Historical marker unveiled for auto pioneer Elwood Haynes

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - A new historical marker in Kokomo is the central Indiana city's latest tribute to auto pioneer Elwood Haynes.

The plaque was unveiled Monday next to a bronze statue of Haynes outside Kokomo's Seiberling Mansion.

Haynes invented one of the first automobiles in the U.S. in Kokomo, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis. The Kokomo Tribune reports that in 1894, Haynes drove a self-propelled car that he'd been working on for years.

A Kokomo machine shop built Hayne's prototype, which is preserved in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Haynes soon began manufacturing his vehicles in Kokomo.

Aside from his cars, the storied inventor and metallurgist created numerous devices for the oil and gas industry.

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Information from: Kokomo Tribune, http://www.ktonline.com