Prior to World War II, Sears Roebuck & Co. used the name Elgin on all of the bicycles they sold, but as the nation returned to normal after the War the Store Brand name was changed to J C Higgins. Many of the Department Stores of the time had bicycles produced exclusively for them. For example, Western Auto sold the Western Flyer, B F Goodrich Tire and Auto Parts had a bike produced with their name (some being built by Schwinn) and the Hawthorne which was produced for Montgomery Ward. This bicycle was produced around 1950 and included all of the popular add-ons of the time. Fat Tires, a “Beehive” springer fork, painted fenders a headlight and a tail light mounted to the rear carrier along with a large padded seat with large springs to add to the comfort. Many of the Higgins bikes of this time also sported a center tank mounted to the frame, although this particular model does not have one. The bike was marketed through the Sears Stores and Catalogue and was a favorite, especially in rural America where a large department or bicycle store did not exist. J C Higgins bicycles continued being produced through the 1960’s when they were replaced with the “Sears” name
