Montgomery Ward History
Montgomery Ward, the nationwide catalog sales company known as Ward’s, was founded by Aaron Montgomery Ward and his partner and brother-in-law George R. Thorne in 1872. Mr. Ward’s idea was to develop an organization to sell merchandise of nearly every sort directly to the customer. The first “catalog” (a single-sheet price list) was sent to members of the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry in Aug. 1872, when National Grange membership was half a million people. Ward’s became a favorite source of goods for the Grange, whose members were discontent with prices charged by country stores and were receptive to new purchasing methods. Ward’s started with a shipping office in Chicago (Ill.) on Clark Street near Kinzie Street. The city was a terminus for many railroads and ideally situated for distribution. Goods ordered by mail from Ward’s were sent to customers by railway express collect. The customer was free to inspect merchandise and accept or reject it. When Ward’s price list blossomed into full-fledged bound catalogs, merchandise descriptions had to be accurate so that patrons could order with confidence. In 1875 Ward’s promised: “If any of your goods are not satisfactory, after due inspection, we will take them back…and refund the money paid for them.” “Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” were six words that helped build a billion dollar business. However, when Aaron Montgomery Ward died in 1913 at the age of 69, it is possible that his greatest gift to Chicago was not as a businessman but as an environmentalist, especially his long struggle to preserve the city’s Lake Michigan shore as a park and recreational area. In a 20-year fight he went to court numerous times to block construction of various structures on the lakefront, and as a result Chicago preserved one of the most magnificent public open-spaces in the world. In 1897, Ward’s built an electric automobile to show people in small towns one of the “wonders of the century” and to offer free rides. The automobile was transported from place to place in a special railway car that advertised Ward’s. In 1911, Ward’s Modoc was one of 49 new makes of automobiles and sold for $1250.00. Wards introduced Riverside tires in 1912. One of Ward’s most successful promotions began in 1939 when Robert L. May, a copywriter for the company, created the storybook, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” as a giveaway for Ward’s store Santas. Rudolph’s story later became the popular Christmas song composed by Johnny Marks and recorded by Gene Autry. Ward’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 1997. In Dec. 2000, after 128 years in business, the company closed. Ward’s sold at least 4 different trailers including one sold under their “Riverside” name.
Trailerette 64-KYO-13236-B
As a catalog resale company, Montgomery Ward was one of the earliest and largest selling at least 4 different trailer models through the years. The wheel assembly of the 64-KYO-13236-B was built by the LA Young Spring and Wire Corporation, out of Oakland Ca. and has 750 lbs load capacity. One reference on the internet to the company is to a factory in Ontario Canada. Chrysler and Chevrolet bought out the different factory buildings in the late 50’s and early 60’s even though you can still make out the name of the company on the back of one of the factories. Leonard A. Young obtained interest in the Detroit Wire and Spring company some time after 1908 and later named the company after himself: LA Young Spring and Wire Corp. The trailer can be easily taken apart for easy storage or for use as a flatbed. There were at least 4 different trailer models and 3 different body styles sold by Montgomery Wards.