Growing up in Sioux Falls, SD, I have taken for granted the numerous parks and statues for which my city is known. One of these parks, Fawick Park, is one of the most notable and has been a topic of controversy. On my daily commute through downtown Sioux Falls, I would find myself glancing at the statue of David and began to wonder who the person that this park was named?
Thomas L. Fawick, born in Sioux Falls in 1889, was an inventor and engineer of 300 patents, a composer, and a musician. Although he never went beyond the 7th grade, his accomplishments are incredible. At the age of 11, he taught himself to play the violin. And at the age of 19, he designed and built the country’s first four-door automobile.
The “Fawick Flyer” was one of the first automobiles built in the US. Early auto builders could use any materials and place the steering wheel on either side. Fawick put the steering wheel on the right side and used aluminum rather than steel. Considering that the speed limit in Sioux Falls at that time was seven mph, the “Fawick Flyer” was probably named so since it could travel at 60 mph. Only eleven of these automobiles were built in a workshop on West 13th Street in Sioux Falls, SD. The first “Fawick Flyer” is currently located in the lobby of the Old Courthouse Museum.
In addition to Fawick’s automobile endeavors, he also contributed to the WWI and WWII war efforts when he designed clutches for amphibious landing crafts, tractors, and ships. Most notable are the clutches he created for warships, which could reverse these massive ships’ direction in ten minutes. During WWI, England purchased 900 tractors that Fawick had designed.
As I reviewed the extensive list of Fawick’s additional designs, I found that he was a designer who focused on each of his projects’ functionality. Whether creating rubber components for industrial machinery or rubber grips for golf clubs, Fawick’s designs always centered around the targeted purpose. Also, a gifted musician and composer, Fawick created a method for aging the wood used for his violin designs. Many of his designs are still used in manufacturing today.
Other designers and inventors, including Michelangelo, influenced Thomas Fawick. In the early 1970s, he donated the statue of David, which resides in Fawick Park and the Moses statue, located on the campus of Augustana College. According to Paavo Rasmussen, an educational assistant at the Old Courthouse Museum, Fawick wanted to thank the city of Sioux Falls for the support he received when he was a young automobile designer.
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