A 1910s auto sporting a 1917 licence plate. Beside the car is its owner, a nurse, and her satchel of medical records, etc.
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Toronto. The automobile has been with us for over a century and a quarter now, replacing the bicycle on the road over 100 years ago. Collectors find old auto photos of particular interest and often add a category of “automobile” to their collection. .
The photo at left shows a nurse with her car (displaying an auto licence of 1917). Written on the back in pencil is a notation “Ottawa, Illinois“. Unlike our federal capital city of the same name, the Illinois ‘city’ only has a population of around 19,000 souls in recent times (it is also a county seat).
While you may or may not find old auto photos at our 2025 events such as the Fall Fair on the 19th of this month, you will find lots of goodies to add to your collection! Details are pinned to this web site and in our PHSC News for this September (issue 25-9).
NB. The title of this post is a riff on the 1905 song, “In My Merry Oldsmobile“. The inventor, Ransome E Olds, ultimately sold his vehicle factory. The Oldsmobile name ended up with General Motors (GM) and prospered for decades until the auto industry phased out the number of automobile models and names. The Oldsmobile line ended in 2004.
