Page 146 - People & Places In Time

Sierra Motors Sales
While families patiently waited for their solders return, Exeter was preparing for life beyond war so, now what? I’m not sure anyone really knew. The town was different, most had survived
a devastating depression the decade before and then a World War. It was time to get on with the business of living. As for my
father, he had only been married a few months prior to enlist- ing in the Army. Then quickly, he was off to Fort Ord, North Africa and Italy; Dad was medically discharged in the summer
of 1944. Shortly (about nine months) thereafter, I was born It was time.
My father, Emerald ‘Bot’ Smith along with his cousin, Earl Hayes and a long- time friend Jim Wagner each having returned from war in Europe would become partners in making strides toward their future. Frank List, a successful rancher in Exeter was also a longtime friend to the three veterans, but he had not gone away to war. Instead Frank as a farmer had remained at home to do what he did best
grow food in support of the war effort and he had prospered. In gratitude, Frank became the financial partner and catalyst in launching my Dad, Earl and Jim toward their dream of a new car dealership for the Ford Motor Company in Exeter.
Several of Dad’s pre-war buddies, the guys he raced boats with at Shaver Lake were going into or already in the growing business of automobiles. Les Brown in Visalia was building his Visalia Automotive Company, while Gene Ford had moved to Fresno and was growing his Chevrolet dealership. With so many veterans returning from war looking to restart their lives they were becoming an economic force; the automotive industry looked to become a prosperous place to start.
Of course, a building was needed to house the new dealership and my grand- father’s construction company, Smith and Whitney would begin construction in 1946, at 132 North ‘D’ Street. Sierra Motor Sales opened it’s doors in 1947, even though allotments of new cars remained limited from the lingering effects of the war.
Through the 40’s into the 1950’s my recollections of “the Ford Garage” as it was always referred to, are limited, I was just too young. By the mid fifty’s I do remember wandering back into the shop and the fascination I embraced walking through, looking around and exploring it all.
I was for sure developing an attraction to cars at a young age, accompanied by my fascination with racing cars. Not so unusual, given that so many of my par- ent’s friends shared the same interest. I recall trips to Marchbanks Raceway in Han- ford for Nascar and Indy races (today there’s no evidence the track ever existed). We saw the likes of A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones; I stood against the chain-link fence mesmerized as Mario Andretti flew passed only feet away (not something that could happen today)
New Ford pickup on the floor for the grand opening.
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1957 Ford Thunderbird