LOW MOTOR CO. MATERIALS, 1924-1958.  0.2 cubic feet (1 archives boxes)

Abstract

Elmer C. Low began Low & Dickson Motor Co. as a partnership with Harold L. Dickson after the two were salesmen at Elsen & Neeland Co. car dealership. The partnership dissolved in 1937 when Low bought out Dickson’s interest. Elmer’s son Jack started working for his dad in 1951. Franchises owned throughout the years included De Soto-Plymouth, Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln, American Motors and Jeep lines. The family sold Low Motor Co. in 1994 and began selling vehicles under the third generation’s name Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota in 1997.

The collection mainly includes copies of newspaper clippings about the business and paid newspaper ads, 1937-1958. Other materials include clippings and photographs of the “Major Bowes Amateur Hour” publicity campaign in La Crosse in 1938, telegrams from De Soto about the Office of Price Administration’s (OPA) restrictions on selling passenger automobiles in 1942 during World War II, some clippings about Elmer C. Low, a few early photographs, and memorabilia.

Acc. No. 2007-084
Donated by Jack Low, September 2007
Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, October 2007

History

Elmer C. Low began Low & Dickson Motor Co. as a partnership with Harold L. Dickson after the two were salesmen at Elsen & Neeland Co. car dealership. The partnership dissolved in 1937 when Low bought out Dickson’s interest.

The business started as a used car lot at 514-516 State Street in 1929. It acquired a De Soto-Plymouth franchise and also had 36 associate dealers at one time. In 1950 Low Motors moved into a brand new building at 608-612 Cass Street. This was its home until a new 16,062 square-foot building at Losey Blvd. and Fiesta Court on the south side was finished in 1983.

Elmer’s son Jack started working for his dad in 1951 in the parts department. Franchises owned throughout the years included De Soto-Plymouth, Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln, American Motors and Jeep lines. The family sold Low Motor Co. in 1994, and in 1997 began selling vehicles under the third generation’s name Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota back downtown at 800 Third Street South.

Scope and Content

The collection mainly includes copies of newspaper clippings about the business and paid newspaper ads, 1937-1958.

Clippings and photographs of the “Major Bowes Amateur Hour” publicity campaign in La Crosse in 1938 are interesting and there are four 8” x 10” black & white photos of the campaign including an excellent view of the seven hundred block of Main Street.

Telegrams from De Soto and a newsletter about the Office of Price Administration’s (OPA) restrictions on selling passenger automobiles in 1942 during World War II hint at the limitations war-time industry faced.

Other materials include a few clippings about Elmer C. Low, a few early photographs including drawings of the De Soto (possibly the 1937 or 1938 model), and memorabilia. The memorabilia collection is eclectic but includes some Plymouth and De Soto ribbons and pins as well as Low business cards and other assorted items.

While there is a very little about the Low family in this collection, there are a few newspaper clippings, two photographs that Elmer C. Low took while working for Elsen & Neeland in 1929-1930, and a photo of Elmer and others in a car in 1924. According to the city directory, he was working as an insurance agent then.