will be on display at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum where the long history of the Olds will live on.

At the Last Day Reception, GM workers of today and retirees mingled and shared memories. Today's employees had the satisfaction of knowing that GM would continue to make cars in Lansing. Retirees regretted the loss of the nameplate which had been such an important part of their lives.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.