At this point, the trio became celebrities. At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. It was a fascinating story, full of experiences that I could totally relate to while at the same time it was an adventure I could hardly imagine. The First: Cross-Country Road Trip - historynet.com Marker is on Soda Point Power Plant Road near Reservoir Road, on the right when traveling south. We buried our car completely in one and after working a half-day to get it out again, three Italians came along, each packing a heavy bag. Jackson and Crocker face obstacle after obstacle on their trip. Ken Burns: Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip DVD But, 2 days after the bet, Horatiofinalized the purchase of his first car, a Winton that he dubbed The Vermont after his home state. for many, many years. ), additional tanks to hold extra oil and gasoline for emergencies. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The documentary has a companion book and audiobook, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip, authored by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, published by Knopf in 2003. Between 12th and 14th Streets My darling Swipes. At one point he was ticketed for exceeding the 6mph (9.7km/h) speed limit in Burlington. "We're standing in . With 146 illustrations and 1 map Read more Print length 192 pages Language English After suffering a flat tire on the bicycle, he returned with 4 US gallons (15L) of fuel (which Jackson complained cost him "nearly twenty dollars"), and they returned to Burns to fill up.[6]. Jackson and Crocker replaced it with the only spare they had, which by the way, happened to be the only right-sized spare tire they could find before they left. He also writes about the cannabis industry, outdoor adventure, Native American issues and the culture of the West. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use). As Burke and Richardson drove around the country, overcoming the challenges of rough roads and mechanical breakdowns, they showed that women could be at home in the masculine domain of machines. Fortunately, Jackson was an optimist. Horatio Jackson's Winton in the Smithsonian, 5. Horatio Nelson Jackson - Wikipedia Horatio's letter to Bertha | May 31, 1903 . LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- On May 23, 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson was just two days into his grand adventure of becoming the first person . After leaving New York City Jackson joined his wife and drove home to Vermont. All Rights Reserved. As I had been trying to steal one we were glad to get him so accepted the present (consideration $15.00). Peter's car is 100 years old, and he has to worry about semi-trucks.". Contractor Welland assisted the party back to Archer and they are now coming to Cheyenne to remain till repairs can be made. Jackson described the mostly unmarked paths he was forced to bounce over as "a compound of ruts, bumps and thank-you-marms.". Touch for map. [1] Another brother, Hollister Jackson, served as Lieutenant governor of Vermont. A relay of young horseback riders rode non-stop at top, Read More The Mail Must Go Through!Continue, Quick question is the voice of the announcements in the airport a person or a computer? The Jackson party left Chicago at noon Saturday and arrived in Cleveland at 5:00 p.m. Monday, remarkably good time for notoriously bad roads which had been rendered worse by continued hard rains. The thick coating of mud gave evidence that it had been somewhere and that somewhere a long way off. "At the time they made the trip, there was a perception that the American frontier was closed. Jackson decided to give it a try. Both the Packard and Oldsmobile companies sent their respective automobiles from California with hope of passing Jackson and claiming the title for first automobile to travel across the U.S. , It took 63 days to complete the journey, during which the trek merged with present-day Highway 30 near Pocatello, Idaho, and followed it into Soda Springs, Idaho, and finally into Granger, Wyoming. Quite a flurry of excitement was erected Saturday evening by the arrival of an automobile. Article from American Heritage . No sooner than Jackson had finished the repair however, that they then suffered a gasoline leak which wasted all their available fuel. A series of American university professors of history provided background information. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. In 1916, a car covered its entire length in just 5 days so much faster than that first trip across the country! Dr. Jackson is a man of wealth, who is very fond of automobiling. "Fifty dollars says I can drive a car to New York." This was quite a boast for a man without a car or mechanical knowledge. Contents 1 Early life and medical career 2 Cross-country drive 2.1 Wager and preparation 2.2 Journey 3 Later life [Horatio Nelson Jackson] Interactive Map Home . 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). Alturas, California. Horatio Nelson Jackson - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core In 1903, he and driving partner Sewall K. Crocker became the first people to drive an automobile across the United States. Source: 'The Mad Doctor's Drive,' by Ralph Nading Hill; 'Winton 1903,' by Peter C. Kesling. Hmm, perhaps youve never stopped to think about it before. 42 38.862 N, 111 42.124 W. Marker is near Soda Springs, Idaho, in Caribou County. 2023 Behind Every Day - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP. It will be undertaken by Dr. H. Nelson Jackson of Vermont and S.K. Ken Burns takes 'Horatio's Drive' - UPI.com The cross-country trip, which now takes about two days if you drive nonstop. From there on, they were able to use a few paved roads, and their trip was much easier. "Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip", Learn how and when to remove this template message, He'd Have to Get Under Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile), The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God, Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio, Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horatio%27s_Drive:_America%27s_First_Road_Trip&oldid=1107453344, Documentary films about United States history, Articles needing additional references from May 2019, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 August 2022, at 02:26. If Im laughing, even at myself, then Im not crying, right? [14][15], The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Medical Corps) Horatio N. Jackson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 313th Infantry Regiment (attached), 79th Division, A. E. F., near Montfaucon, France, September 26-29, 1918. Broke down again, Jackson rented a bicycle from a nearby rancher, rode the 25 miles back to town, suffered his own flat tire, and eventually returned with the fuel. Sidebar ads are available in 125 x 125 and 480 x 60 sizes, in bi-monthly or six month intervals. The finishing dash over the plains to the East Coast was as much a struggle with the "buffalo wallows" as it was with the car, but in the end Jackson was not to be denied. Except for its heavy coat of mud and dilapidated front tires, the car is little the worse for its rough usage. They removed the backseat to make more room for gear and spare parts. Documentary film maker Ken Burns produced a film, Horatio's Drive, for PBS. They left from New York and traveled so slowly that a one-armed bicyclist who started 10 days after them passed them before they made it to Syracuse at which point they abandoned the attempt. 