A hand-colored photo postcard from 1908 of the castle-like entrance of the Coliseum. Located on the east side of Wabash Avenue between 15th and 16th Street, the Coliseum housed the annual Chicago Auto Show from 1901 through 1935. Inside the building, more than a dozen six-cylinder cars were on display and the demand for closed cars was gaining popularity.
A high angle view of the elaborately decorated main aisle inside the Coliseum before the opening of the 8th annual Chicago Auto Show, which took place from Nov. 30th to Dec. 7, 1907.
Located in Space G5, First Regiment Armory, was the Kissel Kar Motor Car Co. People visiting the exhibit would learn that Kissel had been awarded a clean score for perfect roadwork by the technical committee of the Chicago Motor Club after a recent 600 mile reliability run. They were the only touring car carrying five-passengers to win.
Atlas Motor Car Co of Springfield, Massachusetts, built cars from 1907-1911. Featuring two-cycle powerplants, the Atlas offered, “twice as many power impulses and only half as much weight as the four-cycle engines in other automobiles.”
On the left is a newspaper advertisement for the Dragon Roadster, which offered a 35 horsepower engine and promoted to reach speeds up to 55 miles per hour. A second ad informs the public to visit the First Regiment Armory to see the 1908 Kissel Kar models with “demonstrations in touring car or runabouts cheerfully given.”
Columbia Electric Vehicle Company, of Hartford, Ct., exhibited a full line of vehicles during the 1908 Chicago show. These included the $900 Runabout, $1,350 Victoria-phaeton, $1,500 Surrey and a Town Carriage that cost $3,500. The Chicago branch office for the Columbia electric and gasoline-powered automobiles was located at 1413 Michigan Ave, close to the Coliseum.
Known as, “The car with the straight line drive,” the Imperial Roadster was built in Williamsport, Penn. The Imperial came equipped with a 30-35 horsepower engine; rode on 36-inch wheels, an Eisemann Magneto, gas lamps, generator, horn and tools, all for $2,500.
Monarch Motor Car Co offered two models for 1908, the two-passenger Model “F,” and five seater Model “G.” A 40 h.p. engine provided lively performance and special materials used in the construction of the vehicle were vanadium steel and nickel chrome steel.