Recently I was asked on the Chatham History Facebook group what caused the demise of Chatham’s Gray Dort automobile manufacturing concern.

To that question I could respond, simply, that Gray Dort was victim to the same circumstances that became the downfall of more than 400 other auto makers in North America – small size and technology change. The combination was a company killer.

When the Wm Gray and Sons buggy and commercial wagon company entered the auto making business in 1916, they did so in partnership with Dallas Dort of the Dort Motor Car Company of Flint, Mich.

The major justification for the partnership was the essential provision for engineering to deal with technology change that was a constant challenge to the industry.

The Chatham operation would be run by Robert Gray, son of the founder, and........

© Sarnia Observer