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. 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. (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. When the Winton needed repairs, they telegraphed the factory for parts and awaited delivery by railroad. The trip,. Jackson died on January 14, 1955 in Burlington, Vermont and was buried in the Lakeview Cemetery there. Horatio's Drive | Video | THIRTEEN - New York Public Media On July 26, 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson, a 31-year-old Vermont doctor, and his 22-year-old mechanic, Sewall Crocker, became the first to cross the United States in an automobile. 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! Two other motoring partieseach anxious to claim the title of first to drive across countrydeparted while The First Transcontinental Automobile Road Trip Sign up to get updates about the film and future projects from Ken Burns and Florentine Films. "The majority opinion expressed was that, save for short distances, the automobile was an unreliable novelty," Jackson later wrote. 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. Jackson, who was 31 in 1903, was undaunted by these conspicuous failures. 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. [6] The duo was also assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. 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. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. What part of history will come to life when we see it with our own eyes? Just 4 days after declaring his intentions, he had found a car and a chauffeur. [6] When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. Just as soon as I can get decent tires we will make a record run. The next day they arrived in Ontario, Oregon, where supplies waited for them. ", "Col. Nelson Jackson: The Man Who Spent $8,000 to Win a $50 Bet" Martin Sheridan. In everyday life, the 31 year old Horatio was a successful Burlington, Vermont physician. We focus on Mountain and Action Sports, Travel, Recreation, and the inspirational personalities that make up the New North American Western Lifestyle. 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. I have been using thesauruses (thesauri is the preferred plural of the author but thesauruses is definitely more fun to say!) We shall try & get away tonight. (Hollister Jackson was serving as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont when he died in the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. I am not much of a hand to write love letters: you didnt give me a chance for much practice, but you know dear how I feel. The trouble started with a flat tire near Hayward and, from then on, he and Crocker were alternately working on the car, pulling it out of mud holes, teetering on the edge of cliffs or simply getting lost. He is also very handy at repairing, a faculty that may prove of value. Way out West: H. Nelson Jackson at the wheel of his Winton. Browse letters written by Horatio Nelson Jackson to his wife while on the road, and newspaper articles written about Jackson's epic trip. Then the caption about the first ever cross-country road trip sealed the deal. took Jackson 63 days, cost him $8,000 and left a transcontinental trail littered with broken parts, tools, clothes, flat tires and tears. Yet the young retired doctor, along with a mechanical assistant and a dog, took up the . The experiences and adventures of the trip have been of an exciting nature, which may be better understood when it is known that he traveled 3,000 miles through a country never before touched by an automobile. H. Nelson Jackson, a physician and businessman from Burlington, Vermont, captured the nations attention when he and Sewall K. Crocker, a mechanic, drove from She returned home by train, allowing him to take his adventure by automobile. It is displayed with reproductions of supplies and equipment that the men carried. The press came out at every stop to take their picture and conduct interviews. 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. [10] Their trip expended over 800 US gallons (3,000L) of gasoline. Upon reaching the threshold of Jackson's garage, the Vermont's drive chain snapped. Despite mud, washouts, breakdowns, and a lack of roads and bridges in the West, they finished their trip in 63 days. About the Film | Horatio's Drive | Ken Burns | PBS Proper roads were so few and far between at this point, that there were no maps. The family all turned out to stare at us and told us we'd have to go back.We went back, and met the red-haired young woman again. Occasionally horses and cars gave her The trip, sparked by a $50 gentlemen's wager, took 63 days. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA. 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. Jackson had made it from San Francisco in 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes - well within his wager of 90 days. The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker. 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]. He was active in several businesses, including a granite manufacturing company owned by his brother Hollister. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip - Wikipedia How A $50 Bet Sparked America's First Cross-Country Road Trip According to the Winton Companys numbering system, the car he bought was Number 1684 but he chose to christen it with the name. We took that road for miles and then it came to a dead end at an isolated farmhouse. