SKOWHEGAN -- The Hight family cemented its dominance over the domestic-car sales business earlier this month with the purchase of the Ford dealership on Madison Avenue.

Ownership of what is now Hight Ford Mercury makes the prominent family the owners of all four domestic-car dealerships in the greater Skowhegan area and in Farmington.

After 97 years in a car-sales business started by family patriarch Walter H. Hight in 1911, the enterprise now stretches from downtown Skowhegan to Clough's Corner in Madison four miles to the north. It also expanded into Farmington, where Lou Hight has managed Hight Chevrolet Pontiac Buck GMC for 16 years.

Four generations of Hights have assembled a car sales business that is the oldest family- owned dealership in the state, according to Lou Hight -- with four car dealerships and four satellite used-car lots scattered throughout Skowhegan.

Father S. Kirby Hight joined the business in 1938 and twin brothers Walter and Lou Hight jumped into the business in 1972 and 1974, respectively. Walter runs the Hight Chevrolet Buick downtown.

The Madison dealership purchased just two years ago -- now Hight Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep -- is operated by Walter's sons, Corey and Toby. Lou's son, Sam, an investment banker for Deutsche Bank in Boston, will come home in two months to take over management and lead the newest venture.

This will be the Hight family's return to Ford Motor history after an 88-year hiatus, according Lou Hight.

"My grandfather started selling Ford in 1911," he said, pointing to a Memorial Day 1920 photo of Hight Model Ts ready for delivery after mud season. "Every one in that picture got sold, but they couldn't deliver the cars because the roads were too muddy."

The Hight family energy was palpable at the Hight Ford Mercury dealership on Madison Avenue Wednesday as they continued to settle in and Lou Hight explained the changes.

The interior had been rearranged, a design Lou said was done by Walter. Lou was busy with paperwork. Corey, the manager, was speeding back and forth from the parts department to the display area. Walter dropped by to discuss business, but no sales prices were disclosed.

"Few changes will be made to the physical plant except to reorganize and we are in the process of stocking it with fresh inventory," said Lou Hight.

Hight attributed the family's success -- only 3 percent of family businesses survive to the fourth generation, he said -- to frugality and paying attention to the market.

"This is a very cyclical industry. You have a good year and then you have to save some money because there are going to be some bad years coming behind it," Lou Hight said.

Equally intriguing Wednesday was the comfort level struck between the Hights and the town's other multi-generation of car dealership owners -- the Friend family -- that sold it to them.

Former Friend Motors Sales Inc. owner Ronald Friend was still seated at his desk in the display room greeting people. At the next desk his son, Adam, was busy as the new sales manager.

"I said I couldn't retire yet, so I asked Walter and Lou if I could have my Wal-Mart pin here so I could greet everyone," a relaxed Friend joked. "They treated my son extremely well."

The Friend family has a history in the car business that is almost as long as Hights.

Ronald said the family's first car dealership opened in Pittsfield in 1918, when his grandfather Earl Friend was only 18 years old. When Earle turned 21 three years later, he started the Ford dealership in Newport with help from his brother, Norris. Pittsfield would later be sold and the Newport business closed.

Ronald's father, Harry, took over the family reins from Earle. In the meantime, Ronald said he began working for his grandfather at the dealership when he was only in the fifth grade, doing odd jobs such as cleaning floors and emptying baskets. His interest never waned and he returned as an adult.

"I remember in 1963, when I sold my first Galaxie 500. I was proud as a peacock," he said. From there he would go through a series of purchases and an inheritance to acquire controlling interest of the family business.

Friend said a series of recessions over the years, his own ill health, high bank interest rates and a devastating fire in February 1988 that leveled the plant have made continuing difficult.

But, he said, he finds watching the Hights at work fascinating.

"Watching power at work is great," Ronald Friend said. "I will dearly miss it, but I am still a presence and I guess, until I screw up, I've got a job. It couldn't have been bought by a better family. I'm proud to be a member of the Hights."

Darla L. Pickett -- 474-9534, Ext. 341

dpickett@centralmaine.com