Automotive heir, and only son of Auto Baron, Horace Dodge Sr. Stepping out of his famous fathers' shadow and making his own mark, Horace Dodge Jr., founded Dodge Boat Works in Detroit, Michigan in 1923 with a $2,000,000 bankroll from his mother Anna Thomson Dodge. In early 1924, Horace Dodge Jr., produced the first "Dodge Watercar". By 1930 Dodge Boat Works was known as The Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation and was at this time located at a larger facility in Newport News, Virginia, although Horace still owned facilities in Detroit located at 563 Lycaste Street. The 1920's were a prospering time for Dodge Boat Works. However by 1936, his operations had shut down due to the Great Depression, and a few years later briefly re-opened during World War II producing military crafts, but was again shut down for good after the war. Although his hobby was just a memory, he still enjoyed yachting and was still very much active in the powerboat scene, winning awards for motorboat and hydroplane races. His trophy collection was impressive and he once accepted a trophy from President Truman. Known as being high spirited and the life of the party, Horace Dodge Jr., died on December 22, 1963, at the age of 63 in Detroit at Jennings Memorial Hospital. At his bedside were his daughter Delphine Dodge Petz, his personal secretary Sarah Helmick and a former sister-in-law Florence Sisman. His mother Anna was 92 years old at the time and in Palm Beach, Florida when she received the call that her only son was on his deathbed. She immediately made arrangements to fly back to Detroit, first-class ticket in hand to see her dying son. After her plane landed, the Detroit dowager was assisted into her custom-built Imperial limousine and the limo raced down I-94 from Detroit Metropolitan Airport with a police escort to the hospital where Horace lay dying at. He died before his mother made it to the Hospital. Horace Jr.'s last words were, "Where's mother"?
Automotive heir, and only son of Auto Baron, Horace Dodge Sr. Stepping out of his famous fathers' shadow and making his own mark, Horace Dodge Jr., founded Dodge Boat Works in Detroit, Michigan in 1923 with a $2,000,000 bankroll from his mother Anna Thomson Dodge. In early 1924, Horace Dodge Jr., produced the first "Dodge Watercar". By 1930 Dodge Boat Works was known as The Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation and was at this time located at a larger facility in Newport News, Virginia, although Horace still owned facilities in Detroit located at 563 Lycaste Street. The 1920's were a prospering time for Dodge Boat Works. However by 1936, his operations had shut down due to the Great Depression, and a few years later briefly re-opened during World War II producing military crafts, but was again shut down for good after the war. Although his hobby was just a memory, he still enjoyed yachting and was still very much active in the powerboat scene, winning awards for motorboat and hydroplane races. His trophy collection was impressive and he once accepted a trophy from President Truman. Known as being high spirited and the life of the party, Horace Dodge Jr., died on December 22, 1963, at the age of 63 in Detroit at Jennings Memorial Hospital. At his bedside were his daughter Delphine Dodge Petz, his personal secretary Sarah Helmick and a former sister-in-law Florence Sisman. His mother Anna was 92 years old at the time and in Palm Beach, Florida when she received the call that her only son was on his deathbed. She immediately made arrangements to fly back to Detroit, first-class ticket in hand to see her dying son. After her plane landed, the Detroit dowager was assisted into her custom-built Imperial limousine and the limo raced down I-94 from Detroit Metropolitan Airport with a police escort to the hospital where Horace lay dying at. He died before his mother made it to the Hospital. Horace Jr.'s last words were, "Where's mother"?
