Stearns-Knight
Cleveland, Ohio
Our pictures of Stearns-Knight cars were taken at car museums, shows, and auctions across the United States.
Frank B. Stearns built his first car in 1896 at the age of seventeen. The son of a wealthy Cleveland industrialist, Stearns began his automotive career in his machine shop located in the basement of his family's Euclid Avenue home. A man of wealth and refined tastes, his cars were known for their quality and style.
The Stearns is widely regarded as among the best cars of the early 20th century. The Stearns was intended for the affluent motorist; nearly all models were priced over $3,000 - about five times the cost of a Model T.
John North Willys bought the Stearns company in 1925. He kept Stearns-Knight an independent manufacturer rather than adding the company to his growing Willys-Overland empire.
Stearns-Knight ended production after the stock market crash put its exclusive cars both out of reach and out of fashion.
