Thursday 23rd April 1953

The last Allstate automobile was produced. The Allstate was an American automobile offered for sale through the Allstate auto accessory chain of Sears, Roebuck during the 1952 and 1953 model years. The car was basically a Kaiser Henry J. The Sears retail chain had tried selling cars under the name “Sears Motor Buggy” between 1908 and 1912 with some success. These horseless carriages were of the “high-wheeler” variety, looking much like horse-drawn buggies, with large wagon-type wheels. This type of passenger vehicle was popular in rural areas in the early part of the twentieth century, as their high ground clearance was well-suited to muddy, wagon-rutted country roads. Rural folks were accustomed to mail-ordering through the Sears catalog, and the Sears Motor Buggy could be delivered to the nearest railroad siding, an important convenience. Like virtually all Sears merchandise, these autos were manufactured by other companies and retailed by Sears.