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Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford (before 1920)
Summary
Black and white photo of Acushnet Avenue north of Bullard Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts. Businesses, multi-family homes and storefronts shown lining curved street with trolley tracks running down center; cars parked on both sides of street; pedestrians on sidewalks. Capitol Theatre building with sign at right. Buildings at left with signs for Capitol shoe repairing and shine, Richer Paints and Decorative Furnisher; playbills for movies playing at local theaters, including "Dance Madness" at the State Theatre [Zeiterion Theatre].
Courtesy of New Bedford Free Public Library
The automobile was first invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1890s. Americans quickly came to dominate the automotive industry after WWI. Throughout this initial era, the development of automotive technology was rapid. Hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention. Key developments included the electric ignition system, independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted and safety glass also made its debut. Henry Ford perfected mass-production techniques, and Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” auto companies by the 1920s. Car manufacturers received enormous orders from the military during World War II, and afterward automobile production in the United States, Europe, and Japan soared.
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