One of our first stops on the return to California was just West of St. Louis, Missouri to see John Fleck (in the blue shirt on the right), Grandson of Michael Fleck. John said he remembered playing on the Michigan when it was stored in a garage in Hobart, but he never saw it running. We hope to be able to give John a ride sometime in the future.

We didn’t slow down on our trip West, except for a brief stop outside of Shawnee, Oklahoma to visit the Citizen Potawatomi headquarters.  Here Tori and I are parked in the lot across from the Cultural Center (below).

Both Tori and I are tribal members through my Mom’s side of the family.

We also stopped in Amarillo, Texas for a boot shopping adventure — and to tighten the tie-down straps for the Michigan. Tori needed some boots to complete her Southern California surfer chic wardrobe. Clearly they protect the toes much better than flip-flops.

On July 9, 2013 we picked up “the big long trailer” in Cresco, Iowa and set out for Hobart Indiana. Michael Fleck, the original owner of the Michigan had lived in Hobart when the car was purchased in 1912.  We  had moved it there for temporary storage in a barn on Janet’s family’s farm back on September 18, 2011.

On July 11, 2013 we uncovered the Michigan, cleared out some of the mothballs placed in it to keep out the rats, racoons and possums and pushed it out of storage for loading into the trailer.  In this picture (above) Kyle White helps me (Craig) push the Michigan towards the trailer.

Here, Victoria Correll and Kyle White pose with the car.  Victoria (Tori) is a Great Great Granddaughter and Kyle is a Great Great Great Grandson of Michael Fleck.

Janet Correll is helping guide the Michigan on to the trailer ramp before we used a come-along and chain to ratchet the 3000+ pound car into the trailer.

This is what a document from the DMV (before it was called DMV) looks like.  The service was probably pretty good too.  It seems that the original signature of the Indiana Secretary of State is on each vehicle registration form.  I don’t know about your state, but we don’t get service like that very often in California. I note that the horsepower notation is lower than the advertised 40 horsepower of the BUDA engine in our car.  Interesting.  Perhaps a lower license fee if the horsepower is lower?

Click on the photo to enlarge

Michael Fleck’s 1914 Automobile Registration Certificate for our MICHIGAN. It is accompanied by the envelope in which the certificate was mailed.

Note that the ENGINE NUMBER (477567) is used as the “factory number” and that the horsepower is listed as 36, and not 40.