About MADA

The Metropolitan Auto Dealers Association is a non-profit trade association that exists to serve and promote the franchise new motor vehicle dealers of metro Oklahoma City. MADA currently has over 50 members representing 39 car lines. MADA produces the annual Oklahoma City International Auto Show each March and the Auto Show, at the Oklahoma State Fair. The Organization offers educational seminars and publications to member dealers.

The Association also has its own charitable foundation, Car Dealers Care Foundation, whose mission is to assist individuals and organizations who are in need of charitable, educational and medical support. Funds are raised from new car dealers and its charity golf tournament held every May.

MADA is the authority for the new automobile market in the metro area. Sales figures for new and used vehicles are collected and published by MADA. This valuable Information is available for a reasonable fee.

Driveokc.com is MADA's own Auto Shopping Website. It is simply the best website of its kind in the state. Consumers can search metro new auto dealer's new and used inventory to find the exact vehicle they need.

Over one hundred eight years ago, May 1900, J.H. Everest, an up-and-coming young lawyer, ordered the first automobile in Oklahoma City from the Mobile Steamer Company in Chicago. Five years later, there were two car dealers in Oklahoma City, Jeffries Auto Co. at 207 W. California and Oklahoma Auto Company at 124 W. Grand. By 1910, there were ten dealerships all located within a six block area selling lines like Stoddard-Dayton, Winton Six, Chalmers, Flanders, Franklins, Maxwells, EMF, Sellers, Ford and Cadillac.

In 1916 the Oklahoma City Motor Car Dealers' Association began, as did the Annual Automobile Show. The earliest meeting recorded was on Tuesday evening, November 14, 1916 at the Studebaker Building with President Walter Vesper presiding (note: current day popularity of historic architectural renovation of the Automobile Alley district has saved and restored the original Vesper dealership located on the corner of Broadway and 13th). Meetings were regularly held at the Skirvin Hotel, the Dungeon of the Lee-Huckins Hotel or at the various dealerships.

Minutes from the archives also mention on that day the discussion with Mr. Sumner T. Bisbee of The Daily Oklahoman addressing the subject of a $30 million bond issue to build hard surfaced roads in Oklahoma County. The Association endorsed the bond and recommended the section of road commencing at the end of Linwood Blvd. and running N.W. connecting El Reno Blvd. at Putnam City.

The original ledger books' earliest recording of the Auto Show was in 1922. It was the 6th annual show.

Sites for the show varied, including locations on the 2nd floor of the John Deere Building, State Fair Grounds, the Live Stock Pavilion, Carhart Motor Company Building (6th & Broadway), and the Coliseum Building in Packingtown.

Advertising for the show included car window cards, theatre slides, posters and billboards, and ads in the Oklahoma City papers and outside dailies. Cabaret girls, a dance hall, the John Youngberg Orchestra and the Deep River Jazz Band were featured entertainment.

By the 1930's, we have dealerships such as ... Coopers (Tom Cooper), Fergusons (Ferguson-Olander), and Jones (Fred Jones) in the car business in Oklahoma City. There were 38 total dealerships operating out of a selling area that extended from 13th Street and N. Broadway (now the Automobile Alley® Historic District) to 22nd Street on South Robinson. Thirty-eight dealerships in thirty three blocks!

The Great Depression, World War II, Consolidation, and Competition cut fifteen dealerships out of the picture by the 1950's. All but one store, Pat Pugh, 8600 N. Western, was still located within thirty-three blocks of downtown. Some of the new dealers who emerged were Clark, Coker, Dockum, Fretwell, Pugh, and Scott.

Many decades into the future brings us to the twenty-first century. Oklahomans aren't flying space cars yet, but a lot has changed in the dealership community. The association has changed to the Metropolitan Auto Dealers Association to accommodate the sprawling cityscape, and the Auto Show has also grown into the Oklahoma City International Auto Show featuring our now 50 new car dealerships. Dealers have expanded into the suburban areas leaving the Automobile Alley® district and downtown's central business district with only one dealership each. For over 90 years, our association mission has been to assist and promote the local franchised new car dealers and we will continue to do so through the century.