Roy D. Chapin Sr.'s Listing at The Automotive Hall of Fame (Inducted 1972)
Roy D. Chapin, Sr (1880 - 1936)
* Was instrumental in the founding of the Lincoln Highway Association
* Established the Hudson Motor Car Company in 1909, serving as President through 1923, and Chairman of the Board thereafter
* Served as Chairman of the Highway Transport Committee of the Council of National Defense from 1917 through 1918 and was named Secretary of Commerce in 1932
Roy Chapin's dedication to building better highways led to widespread travel in America.
When Chapin was in his teens, his neighbors created what was then a novelty by installing a cement sidewalk around their home. After the cement dried, the initials R.D.C. were clearly visible. It was not the last impression that Roy D. Chapin would make on America's roads.
In 1901, Chapin left college to work for R.E. Olds. During his first year as a tester with Olds Motor Works, Chapin participated in a promotional road trip from Detroit to the New York Auto Show. Traveling on rutted and muddy roads, the journey took more than a week. Awakened by the frustrating experience, Chapin spent the rest of his life campaigning for better roads. Chapin left Olds in 1906 and founded the E.R. Thomas-Detroit Company, which became the Hudson Motor Car Company in 1909.
Continuing his quest for safer, sturdier roads, Chapin was instrumental in organizing the Lincoln Highway Association in 1913. His campaign for better highways reached its high point in 1932 when President Herbert Hoover selected Chapin to serve in his cabinet as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
