AUTOMOBILES MANUFACTURED IN CUYAHOGA FALLS

“NOW THAT IS A CROCK”

The Crock Motor Car Company of Cuyahoga Falls was incorporated under the laws of the state of Ohio at a capitalization of $100,000. It was under the same management as Crock’s Garage and Machine Company: K M Crock, President, and W T Evans, Secretary-Treasurer.

Their headquarters were at 190 S Front Street (now 1856 Front St). The new home of the Crock Automobile Co. was in the old Falls Rubber Company’s plant on Water Street, south of Broad St, which was vacated in 1919 for their new plant on Main Street at Reed Street.

One chassis was delivered to a Detroit buyer, who had the body built to order in Detroit. They originally sold the chassis without the body, top, or fenders; with wire or wooden wheels optional. The Motanic Bros., who were S. Second Street pattern makers, became the first local purchasers of a Crock car.

The first car [that] went into service in Cleveland was in February, 1921. T. Oscar Evans, President if the Evans Motor Car Company, Akron, reported favorably of the automobile. He was the Akron distributor for the Crock automobile. “I believe we have an automobile that will fill the needs of people who want a medium-priced, medium ­weight car.”

It was announced at the Cuyahoga Falls office of the company that plans for the immediate distribution of the balance of the company’s original issue of $100,000 worth of capital stock were being made.

Other than the picture of the chassis in the Falls Reporter of February 1921, there are no known pictures of the completed car. The firm did sell cars and parts on Front Street but further documentation as a manufacturer is lacking.

The Crock Motor Car Company [has] gone from Cuyahoga Falls , leaving no impression whatsoever on our local history.

Submitted to the CFHS by Dale Platt

With all due respect to Mr. Platt’s report, I wanted to add a few dates and info. So, Mr. Crock basically had two companies.

First, the longer operating and the more influential Crock’s Garage and Machine Company – a repair & sales shop on Front & Prospect Streets.

The other was The Crock Motor Car Company – a car manufacturer on Water Street.

The CMC Co. filed as a ‘Corporation For Profit’ on August 2, 1919 but by March 1, 1923 the company is filed as ‘Canceled/Unable to Determine/Old-Incomplete Records’. It’s probably safe to say they didn’t do well at all and abandoned ship, like Mr. Platt wrote above, little is known. I have pondered while reading and doing a little research – wonder if they ever made more than 2 or 3 cars?

There are a few stories in our history about CG&M Co. One story comes to mind that I wrote about in my River of Memories book about the Falls – a group of kids stole one of the new autos from Mr. Crocks garage in the middle of the night and went joy riding. They ended up totaling the car after wrecking into some sort of street plow. A nearby farmer knew they were up to no good so he wouldn’t help them out of the ditch they landed in. They all ended up sleeping in the car and walking back to the Falls the next morning knowing what sort of trouble was coming their way. It’s been a while but if I remember correctly, Mr. Crock swallowed the cost of the car knowing that the boys were going to get what they deserved at home.