1918 Roamer Model C

In 1913, Albert C. Barley purchased the assets of the Streator Motor Car Co. of Streator, Illinois, which had gone into receivership in 1911. When Barley re-opened the Streator facility, production of Streator's Halladay automobile resumed.

Near the close of 1916, Barley joined forces with Cloyd Y. Kenworthy, an electric car distributor in New York. Kenworthy had been searching for a gasoline-powered car to sell since the electric car market was starting to dry-up. Kenworthy and Barley turned to Karl H. Martin, to design their own car which would become known as the Roamer. The name was from a famous racehorse.

The Roamer automobile had long, low, flowing lines and a Continental Red Seal six-cylinder engine. It had a radiator and grille design that was similar to a Rolls-Royce and was marketed as 'America's Smartest Car.' They catered to a discrete market of discerning clientele and offered their cars in an enormous palate of colors to choose from, both for exterior and interior treatments.

Martin and Kenworthy soon left Roamer, both in pursuit of other ventures. Barley left by the end of 1924. The management left behind was unstable and it adversely affected production. By 1928, the company produced a mere 35 cars. The following year, only 2 examples were produced. The entire production total for the company's 14-year lifespan was nearly 12,000 cars.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2020