The History of Texas License Plates - Part I

By Rod Hemmick
Special Contributing Author
for Motorheads Performance

Part 1 – How & Why License Plates Started in Texas

This article is the first part of a series which will cover the history of Texas license plates. It is an interesting fact, that when the first laws were passed requiring that automobiles be registered, the states did not actually “issue” license plates to vehicle owners. Instead, it was up to the vehicle owners to provide the license plate (or plates) to display on their vehicles.

Each state, of course, passed its own laws at different points in the early 1900’s. New York was the first state in the Union to require that vehicle owners register their vehicles. Beginning on May 25, 1901, all motor vehicles operating in the State of New York were required to have their vehicles registered with the State. It is interesting to note that these first registration numbers consisted only of the vehicle owner’s initials. Most of the surviving examples today suggest that the majority of these “first” license plates consisted of metal letters attached to a leather pad. Since these first license plates consisted only of the owners initials, it did not take long for a great number of duplications to become in existence. For that reason, by 1903 a system of numbers replaced the use of the owner’s initials in the State of New York.

This time period, which varies for each state, when the vehicle owner was required to furnish their own license plates, is referred to as the “pre-state” period in license plate history. Pre-state indicating that the period was prior to the period when the states actually provided the license plates to vehicle owners when they registered their vehicles.

Once a state began to issue license plates with vehicle registrations, it entered the second period which is usually referred to as the “state-issued” period. Today, all fifty states in the United States issue license plates to vehicle owners when their vehicles are registered.

The registration of motor vehicles in the State of Texas came about as the result of House Bill #93 which was introduced during the 30th Legislature which convened in Austin, Texas on January 8, 1907. This bill did not pass during the regular session, and became a matter of priority during the special session which was called on April 12, 1907 (the same day the regular session ended). House Bill #93 was passed on April 15, 1907 and became law on August 10, 1907.

This act required that “All owners of automobiles or motor vehicles shall, before using such vehicles or machines upon the public roads, streets or driveways, register with the county clerk of the county in which he resides, his name, which name shall be registered by the county clerk in consecutive order in a book to be kept for that purpose, and shall be numbered in the order of their registration, and it shall be the duty of such owner or owners to display in a conspicuous place on said machine the number so registered, which number shall be in figures not less than six inches in height. The county clerk shall be paid by such owner or owners a fee of fifty cents for each vehicle registered.” (As a note of interest, speed limits were also set by this act at 8 miles per hour while driving inside any city limits and 18 miles per hour while driving outside of any city limits). Thus began the “pre-state” era of licensing of motor vehicles in the State of Texas which would continue until June 30, 1917.

Efforts had begun as early as 1903 to establish a central authority for regulating the State’s highway system in Texas. During the period from 1903 to 1916, there were eighteen different bills introduced in the State legislature to establish a State highway department, but none of them were passed. This was due mainly to a strong feeling among many of the State’s citizens that such a move would create increased taxation. Also, there were many who were opposed to any type of “centralization” of state government. Thus, at the time the 1907 law came into effect, everything was left up to the individual counties. There was no statewide registration system. Each county that had a county clerk (not all did at this time) maintained its own set of records which, of course, created a duplication of registration numbers in every county that was registering vehicles at the time.

Editor's Note: The various types of early license plates in Texas, along with photo samples, will be the subject of our next article. Please stay tuned for this weekly series of articles which will include how to find rare collector plates, and how to find plates for your ride!  - Andrea L. Algar

Speed Limits & Safety For Classic Cars & Vintage Trucks

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

I've recently had discussions with people concerning rates of speed allowed on roadways - how they vary, how frequently the speeds are posted along the roadways, why some limits seem so low, and others seem way too high. These ultimately lead to debates about what the ideal speeds are, the excessive use of speed traps by some cities or counties, laws about street racing, too many trucks on the road, and a host of other pet peeves and/or opinions that people develop over time and love to talk about.

I'm blessed to live and work in the great state of Texas! There's just so much to love about it here. I've lived in quite a few places around the country and have seen a lot of different standards when it comes to roads and specifically posted speeds. It really hit home when I recently traveled to the East Coast, where in some areas, highway speeds are still 55 to 60 mph. Coming from a state where on some highways you're able to travel up to 85 mph, secondary roads average 70, and even on farm-to-market roads you can go 60, driving 55 on a highway seems like an absolute crawl! I've also been in situations where I feel that people are driving too fast and too recklessly and think they need some help for their lead foot unless they're on a race track. I personally like the radar feedback signs that display how fast you're actually going, and think they can help keep drivers in-check to some degree. However, according to the caption in the photo below, some drivers may feel the signs are "egging" them on!


Photo by: funnyjunk.com created on diydispair.com

Running a performance shop for pre-1980 cars and trucks, we have a unique perspective because, while we love performance and speed, we need to make sure our customer's "oldie-but-goodie" vintage car is safe. Certainly when the cars were designed, the powertrain, steering, braking, suspension and other systems matched the system of roadways that existed at the time. With improvements in technologies, both in our roadway design and construction and in the technology advances with automobiles, classic car owners face a dilemma when considering a restoration of their vehicle, and it's one that always draws a lot of debate among enthusiasts. Do you keep your car completely stock with equipment that is often adequate but not state-of-the-art, or do you incorporate performance upgrades that will enhance your driving experience and provide additional safety?

To some degree, the area of the country you live in may influence your decision. Road conditions and posted speed limits vary tremendously from place to place around the country. Weather conditions also may influence your decision, as your needs may be quite different in the Northeast compared to the Southern States. The type of vehicle you have may also be a big consideration. How rare is it? Would modifying a rare "cherry" vintage car diminish it's value by changing its stock factory condition? Are you a collector, an enthusiast, or something in-between? How do you use your vehicle? As a daily drive, a weekend cruise, a show vehicle, or just an occasional ride?

Trends are certainly something you should take into account, as trends tend to come and go, and you may find yourself temporarily adding something cool, only to have it diminish the value or appeal of your ride several years later. We've all seen this happen recently with the "big tire" craze that had people destroying wheel wells in an attempt to cram a 22" tire into a factory 15" opening! Now that the craze is over, body shops are raking in the money restoring them. We may not see this as much in Texas yet, but the trend has been reversing itself in California and the West Coast. Consulting with your performance or restoration shop can benefit you as they are aware of trends. Sometimes they're part of the trend movement and sometimes they're traditionalists who know the value in keeping things original.

Do your research, know your options, and always keep your budget in mind! Upgrading to modern technologies are usually never as simple as bolting on a new something. For instance, when upgrading a suspension, you frequently need to modify, reinforce or repair the frame, a cross member, etc. There are fine products that will certainly add to your driving pleasure, and keep your car safely on the road, but it will come at a price. Remember, we're upgrading a vehicle which may be 30 to 50 years old.

Which brings me back to the question "what is a good, safe speed limit?"  We'd love to hear from you to get your opinion. We've created a survey in the sidebar to the right where you can cast your vote. We'll report on the final results after it closes on August 3rd.

Let's agree that we're referring to "cruising down the highway" speeds, not street racing! Remember, just because you know how to handle your vehicle at high rates of speed, there are  lot of other people out there on the roads with you that you need to worry about getting in your way, cutting you off, being reckless or even being intoxicated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.