Reaching Alturas, California, Jackson and Crocker stopped to wait for the tires. There are no maps, no roads, no repair shops. But only 15 miles (24km) into the journey, the car blew a tire. The documentary focuses primarily on Horatio Nelson Jackson and his Winton car, the Vermont; along with his companions Sewall K. Crocker, his pet pitbull Bud and frequent correspondence with Jackson's wife Bertha Richardson Wells (called "Swipes" by Jackson). (c) 2014 Re:West Media House, LLC. He bought a slightly used, two-cylinder,[4] 20hp[5] Winton, which he named the Vermont, after his home state, bade his wife goodbye, and left San Francisco on May 23, carrying coats, rubber protective suits, sleeping bags, blankets, canteens, a water bag, an axe, a shovel, a telescope, tools, spare parts, a block and tackle, cans for extra gasoline and oil, a Kodak camera, a rifle, a shotgun, and pistols.[6]. Following the railroad right-of-way seemed the best way to go as they headed out. Until that time, the current route was but a well-traveled wagon road parallel with the Oregon Short Line railroad. At Mountain Home, Idaho, citizens warned them that the Oregon Trail was not good further east, so Jackson and Crocker veered off their original course along the southern edge of the Sawtooth Mountains. This Place in History: Dr. H. Nelson Jackson - Local 22/44 News At Hailey, Idaho, Crocker wired the Winton Company for more parts. (4) The men created a 100-foot path of sagebrush so the car could drive over the sandy soil. Western roads were still unimproved in 1909 when Alice Huyler Ramsey drove across the country. He is also very handy at repairing, a faculty that may prove of value. In addition to owning and publishing the Burlington Daily News, he was head of the Burlington Trust Company, and owned and operated radio station WCAX (now WVMT). Ramseys sisters-in-law and a friend accompanied her on the trip from New York to San Francisco. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) was an American automobile pioneer. He was in San Francisco on vacation with his wife when, while sharing a few beers with some friendly strangers at the local University Club, he insisted that he had what it took to drive a car across the US. Somewhere along this route, Jackson lost a pair of his glasses. The 1903 Winton trip "was a pivotal moment in American automotive history," said Roger White, curator of an exhibition later this year at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History called "America on the Move." Going northwards out of Sacramento, the noise of the car covered the fact that the duo's cooking gear was falling off. I have been using thesauruses (thesauri is the preferred plural of the author but thesauruses is definitely more fun to say!) [7] Jackson and Crocker replaced it with the only spare they had, in fact, the only right-sized spare tire they could find in all of San Francisco. Generally speaking, America in 1903 hadno roadsbetween cities, towns, or any other landmarks for that matter. (1) 'Bud,' a stray American bulldog, joined the journey. Here we were advised to changed our course a little and take the left hand road of the R. R. One old fellow said keep to the left road. Having resupplied the best they could, they struck back out onto the open roader,open range. They helped prove that long-distance road travel was a realif expensive and difficultpossibility. Jackson was one of the founders of the American Legion Department of Vermont. At one point, Bud drank bad water and became ill, but survived. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip - Wikipedia Between 1909 and 1975, Ramsey drove across the country Our car will now be as good as new.We have had hard luck, but I think it all came at once. touring car, named it Vermont, and headed east. Jackson is a "wealthy Vermont gentleman" who bet $3,000 on trip. The Pres of the firm with his associates came out & we had quite a procession into the city. The trip began after a discussion in a San Francisco mens club as to the feasibility of a transcontinental auto crossing. 1st auto passed thru yesterday; came via Camas Prairie and Croy Gulch to Hailey, "hence to Bellevue and on to Blackfoot." The next day they arrived in Ontario, Oregon, where supplies waited for them. Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History, NearSoda Springs in Caribou County, Idaho , Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017. The technology nevertheless began to catch on, slowly. I asked her. Sponsored by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, the trip began and ended in New Many days of the journey, especially in the beginning, were spent parked in a town awaiting replacement parts to arrive via stagecoach or train so they they could continue on. Between 12th and 14th Streets Driving Directions to Omaha, NE including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way. Ill admit, I hadnt given it much thought myself despite my own epic road trip history. Constitution Avenue, NW Documentary film maker Ken Burns produced a film, Horatio's Drive, for PBS. Here they prepare to light the acetylene gas headlamps. Have you ever wondered about the first cross-country road trip? Jacob Murdock and his family drove from Pasadena to New York City in just 32 days. Packard and Oldsmobile had for several months been meticulously planning similar trips with expert drivers and mechanics, support crews and modified cars when Jackson simply loaded up the Winton and split. Jackson walked back to the last town to get oil, only to discover eventually that they had been stopped only a short distance outside of Vale. Jackson and Crocker were en route, but could not overtake them. Later, somewhere in Idaho, they lost Jacksons coat which contained most of the travelers money. Quite a flurry of excitement was erected Saturday evening by the arrival of an automobile. After removing the backseat to make room for more gear, they packed the following items to begin the long journey: Unfortunately, a lot of their gear bounced out the back as they drove without them realizing it and several things were lost including two pairs of Jacksons eyeglasses. Jackson estimated the cost of his 6,000 mile road trip as $8,000 which had been spent on the car, Crockers salary, food and lodging, never-ending new tires and repair parts, 800 gallons of gas, and the $15 spent to buy Bud. There were also no signs because most people out driving were locals who knew all the turns already. At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. (5) Both men and the dog were thrown from the car after striking an obstacle. "The rubber tires on the machine were somewhat worn and a new supply was ordered from the East by telegraph to be sent to this place. When the Winton needed repairs, they telegraphed the factory for parts and awaited delivery by railroad. The threat of the other teams would spur Jackson and Horatio on, pushing them to step up their pace across the unending Great Plains of Nebraska and beyond. The soundtrack includes a variety of music, including some bluegrass instrumentals and a modern rendition by Bobby Horton of an old song called "He'd Have to Get Under Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile)". The fateful bet was made during a club room discussion on May 19, 1903, when Jackson and his wife were on a stopover in San Francisco after they had traveled to Mexico and Alaska looking at potential mining investments. Jackson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 25, 1872, a son of Samuel Nelson Jackson (1838-1913) and Mary Anne (Parkyn) Jackson (1843-1916). The trip took 64 days, including numerous delays while the two men waited for parts or paused to hoist the Winton up and over a gully. His traveling companions were Sewall K. Crocker and a bulldog, Bud. Together, both events would dramatically alter the course of exploration and adventure for the next century. [13], Jackson's military awards included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Honour, and the Croix de Guerre. The Vermont native had married the daughter of a decorated Civil War general who was one of the richest men in Burlington. They would finally begin to make up much needed time after so many days spent waiting for parts, repairs and money back in the Rocky Mountain high country. After leaving New York City Jackson joined his wife and drove home to Vermont. She extracted the Maxwell from washouts and mudholes with block and tackle, a jack, even fence rails under the wheels. Horatio Nelson Jackson departed San Francisco onMay 23rd, 1903 for what was to become Americas first ever road trip and all because of a 50 dollar bet made just 5 days prior. [6] The duo was also assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. Jackson and Crocker followed trails, rivers, mountain passes, alkali flats, and the Union Pacific Railroad across the West. Americans have driven millions of miles back and forth across the country over the years but someone had to be first. a tow. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip - amazon.com Once underway again, it was only 3 days later that they ran out of oil. It was also the same year that the "Frontier" in America was considered closed. 