by Charles E. Powell, President
Corbitt Preservation Association
The Corbitt Preservation Association is proud to announce the seventh annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion on October 18, 2008 in historic downtown Henderson.
The show will run from from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Please join us for our showing of these magnificent, historic machines. Not only are they a “Made in USA” item, but they were made right here in Henderson just off of Dabney Drive.
Richard Johnson Corbitt began building buggies in 1899 on what is now Nicholas Street and, later, Wakefield Avenue. Somewhere around 1905 he started building the “new horseless carriage” on what is now present-day Spring Street. He continued to build these until 1910, when he started his new venture into a heavy replacement for the horse, the now world-famous Corbitt Heavy Duty Truck.
Corbitt also manufactured farm tractors around 1950 with most of them shipped to Brazil in South America.
Sadly, the production line was closed in 1952. A few trucks were built from left over parts through 1960, when the last Corbitt machine was built in Harry Swain’s garage on Wakefield Avenue. Some of these beautiful machines are still in operation around the country, pulling freight on a daily basis. It is hard to kill a great machine!
Please come by and see these beautifully restored vehicles on October 18, 2008.
(1) Mr. Richard Johnson (R.J.) Corbitt was born on Feb. 15, 1873
(2) Moved to Henderson, NC in 1890’s
(3) Established the CORBITT BUGGY COMPANY in 1899
(4) Started the transition from horseless carriages to motorized buggies in 1905
(5) Manufactured the first motorized buggy in 1907, ceased in 1909
(6) Manufactured the first automobile in 1909, ceased in 1912
(7) Started production of it’s most famous product, the CORBITT TRUCK in 1910
(8) Production grew until it became the “South’s Largest Truck Manufacturer”
(9) By WWI, its trucks were used in over 23 countries around the world
(10) In 1916, CORBITT trucks owned by the US Army were chasing Pancho Villa in Mexico
(11) During WWI, CORBITT trucks were used by the US military to help fight for the cause
(12) In 1920, CORBITT provided a specially-built railroad engine to replace the one that fell into Nutbush Creek near Townsville, NC
(13) CORBITT became a major supplier for the state of NC, building its first school buses for rural areas
(14) CORBITT built the first City of Raleigh mass transit buses
(15) During WWII, CORBITT suspended its civilian truck production to manufacture trucks for the US military to help fight for the cause of freedom
(16) Production during WWII amounted to over 4,000 trucks for the war effort, with sales reaching nearly $10 million dollars in one year, most of which went to the US Army
(17) The CORBITT Company was awarded the prestigious ARMY/NAVY Award for Excellence contributing to the war effort after WWII
(18) The CORBITT company was a leader in designing specialty vehicles for the US military
(19) The T-33 special military heavy hauler truck was at the time the second-largest truck manufactured in the world. It was powered by a radial aircraft engine and weighing over 25 tons
(20) Due to post war shortages, production levels were held to 150 units per month.
(21) The CORBITT Company produced farm tractors during this time frame also
(22) Mr. R.J. Corbitt retired in 1952 and the company was sold to northern interests
(23) The company was disbanded and inventory and machinery were sold in 1954-55, bringing to a close one of Henderson’s most prominent and storied assets. Corbitt machines now live only through memories and through the Corbitt Preservation Association