Wheels of Change: Headlines from a Village on the Edge of the Motor Age

When the first motorcar rattled into the quiet village of Trumansburg, New York, it didn’t just kick up dust — it stirred excitement, fear, resentment, and wonder. Wheels of Change is a curated collection of newspaper clippings from 1899 to 1915, annotated with insightful, often humorous commentary. More than just a local history, this book is a window into the soul of small-town America at the dawn of a technological revolution.You’ll meet skeptical farmers and eager tinkerers, delight in accounts of speed trials and breakdowns, and witness the slow but unstoppable march of progress. Through the pages of the Trumansburg Free Press and the Sentinel, we watch a community wrestle with what the automobile means — for business, for culture, and for daily life.Whether you're a car enthusiast, a lover of Americana, or simply curious about how new technology changes old ways, this book offers a surprisingly relevant perspective. After all, the questions they asked then — about safety, speed, jobs, and disruption — aren’t so different from the ones we ask today.With a heartfelt introduction and concluding thoughts that tie it all together, this is more than a scrapbook. It’s a story about a place, a people, and the power of invention — brought to life one headline at a time. Read more