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Dr. Nelson has provided the very latest kind of gasoline machine, large and commodious and 20-horsepower. At 30 mph, "Horatio Nelson Jackson didn't have to worry about someone going 75 mph on the highway and running him over," said author Dayton Duncan, who wrote and co-produced the documentary and companion book "Horacio's Drive," with Burns. The journey was arduous and slow, but their trip made headlines wherever they went. Horatio Nelson Jacksons Road Trip Route Across America. In 1901, a much-publicized attempt by car manufacturer Alexander Winton to go from San Francisco to New York came to an unceremonious halt in a sand drift in Nevada. A broken mud guard and a sprung front axle alone attested the hard knocks it had had on its long journey. When night came on we made camp beside the car, and having lost our cooking outfit and provisions, and [it] being an uninhabited region went to bed without any supper. Jackson had made it from San Francisco in 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes - well within his wager of 90 days. Mr. Crocker is a devotee of the new machines and expert as a chauffeur. He accepted, even though at age 31 he did not own a car, had practically no experience driving, and had no maps to follow. (You can see a few clips on the PBS website.) As soon as they left San Francisco though, trouble began tochase them down. 2023 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He purchased a 1903 Winton [Horatio Nelson Jackson].[P.S.] [6] When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. Its subject is the first cross-country automobile journey in the United States, which occurred during the summer of 1903. [10] Their trip expended over 800 US gallons (3,000L) of gasoline. The First Cross-Country Road Trip Took 2 Men and a Pitbull 63 Days At their next stop, Jackson had to wire his wife to send them money to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Doctors were outnumbered by blacksmiths and most Americans rarely traveled than twelve miles from home because that was the distance a horse-and-wagon could cover to take them out and back home again in a single day. This physical limitation defined the spaces people occupied at the last turn of the century and made wandering beyond these informal limits rare and difficult. The rough trek towards Oregon required them to haul the car across deep streams with the block and tackle. An automobile trip across the continent that will be watched with a great deal of interest will start from this city this morning. The machine drove up in front of the Hotel Lakeview and stopped.The Chauffeur inquired for a blacksmith shop, having had a mishap coming over the rough roads. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip - amazon.com [1] Another brother, Hollister Jackson, served as Lieutenant governor of Vermont. His two brothers, each driving his own automobile, came to help him get going again. Horatio Nelson Jackson, a physician and automobile pioneer, and Sewall Crocker arrive in New York on July 26, 1903, completing the first continental crossing by car, a journey prompted by a. The amazing journey of Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, and the first successful car trip across the United States, has been commemorated in a documentary film by the celebrated Ken Burns, "Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip", which debuts Monday, October 6th, at 9:00 p.m. on PBS. Ken Burns takes 'Horatio's Drive' - UPI.com This growing glimmer of hope eventually attracted the attention of the Press, who would anticipate their next town arrival and show up to document their adventures. Two other motoring partieseach anxious to claim the title of first to drive across countrydeparted while Contents 1 Early life and medical career 2 Cross-country drive 2.1 Wager and preparation 2.2 Journey 3 Later life Automobiles were in their infancy: The first American car had been produced only 10. When Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson wagered in May 1903 that he could drive from San Francisco to New York in 90 days, there were only 150 miles of paved road in the entire country. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. WhenWorld War Ibroke out, Jackson was considered too old to serve, but he contactedPresident Theodore Roosevelt and volunteered to became a commissioned officer. (3) The car's 'cyclometer' fell off before crossing Idaho, leaving no way to tell how fast or how far they traveled for the remainder of the trip. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Like Jackson, Ramsey and her three female passengers packed a block and tackle and used it often in the muddy Midwest. Long before the interstates, there was a Winton / Indiana auto enthusiast about to reprise first-ever S.F.