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Fun Facts About the First Road Trip Across America
Description
In 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson and mechanic Sewall K. Crocker embarked on the first cross-country automobile journey across the United States. Spurred by a fifty-dollar wager, Jackson purchased a used 1903 Winton touring car to prove that personal vehicles were capable of long-distance travel. The transcontinental route spanned over five thousand miles across unpaved terrain, dried riverbeds, and elevated railroad trestles. Along the way in Idaho, the pair adopted a pit bull terrier named Bud, who famously wore custom driving goggles to protect his eyes from road dust during the trip.
The 63-day journey required extensive resourcefulness, as modern gas stations and auto parts stores did not yet exist. The team spent 19 days stranded while waiting for replacement parts to arrive via railroad, and they relied on improvised fixes, such as wrapping heavy rope around wooden wheel rims for traction. Despite competing expeditions launched by rival automakers during their journey, Jackson, Crocker, and Bud reached New York City on July 26, 1903, demonstrating the feasibility of long-distance automobile travel and inspiring early movement toward paved national highway systems.
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The image used in the episode cover art is a public domain photograph from their 1903 trip.
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