c.1914 Pope 4hp Model H Engine no. E3821 Colonel Albert Augustus
Pope established his manufacturing empire in the aftermath of
the Civil War. His first major product line was bicycles and by
the end of the 19th Century the Colonel was head of the American
Bicycle Company, a consolidation of some 40-plus firms. Pope's
first venture into the field of powered transport occurred in
the late 1890s with the electrically-powered Columbia, though a
few gasoline-powered cars were made also, which was followed in
1903 by the Pope-Robinson, the latter resulting from partnership
with John T Robinson. Pope-Hartford, Pope-Toledo, Pope-Tribune
and Pope-Waverley were all added to the ever-expanding fold
during the following year. Similarly, Colonel Pope's first
motorcycles were marketed under a variety of names American,
Columbia, Cleveland, Crescent, Imperial, Monarch, Rambler and
Tribune though this was a case of applying different badges to
essentially the same product range. The first motorcycle badged
as a Pope arrived