Dakota Datebook

Getting a Car

by Merry Helm

August 10, 2020 — People who bought automobiles in the early years were in for a bigger experience than they bargained for. Each car came with a set of tools, but if the owner couldn’t figure out how to use them, there was no mechanic to help him out; the closest thing was the town blacksmith.

The first cars used in North Dakota could rarely drive after dark, because the h…