“Immigrant Innovators: The Fruehauf Trailer Company" at the German American Heritage Center -- March 23 through June 29.
Saturday, March 23, through Saturday, June 29
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
A fascinating exploration of both a well-known German-American blacksmith and a revolutionary addition to the transportation industry, Immigrant Innovators: The Fruehauf Trailer Company will be on display at Davenport's German American Heritage Center from March 23 through June 29, the exhibit offering insight into the company’s origins, its development over the decades, and its ultimate downfall after the Fruehauf family’s involvement.
The Fruehauf Trailer Company revolutionized the transportation industry with the invention of the semi-trailer in 1914. The semi-trailer facilitated the growth of continental transportation as an alternative to rail. With many more inventions to come, Fruehauf’s story is an integral part of North American transportation history. August Fruehauf was a German-American blacksmith and wagon maker. A local lumber tycoon, Frederick M. Sibley needed to transport an 18-foot boat to his cottage and wanted to use his Model T Roadster, and asked Fruehauf if a wagon could be converted to haul the boat behind the Model T. Fruehauf and his partner Otto Neumann consequently went to work converting the Model T Roadster and the semi-trailer was born. Henry Ford responded by canceling the warranty on the car. By 1918, Fruehauf needed to incorporate the growing Detroit business and the Fruehauf Trailer Company was founded.
From its beginnings, the Fruehauf trailer company introduced revolutionary inventions to trucking and transportation with hydraulic dump trailers, bulk tanker trailers, and automatic fifth-wheel couplings among their more than 1,000 patents, including the shipping container in 1956. Expanding across the country, Fruehauf had 16 plants and more than 80 distributorships for parts and service. Globally, the company expanded into Europe, South America, and Asia. However, following a proxy battle in the late 1980s, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 1997. International divisions became independent; U.S. subsidiaries such as Kelsey Hayes, Pro-Par, Budd Wheels, and Hobbs were sold; and Wabash National acquired the crippled company in 1997. With Immigrant Innovators: The Fruehauf Trailer Company exploring the vast history of this wide-ranging real-life saga, the exhibit was developed in partnership with the Fruehauf Trailer Historical Society, and also with support from the Quad Cities Community Foundation – Iowa 80/CAT SCale Go Iowa Endowment.
Immigrant Innovators: The Fruehauf Trailer Company will be on display at the German American Heritage Center from March 23 through June 29, with regular venue hours Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Exhibit entrance is free with $3-5 museum admission, and more information is available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.
