Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Tampa’s Oldest Automobile Now On Display

What is believed to be Tampa’s oldest automobile, a bright red 1908 REO Roadster, recently found a new home at the Tampa Bay History Center. Donated to the museum in 1992 by Jane Cralle Hall Witt and her family, the REO was stored at the Ferman Motor Car Company dealership on Kennedy Blvd. until its transfer to the History Center. The generous gift was the third artifact ever given to the History Center.

Built in Lansing, Mich., the automobile was likely purchased in Tampa from the James Brothers Dealership. At one time, the date “1904” was painted on the “hood” of the car, signifying the year REO founder Ransom Eli Olds, who also founded Oldsmobile and the City of Oldsmar, started the company. One of two versions manufactured by REO, this southern Roadster has a smaller wheel base which was designed for poorly developed roads commonly found in the South.

Photographs of the automobile, also donated by the Hall family, show the car in a downtown Tampa parade circa 1936 with many of the blemishes found on it today. Another photograph shows Ransom E. Olds as a passenger in the vehicle during the same time period.

In 1970, the Roadster almost burned in a fire at the Cralle-Hall dealership on Adamo Drive but survived thanks to David Hall and Eddie Wall who pushed the car to safety. Still in remarkably good condition, the Tampa Bay History Center hopes to restore the REO to its original beauty for all to enjoy.