Wisconsin Automotive Museum welcomes only known Badger automobile in existence

Hartford, Wisconsin - Another Wisconsin car manufacturing marque is now represented at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum with the donation of a 1910 Badger Touring Car. Just 237 Badgers were made during their brief run, and this is the only one known to exist.

The Badger Motor Car Company started when E.W. Arbogast found a small group of Columbus, WI businessmen willing to back the idea of building a car in the city. A sample car was made in 1909, followed by the 1910 and 1911 model years. The 1910 models had a 4 cylinder engine with 30 horsepower and sold for $1500. Though the car received good reviews, financial obligations could not be met and it was decided to liquidate the company in late 1911.

The Badger joins Kissel, Jeffery,Nash, Winther, and American Motors as Wisconsin marques at the museum. The high caliber Kissel automobile was manufactured in Hartford 1906 – 1931, making Kissel the second longest car manufacturer in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum currently has 118 vehicles on exhibit including 25 of the fewer than 150 remaining Kissels.