Carl Graham Fisher

Fifteen articles in this collection document significant events in Carl Fisher’s life. His “palimony” suit with Gertrude Hassler is an interesting example. Another important point is the Zanesville, Ohio county fair horse track accident in September 1903 that involved his teammate Earl Kiser and resulted in the death of several spectators. Also, there is Carl’s wonderful first hand account of his balloon ride when he competed in the Speedway’s first competition – the national balloon championships of June 1909.

Carl Fisher's Boating

Carl Fisher loved all forms of motorsports. He was an avid powerboat racer prior to founding the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - during the earliest pioneering days of boat competition. These articles contain references to some of his early events in 1906 and 1907. He raced in Michigan and at Broad Ripple in Indianapolis.
Pre-Brickyard May Racing in Indianapolis

Memorial Day as a big motor racing tradition was established in Indianapolis even before there was an Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The primary organizer? Well, Carl Fisher of course.
 
Fisher's Track Dreams - 1905

This is a hugely important article that sets the basic date by which Carl Fisher had begun planning a giant speedway. This article was published in the Indianapolis Star on December 17, 1905.
Carload of Maxwells

This is a small article which is actually a digest of current topics for the fall of 1906 in Indianapolis. Published in the Indianapolis Star on November 4, 1906, one item calls out a shipment of Maxwell cars to Carl Fisher's 330 North Illinois dealership.
Stoughton Fletcher Buys From Fisher

This is a brief item mentioning that Fletcher Bank's Stoughton A. Fletcher purchased two National Motor Vehicle Company cars from the Fisher Automobile Company. The article about Fletcher is from the Indianapolis Star and is dated January 19, 1908.
Fisher's Airplane Businesses

The kinetic mind of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Founder and President Carl Fisher probably amazed and sometimes confounded his friends and associates. In 1909 he literally willed the creation of the giant track. In the course of little more than four months, the 2.5-mile oval was complete with 41 buildings or structures that had sprouted up out of Indiana farmland.
Frank Moore Speaks

This is a unique ad in which Frank L. Moore ostensibly is writing an open letter to the Indianapolis market to test drive a Mitchell runabout automobile from Fisher Automobile Company.
Fisher Automobile Company Incorporates

This article was published in the May 10, 1913 Indianapolis News and discusses the incorporation of the Fisher Automobile Company.
Bumbaugh & Wall

Attachment Bumbaugh102908 contains an image (published in the Indianapolis Star October 29, 1908) of a balloon sailing out over the horizon. Manning the vehicle is reported to be Captain George L.
Carl Fisher Match Race

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Founder Carl Fisher was a betting man for sure.