David Dunbar Buick Left His Name and Nothing Else

Buick is one of the best known automobile brands today as it was more than a century ago. But unlike other automobile pioneers, Ford, Dodge, and Olds, who became rich and famous with their car companies, Buick prospered not at all from his namesake. Although Buick was a visionary and an outstanding engineer, he simply did not have all the tools to succeed, lacking management sense among other things.

His story is in the mold of a Greek tragedy. Bruce Catton, Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian and journalist, once said, "In all the collection of strange tales that are told in Detroit, the automobile capital, there is no tale as strange as the tale of David Buick." Award-winning author and syndicated columnist Daniel Alef takes a good look at this strange and sorrowful tale.