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.

Fisher Palimony Suit

This article provides insight to Carl Fisher's personality and private life. When Fisher married Jane Watts in 1909 it apparently came as a surprise to long time girlfriend Gertrude Hassler, a beautiful opera singer. Long before "palimony" became a part of our lexicon, Ms. Hassler obtained the legal counsel to file a $500,00 suit against Fisher in 1912.
Fisher Palimony Trial Details

The Fisher Palimony trial dragged on for months. This article details some of the finer points of testimony, focusing particularly on the comments of Jane Watts Fisher, who disputed rival Gertrude Hassler's claim that Carl Fisher spent the Tuesday evening prior to his marriage ceremony with her. Also, there are good insights to the Fisher's "honeymoon," where Carl took Jane on a train trip to Los Angeles so he could testify in another court case, this one brought against his Prest-O-Lite Company due to another of its damaging and notorious factory explosions.
Carl Fisher Marian College

This is another article that provides insights to the personal side of Carl Fisher. Written by Betty Blythe, the first woman to tour the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (in 1909 she rode with driver "Wild" Bob Burman at racing speed and lived to write about it) this story describes Carl and Jane Fisher's estate - called "Blossom Heath" - on Cold Spring Roads in Indianapolis.
Fisher's Premier Vanderbilt Cup Racer

This article is an artifact of limited value. It is a story about the Premier Motor Car Company racer Carl Fisher commissioned for the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup.
Fisher's Open Letter

Just 26 months before Carl Fisher's death in July 1939, he drafted a letter to an open letter to Indianapolis News sports editor Ray Thompson which was published May 29, 1937. This is a good read for insights to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway founder and first president as he reflected on his life.
Fisher Auto Company Ad

This is an ad for Carl Fisher's automobile dealership that ran in Indianapolis newspapers in 1909, the same year the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was founded. The ad touts one of the makes of car Fisher offered on his showroom floor - products of the National Motor Vehicle Company. The president of National was Arthur C.
1920 Fisher Doodles?

This item is a copy of Fisher Automobile Company stationery with "chicken scratch" handwritten notes. Whoever wrote them - and it could be Carl Fisher - had a lot of ideas bouncing around in their head apparently sometime in 1920 as "1920" is scribbled near the bottom left corner of the page. There are references to Jean Porporato, Dario Resta and Cliff Durant on the page, as well as Frontenac and "Baby" Peugeot. Interesting insight (perhaps) into the kinetic mind of Indianapolis Motor Speedway founder Carl G. Fisher.
Piano Takes Flight

This article is about an Indianapolis area piano store that called on Indianapolis Motor Speedway founder Carl Fisher and his ballooning mentor George Bumbaugh to create a promotional event for them by flying a Baldwin piano over the city in 1912. Inspired by Fisher's car promotion four years earlier when he flew a Stoddard-Dayton automobile over Indianapolis to promote his dealership, the piano store owners hoped to attract the same level of attention.

The first competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a national championship gas filled balloon race organized by Speedway President Carl Fisher. Fisher and his co-founders James Allison, Frank Wheeler and Arthur C. Newby were anxious to recover their investments in the Speedway. Since construction of the track did not begin in earnest until April 1909 it took months to prepare the track for motorized competition. Fisher, fascinated with aviation, sought to host the national championship balloon racing competition - and generate revenue for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company. He formed the Aero Club of Indiana, became the 21st person to earn a balloon pilot's license in the United States and worked with mentor George Bumbaugh to develop balloon vehicles. Their craft was called the Indiana and together they survived a harrowing ride through turbulent wind currents. Check out a photo gallery of this great event elsewhere on First Super Speedway.

Fisher's Firsthand Account - 1909 Balloon Race

This article is nothing short of fantastic. Written by Indianapolis Motor Speedway Founder and President Carl Fisher, it is a lengthy feature printed in the Indianapolis Star Father's Day Sunday edition on June 20, 1909. Fisher provides a first-hand account of his participation in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's first competition of any kind, the June 5 national balloon championship.

Called the "Western Vanderbilt" the initial Ira Cobe Trophy Race was run on a 23.27-mile road course completing a circuit between Crown Point and Lowell Indiana on June 19, 1909. It was commissioned by Ira Cobe, who founded the Chicago Automobile Club. Low attendance and the brutal punishment inflicted by the under-developed roadways contributed to the decision to move the contest for this classic trophy to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910.

Chevrolet a Winner in Ira Cobe Trophy Race

This content was originally published in the June 19, 1909 edition of the The Lake County Times in the Chicago area. The articles provide terrific coverage of the Ira Cobe Trophy. Dubbed the "Vanderbilt of the West" by the press, the trophy was commissioned by Ira M. Cobe, president of Chicago Automobile Association.