Labor Hall of Fame Honoree (2004)

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William S. Harley 1880-1943 Arthur Davidson 1881-1950 Walter Davidson 1876-1942 William A. Davidson 1870-1937 "My office door is always open." — William A. Davidson

In 1903, William Harley and Arthur and Walter Davidson pooled their resources to produce the first practical Harley-Davidson motorcycle. With part-time assistance from William A. Davidson, who fully joined the venture a few years later, the fledgling Motor Company turned out eight machines in 1905, which necessitated the hiring of its first employee. By 1920, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, both in volume and in the size of its facilities. Through periods of both war and economic depression, Harley-Davidson has endured because its founders both used and believed in its products and relied on the dedication of its employees to produce quality motorcycles. Today, with over 9000 employees worldwide, Harley-Davidson builds well over 300,000 of the most well-known and popular motorcycles in the world.