Hawkeye Truck Company

The Hawkeye Truck was the only motor vehicle ever manufactured in Sioux City, Iowa. The company was organized in 1914 and manufactured their trucks through the late 1920's. The first truck was turned out in 1915 at the first manufacturing location, 313 Jennings Street.

In July of 1918 Ralph Bennett, owner of the company had 2 new single story buildings, covering 41,000 square feet, built at 2700 Floyd River Road, renamed and now called Hawkeye Drive for the name of the truck company. 65 to 70 men were employed at Hawkeye Truck company and could turn out 10 trucks a day. One building is still standing today and still in use by a different company.

Hawkeye Truck Company built 3 models. The one and one-half ton, the two ton and the three and one half ton. Early models were built with hard rubber tires with later models having newer pneumatic tires. They were used in every line of industry and agriculture. One model had a hydraulic safety tower used by a utility company to raise workers up to as much as 45 feet to work on utility poles and lines.

Hawkeye trucks were found all over Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa, the mid-west and as far away as England and China. At a London show the Hawkeye trucks were called the "Rolls Royce of commercial vehicles".

Not many of the trucks exist today. Only 3 are known to exist in Sioux City. Two are at the new Sioux City Public Museum, with one currently on display and 1 is on display at the Mid America Museum of Aviation and Transportation Museum

It is unknown if the trucks were sold direct from the factory or through dealerships. One possible dealer may have been at the former Bennett Motor Mart building in downtown Sioux City. Ralph Bennett was owner of Hawkeye Truck Company and the Motor Mart building. Ralph Bennett was one of Sioux City's early automobile dealer's.

Hawkeye Truck Company closed their doors in the mid 1930's.

Sioux City Tribune October 31, 1928:












Sioux City Journal February 16, 1975:











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Photos of Hawkeye Truck on display at the new Sioux City Public Museum:

















This 1917 One and a Half Ton Model K is on display at the new Sioux City Public Museum. It made it's first debut at the Annual Bill Diamond Antique and Classic Car Show held during Labor Day weekend in 2010:















This 1918 Hawkeye Truck was purchased at an auction in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It had to be completely restored to it's original beauty. The cab is a bit differant than the original.

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Hawkeye Truck Company building:












Hawkeye Dr Street Sign:









Information sources are:
New Sioux City Public Museum and Research Center
Sioux City Public Library

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 39: Sioux City Terra Cotta, Nebraska St.

There are 4 buildings on Nebraska Street mentioned in the book Breaking The Mold, Sioux City Terra Cotta. They are the Masonic Temple, The Bennett Motor Mart Building, Sioux City Optical & the Martin Department Store.

The Masonic Temple at 9th & Nebraska was built in 1922. Designed by Beuttler and Arnold, architects it has beautiful Moorish Facade on the north side of the building. The west side was designed with Classical Spanish Facade. The temple was built at a cost of $350.00 by Fleisher Company. The Masonic bodies that currently occupy the building are Tyrian Lodge, the Sioux City York Rite, the Abu Bekr Shrine, Jobs Daughters & Daughters of the Nile. The building also has a beautiful Masonic Museum. The museum is a little unorganized right now. The hope is to eventually place the exhibits in the new Sioux City Public Museum or designate a a larger room of the temple to the Masonic Museum. The building was added to the National Regsiter of Historic Places in 2004.
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At 510 Nebraska is the Bennett Motor Mart Building. Built in 1912, designed by E.R. Henriques, architect the building shows a fine example of both Sullivanesque and Chicago School Elements architecture. Early automobile dealer Ralph Bennett commissioned C.F. Lytle Construction Company to build the structure. The Motor Mart was the first of many reinforced concrete buildings. It was renamed the Commerce Building because of the long run tenant Sioux City Chamber of Commerce. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
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The Sioux City Optical Company building was built with it's own unique style of terra cotta architecture. Built at 419 Nebraska St. in 1920. By 1923 it was the largest manufacturing company of lenses in Iowa & one of the largest in the midwest.
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Finally on Nebraska St. is the Martin Department Store building. Built in 1902 & located at 409 Nebraska the building was designed by Henry Fisher. The building is Sioux City's only Beux Arts style building. It was built by Thomas S. MArtin for the expansion of his dept. store. on 4th St. Beaux Arts is fairly limited in the United States. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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