Between 1916 and 1925, the Anderson Motor Company manufactured automobiles at its Rocky Hill, South Carolina, factory, where industrialist John Gary Anderson produced some 5,553 cars bearing his name, as direct competitors for Henry Ford\u2019s Model T. Several examples of Anderson\u2019s creations will be shown during the November 4-6 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival (HHIMF).<\/p>\n
With the motto of \u201cA little bit higher in price, but made in Dixie,\u201d the Anderson cars were the South\u2019s luxurious alternative to Detroit\u2019s mass-market vehicles, as they featured top-quality trim and materials like mahogany, South Carolina hickory and premium leather. Anderson also introduced interesting color schemes to the industry. Unlike Ford\u2019s basic black, Andersons lured buyers with a rich array of alternative hues as well as other innovations such as electric windshield wipers, power convertible tops, a floor-installed headlight dimmer switch \u2014 an Anderson invention \u2014 and a unique rear view mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re proud to pay tribute to a century of South Carolina automotive heritage this year, with a spotlight on these rare Anderson Motor Company automobiles,\u201d said Carolyn Vanagel, president of the HHIMF. \u201cFrom the state\u2019s earliest success with designing and assembling cars that led the industry in advanced technology to today\u2019s latest models from long-time South Carolina-based manufacturer BMW and now Volvo, we\u2019re looking forward to a thoroughly intriguing journey through the decades.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, one of the cars, a 1920 Anderson Six Convertible Roadster now owned by Paul and Kathleen Ianuario of Duncan, South Carolina, will be added to the Historic Vehicle Association\u2019s (HVA) National Historic Vehicle Register. All of the car\u2019s historic reference materials \u2014 exhaustively studied, documented and verified by HVA as well as the College of Charleston\u2019s Department of Historic Preservation \u2014 will be added to the permanent archives of the U.S. Library of Congress.<\/p>\n