Curved Dash Olds

What most people see first when they enter the main entrance of the Wells County Historical Museum is the 1902 Curved Dash Oldsmobile. The car was donated to the museum by the Ifer Family several years ago. This rare and unique car was made by the Olds Motor Vehicle Company of Lansing Michigan.

The company founder, Ranson Eli Olds is known today as the Patriarch of Mass Production and the company was the first mass-producers of automobiles. Mr. Olds would leave the company to form REO Motor Car Company that would produce cars and in later years, trucks and buses up until 1975. In 1966, a music group from Champaign, IL took the name REO Speedwagon (named after one of the truck models) and achieved great success throughout the 1970’s and 80’s. Be sure to check out the entire exhibit about the 1902 Oldsmobile at the Wells County Historical Museum, 420 W. Market St., Bluffton, IN. You can also learn more at: https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/ransom-e-olds/