Published in 1955, Floyd Clymer’s Historical Scrapbook: Motor Cars and News of 1899 gathers photographs, illustrations, advertisements, news reports, and technical articles documenting the earliest years of the automobile.

The year 1899 represented a fascinating turning point in transportation. Automobiles were still experimental, and manufacturers were testing steam, gasoline, and electric power to determine which technology would shape the future. Vehicle designs varied widely, and many early automobiles still closely resembled horse-drawn carriages.

Compiled by automotive historian and publisher Floyd Clymer, the scrapbook allows readers to experience this period through information and images originally produced when automobiles were new and unfamiliar. It documents early inventors, manufacturers, mechanical designs, public demonstrations, and reactions to the rapidly developing “horseless carriage.”

Although gasoline eventually became the dominant automotive fuel, steam-powered automobiles were serious competitors during this period. They were often praised for their quiet operation, strong performance, and mechanical simplicity.

Displayed in the Power Mechanical Steam Museum, this scrapbook provides historical context for the museum’s steam-automobile collection. It captures a moment when the future of transportation remained undecided and steam was one of several technologies competing to power the modern automobile.