-to-N.Y. journey by car, winton_6/16/2003_COLOR (kinda)_3star_A-Section_a1_22p8 x full_steve, 6026, winton3_mon_B/W_3star_A-Section_a9_34p6 x 7.5i_brooks, winton4_mon_B/W_3star_A-Section_a9_10p10 x 3i_brooks, Kesling_6/16/2003_B/W_5star_A-Section_a9_10p10 x 3''_steve, 6026, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Scream publicity stunt floods Bay Area dispatch with 911 calls, Oakland ransomware attackers leak 'confidential' data, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Rain reenters Bay Area forecast: Have an umbrella near you, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 10 beach essentials to pack for a spring break vacation, 14 things you need in your car before you drive to Tahoe. What there was however, was a loose patchwork of wagon and horse trails connecting the sparse fabric of humanity. "I had," he later recalled, "succumbed completely to a primary enthusiasm for the newfangled horseless buggy.". This added several hundred miles to their route but they hoped to avoid the problems that Alexander Winton had faced in the desert sands of Nevada. Horatio's letter to Bertha | May 31, 1903 . History of Ballooning The first exhibit tells about the history of ballooning from 1783 to the current day. It turned out that the dusty alkali flats the travelers encountered would bother Bud's eyes so much (the Vermont had neither a roof nor windshield) that Jackson eventually fitted him with a pair of goggles. My darling Swipes,We expected our express on No. Most. Touch for map. 1899 -Louise and John Davis made the first known attempt to drive a car from coast to coast. Finally, the end is in sight! took Jackson 63 days, cost him $8,000 and left a transcontinental trail littered with broken parts, tools, clothes, flat tires and tears. [Horatio Nelson Jackson] Interactive Map Home . The automobile with Jackson and Crocker, crossing the continent, which left here Thursday was badly smashed up twelve miles east of this city on a smooth road while running twenty five miles an hour. I am always amazed by the hot air balloon gondolas on display, seeing how small they are while reading, Read More A Sky Full of Adventure at the Balloon MuseumContinue, I dont know what it is about windmills, but whenever I see one of the old classic designs out on the prairie, I just want to stop and take a picture. This is a bad start for our first eleven days out. In everyday life, the 31 year old Horatio was a successful Burlington, Vermont physician. Then the caption about the first ever cross-country road trip sealed the deal. Keep in mind that most of what we knew about getting around the countryside at this time was oriented around the range of travel comfortable for your horse which on average was onlyabout 10-20 miles. Jackson and his wife planned to return to their Burlington, Vermont, home in a few days, and both had been taking automobile driving lessons while in San Francisco. A picture of Horatios dog, Bud, wearing driving goggles, caught my attention first. The film is based on the book of the same name by Dayton Duncan. Peter Fimrite is The Chronicle's lead science reporter, covering environmental, atmospheric and ecosystem science. I would be wrong. When we get there the worst will be over.I can run the car as well as Crocker & have rather surprised him We take 2 hours on and 2 off at the wheel. The jaunt will not only be a trip back in history, but a clash of early 20th and 21st century technologies. Bud became an efficient watchman and was left in front seat at all stops to guard the car and equipment. Ken Burns: Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip DVD He owned a newspaper, a bank andradio station WCAX (nowWVMT). While it was neither, the people's curiosity had been aroused from a report that an automobile was coming this way, and that if they wished to see it pass it was necessary to have a seat in the front row, otherwise it might go through at the rate of 90 miles an hour, and would be out of sight before they could run a block.It drove in sight at just 4 o'clock and the crowds surged forward to get a first look at a real live auto, a machine that nine-tenths of the people of Lake county had never seen. . The idea of driving across the country captured the imagination of millions of Americans. I had to know more! We left Caldwell at eight oclock and after running a few miles out of town I found that I had forgotten my coat. As I had been trying to steal one we were glad to get him so accepted the present (consideration $15.00). Or sometimes I just need to, Read More The Right Word Peter Roget and His ThesaurusContinue, If youve never heard of Snowflake Bentley, then Ive got a treat for you! Crocker Will Start this Morning on Automobile Trip They Hope Will End in New York. Jackson decided to give it a try. His siblings included John Holmes Jackson, who served several terms as mayor of Burlington, Vermont. The trip,. , At the time of Horatio Jackson's trek, only 150 miles of paved road existed in the country, and gas stations and road maps were non-existent. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip TV Movie 2003 TV-G 1 h 47 m IMDb RATING 8.0 /10 546 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Adventure History The saga of Horatio Nelson Jackson, the first man to cross the United States by automobile--in 1903! All Rights Reserved. Horatio's Drive is a co-production of Florentine Films and WETA. He twice ran for Governor of Vermont. Jackson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 25, 1872, a son of Samuel Nelson Jackson (18381913) and Mary Anne (Parkyn) Jackson (18431916).