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On This Day in Automotive History: January 12

On This Day in Automotive History
January 12

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Birthdays: Ray Harroun (1879), Morris Martin (1880), Olivier Gendebien (1924), Lloyd Ruby (1928), Pierre Monneret (1931), Walter Ballard (1933), Henley Gray (1933), Bill Clemons (1934), Jim Fleming (1937), Alan Rees (1938), Hop Holmes (1943), Rick Becker (1946), Bobby Dragon (1946), Neal Lowe (1948), Gary Fountain Sr. (1951), Jim Hull (1952), Billy Hogan (1956), Jonathan Kievman (1961), Kerry Teague (1961), Emanuele Pirro (1962), Clark Dwyer (1964), Robby Unser (1968), Gaston Aguirre (1969), Shawn McGlynn (1969), Carter Lay (1971), Clint Mears (1973), Russ Dugger (1975), Nick McIntosh (1983), Edoardo Mortara (1987), Rodney Brooks (1988), Matt Hawkins (1988), Brian Scott (1988), Adrian Carrio (1989), Richie Pallai Jr. (1990), Blake Jones (1997), Lexi Gay (2001)

1911: Addressing the Society of Automobile Engineers in New York City on "The Construction of Automobile Roads," Director Logan Page states that, "The economical construction and maintenance of the type of road which is subjected to mixed automobile and heavy teaming traffic is probably the most difficult and important problem that to-day confronts the road engineer."

1927: At ARBA's annual banquet at the Palmer House in Chicago, IL, the Metropolitan Super-Highway Association announces that BPR District Engineer R. E. Toms (Montgomery, AL) is the winner of the $1,000 prize for suggesting a plan for stage construction of superhighways. The association says the plan will be the basis for superhighway construction in Chicago totalling $25 million.

1959: Motown Records was founded in Detroit, Michigan. The iconic music label, taking its name from the city's auto industry, would publish music (in its classic era) from Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Rare Earth, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, The Temptations, Diana Ross, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson 5, and Lionel Richie among dozens of other artists. After a period as a subsidiaty of Universal Records, the label was relaunched as an independent company in 2011 and still exists to this day.

1980: Al Bonnell died.

1982: President Ronald Reagan visits DOT Headquarters to address members of its Senior Executive Service. Later, he meets with Secretary of Transportation Drew Lewis and other DOT officials. Administrator Ray Barnhart makes the case for a user tax increase to address the deteriorating condition of the Nation's highways and bridges.

1998: North American Van Lines was purchased by investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.