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, the trio took a short break as they waited for more money to come through the wire, and repaired yet another mechanical failure, this time to the wheel bearings. Got onto the right road again and reached Orchid at eleven oclock. At Hailey, Idaho, Crocker wired the Winton Motor Carriage Company for more parts, which, combined with the increasing press coverage, spurred the Winton car company to step up their support efforts since to them it meant an increased positive image of the company. Constitution Avenue, NW Driving an automobile from coast to coast in 1903 was a difficult and daring achievement. It was also the same year that the Frontier in America was consideredclosed. The idea of driving across the country captured the imagination of millions of Americans. Watch me now come to you.Nel. 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. (4) The men created a 100-foot path of sagebrush so the car could drive over the sandy soil. Explore the Winton touring car, which Jackson took on his historic trip. Before leaving, the machine will have a thorough overhauling and be put into condition for fast running. We leave in the morning for Oroville the last railway point we will have until we strike Ontario, [Oregon]. Darling SwipesOn our arrival here [I] was much surprised to find a man from the factory with a letter congratulating me and stating that they were willing to place men along the line with supplies at their expense.I have informed them that we have made the trip so far without their assistance & thought that perhaps [we] two greenhorns could do the rest of it. 1903 was a big year for the United States- President Teddy Roosevelt sent a wireless radio message across the Atlantic to the King of England, a cable was laid across the Pacific Ocean, completing the circuit and allowing Roosevelt to send the first telegraph around the world, and the Wright brothers made the worlds first airplane flight. WhenWorld War Ibroke out, Jackson was considered too old to serve, but he contactedPresident Theodore Roosevelt and volunteered to became a commissioned officer. The First Cross-Country Road Trip Took 2 Men and a Pitbull 63 Days He was outfitted with his own driving goggles as protection from the dust and settled right in for the journey. "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. Challenged by a sales manager for Maxwell automobiles, The technology nevertheless began to catch on, slowly. This first successful cross-country road trip sealed the American love affair with the ultimate symbol of freedom the automobile. $8,000 on the trip, including hotel rooms, gasoline, tires, parts, supplies, food, and the cost of the Winton. He purchased a 1903 Winton He was frightening horses. Take good care of yourself & dont worry. Online route planner for car travelers - United States and worldwide Horatio Jackson's Winton in the Smithsonian. "Why did you send us way down there?" The list price 100 years ago for Jackson's 1903 Winton Touring Car was $2,500, about $50,000 in today's money. [17][18], In 1944, Jackson gave his Winton, the Vermont, to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where it is preserved.[6]. Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker (and Bud!) The canine was quickly fitted with a pair of goggles and, from then on, got second billing only to the "whizz wagon," as one newspaper called the "Vermont. Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. [1] H. Nelson Jackson and Bertha Wells were the parents of daughter Bertha (19061984), the wife of George B. Kolk and the longtime editor of the Burlington Daily News, of which her father was publisher.[2]. Mr. Murdock did all the driving and even drove for more than twelve hours on a few days, just to cover more distance (just like me on my road trips!). Jackson had spent 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. Horatio Nelson Jackson | Military Wiki | Fandom He twice ran for Governor of Vermont. Later, somewhere in Idaho, they lost Jacksons coat which contained most of the travelers money. Enough gasoline can be carried to run the machine 250 miles. There are no maps, no roads, no repair shops. Peter Kesling, 71, an orthodontist and antique auto museum owner from La Porte, Ind., has a good idea of what might be in store Tuesday when he climbs aboard his own 1903 Winton and starts out to duplicate the historic feat. 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). The further they pushed on through Idaho and Wyoming, the more it seemed that the team would actually make it. On a visionary whim and a $50 bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson became the first person to drive an automobile across the continent. Yesterday the framer drove in for miles to see my machine and there has been a hundred people around the livery stable since our arrival. Jackson's bold adventure in a horseless carriage in many ways created the America we live in today, filled with a network of highways, thousands of motels, fast-food joints at every intersection and SUVs. "A few people saw it as the wave of the future," Duncan said. About the Film | Horatio's Drive | Ken Burns | PBS He'd Have to Get Under Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile), "The First Cross-Country Road Trip Took 2 Men and a Pitbull 63 Days", "Three Transports in with Men and Supplies", "Col. Jackson, Legion's Father in Vt., Is Dead", "Persons from Many Parts of Vt. to Attend Col. Jackson's Funeral", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horatio_Nelson_Jackson&oldid=1135349527, Bertha Richardson Wells (m. 1899 d. 1954), first U.S. cross country trip by automobile, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 03:30. Watch me now come to you.Nel. There will be breakdowns and tears and stories to last you through the years so get out there and start exploring! At a time when few women owned or drove cars, taking the wheel was a powerful symbolic act. The Pres of the firm with his associates came out & we had quite a procession into the city. They offered locals rides in the car in exchange for a "wild west show". The rough and tumble wagon trails which they followed, combined with the noisiness of their Winton, rendered them unable to tell when they would lose valuable items off the back of the car. In 1903, H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker completed the first motor trip across the United States in this car, which Jackson named for his home state. Funding provided by General Motors, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and the Park Foundation. [Horatio Nelson Jackson]. I shall think of you a good deal tomorrow, as I always do. Horatio Nelson Jackson departed San Francisco on May 23rd, 1903 for what was to become America's first ever road trip - and all because of a 50 dollar bet made just 5 days prior.