About the Museum

This site is a labor of love dedicated to the preservation of the long gone Oliver Outboard Motor (and its predecessor and descendents) ... it's preservation, promotion, history, trivia, etc. ... and as a vehicle for Oliver aficionados to share their thoughts and needs.

My interest in this company and product began (if memory serves) in 1955 when, as a Saugatuck, Michigan highschooler,  I landed a job assisting a local banker in reclaiming a dilapidated Kalamazoo River property owned by his family.  (Very) Long story short- we opened up a marina - didn't even know the proper pronunciation of "marina" at the time! 

Again, as memory serves, the marina opened for business in early 1956 with a gas dock (Texaco), some small slips for up to 16' boats and little else other than an overwhelming enthusiasm.  Somewhere along the line we picked up the Wagemaker line of cedar strip/molded plywood boats and the Oliver franchise.  As I recall, Oliver was being distributed by Michigan Marine Distributors out of Lansing, Michigan.  I can recall the image of the salesman but cannot remember his name.  He was full of enthusiasm for the Oliver line (2 motors) and my boss, not having much choice (inasmuch as Johnson, Evinrude and Mercury franchises were all taken locally)  jumped at the chance. 

 

Part of the franchising deal was that someone associated with the dealer become a factory trained service representative.  Being the only candidate available I attended service school at Oliver's Battle Creek, Michigan production facility (118 S. McCamly Street) and became one of the first (of probably very few) graduates of their mechanic training school.

 

Oliver didn't last very long - they just couldn't successfully compete in the outboard business with the likes of Kiekhaefer and OMC and by 1960, for all intents and wishful purposes, they were gone.

 

Having had a long time interest in Olivers, I have been feebly attempting to compile a history of their abortive venture in the marine industry.   I have managed to obtain some advertisements from old magazines and have a collection of operative motors but have had little success in getting information about the company's history in the outboard field.  Peter Hunn, in his fine publication "The Old Outboard Book" describes the company only briefly - although it is about as complete as can presently be found.  The Antique Outboard Motor Club, through its magazine, has from time to time featured Oliver products but has not, to my knowledge, really delved into the company in any depth.  Understandable considering the brief history of Oliver in the marine field and the probable small fan base. 

 

We currently have several new pages in the planning stages which will be published as soon as time and energy permits. 

 

A special interest web-site like ours is not, by its nature, a site that will get 100's of "hits" on a daily basis but in the less than 2 months that the site has been operating, we have been successful in attracting a loyal following of repeat visitors as well as a goodly number of "surfers" (some of which have been converted to repeaters). 

This site will not continue to draw viewers back if it isn't kept fresh.  Think of the site as a partnership where you are a controlling and active partner.  Do that (through your input) and we will succeed.

 

December 17, 1997

Your ever humble "Curator",
Dick Gorz
PO Box 763

White Cloud, Michigan 49349