By Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD

Special to NKyTribune

The “roaring ‘20s” were known for more than Prohibition, bootlegging, and speakeasies. In the United States, “motor cars” were the craze of the day. Americans saw autos as freeing, allowing them to literally “get off the beaten path,” and to explore the countryside. Cars allowed them to reduce their dependence on streetcars and trains, over which they had neither control of the routes nor of the schedules.

Automobile showrooms popped up all over the Northern Kentucky area in the early 1900s. So did car lots, gas stations, and auto repair services. One of the region’s oldest auto companies is KOI Auto Parts, whose predecessor was Kentucky Motor Service (and before that, the Kentucky Motor Car Co.). In 1953 the Neltner family, who operated a

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