A long line of canvas-topped trucks fills downtown Alma in this World War I-era scene — labeled “Trucks for Government” and dated 1918 on the image. Spectators crowd the sidewalks while the convoy stretches block after block past the storefronts.
Alma wasn’t just cheering the war effort — it was helping build it. During WWI, the Republic Motor Truck Co. in Alma was a major maker of “Liberty” (standardized military) trucks for the U.S. government. Local accounts describe Liberty trucks being showcased in Alma during wartime parades and rallies.
Do you recognize the block or any of the businesses in this photo — or have family stories about Republic trucks and wartime Alma?
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