In July of 1909 the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce announced it had completed a deal with the Gary Motor Car Company of Chicago to relocate in Muskegon. The Chamber proposed to build a new factory for the company which was expected to employ as many as 400 workers. Plans were to build 1000 cars per year.
Immediately there were problems. Financial difficulties forced a reorganization. The company was renamed the Henry Motor Car Company in hopes of capitalizing on the name of its general manager, D. W. Henry. Henry had 10 years experience in the auto business and was well known on the east coast. Two Muskegon men, John Palmer and John Q. Ross were made directors.
The Chamber of Commerce built the new plant on Nims Street just west of Getty at a cost of $15,000. It measured 400 feet by 50 feet and had a two story office at one end. By August of 1910 Henry automobiles were in production.
The basic model produced was a two-passenger roadster powered by a water-cooled, four cylinder, and 24 horsepower engine. It offered a three-speed transmission and sold for $900. A five-passenger touring car was also built, featuring a larger engine up to 40 horsepower. It could reach speeds of 55 mph and sold for $1750. A sportier model, called the Torpedo, sold for $2200. All of the models were right hand drive.
Muskegon was not exactly prime territory for selling automobiles at the time. For one thing there were no gasoline stations in town. Those who owned motor cars had to have their gas delivered from Grand Rapids. But the Henry Company planned to sell most of its cars in the east anyway. In fact it was represented by a large automobile agency in the New York area.
When the fire chief of New York City purchased a new Henry the company received a lot of good national publicity. Local officials had hopes that police and fire departments all over the country would purchase Henrys.
There was more good publicity in March of 1911 when the company announced it had sold five of its cars to buyers in Chicago. The five autos were paraded down Western Avenue and reportedly caused quite a sensation. A fancy Torpedo, painted dark green with a broad gold stripe on the side, was the star of the show. Also receiving attention was a touring car painted pearl gray with black stripes. The orders began rolling in and the plant was soon operating at capacity.
It must have come as a shock to the Chamber of Commerce (and all of Muskegon) when less than a year later the company filed for bankruptcy. Whether the failure was caused by a sharp economic downturn or poor management is unclear. In any case the assets of the company were disposed of in April of 1912. It’s estimated that about two-dozen Henrys were sold locally and a total of about 600 automobiles were built. Apparently none have survived.
