Crane Motor Company Building

722 Manvel Avenue, Chandler, OK
Phone:

East < GO > West

The Crane Motor Company building was built in 1917 as a Ford dealership. The first floor was the showroom and the cars, which arrived from the factory only partially assembled, received final assembly on the second floor. The mechanics were trained by Ford in Oklahoma City to do the final assembly. While assembling cars locally became a thing of the past having a parts and service department was very important and probably filled much of the former assembly space. The building was used by the Crane Motor Company until 1975.

Two of the three garage doors have been boarded up. One of them would probably have led directly to the large elevator used to transport parts up from and assembled cars down to the first floor. The slope of the property led to a deep foudation at the rear of the building which almost looks like there might be a basement, but there isn't.

The building was constructed for the partnership of Clyde Crane & L.P. Anderson who had already been selling very successfully Fords for several years. When Anderson left the partnership in 1918 Crane continued to operate the dealership. In 1923 you could by a new Ford Model T Touring Car here for just $295.00.

The building was placed on the NRHP in 1995

Photo(s): 2016